AI RAM shortage drives up SSD prices significantly

The burgeoning demand for AI, particularly for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI accelerators, is creating a ripple effect across the storage market. This surge in demand is directly contributing to a sharp increase in the prices of Solid State Drives (SSDs). For instance, a 2TB WD Black SN850X SSD, previously priced at $173, has skyrocketed to $649, a nearly fourfold increase. Similarly, the 4TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD has seen its price jump from $320 to almost $1,000. This trend is so pronounced that even external SanDisk SSDs experienced a 200% price hike at the Apple Store in March, and Sony has halted orders for its SD and CFexpress cards.