If you thought rising RAM prices were tough on your wallet, storage might be the next tech category to feel the pinch. According to a recent report from Chosun Biz, major flash memory producers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are planning cuts to their NAND production in 2026, even as demand for storage continues to grow, particularly from AI and data center customers.
That shift has sparked concern that SSD prices, already trending upward, could climb even further this year. NAND flash memory is a core ingredient in solid-state drives, USB flash drives, and other storage products. As such, tighter supplies can ripple across PCs, tablets, and enterprise hardware alike. Analysts say the combination of supply constraints and shifting production priorities could reverse years of steady price declines in the consumer storage market.
Why NAND Cuts Matter for SSD Prices
At the heart of the issue is a strategic reallocation of production capacity within the memory industry. Samsung and SK Hynix together account for more than 60% of global NAND production, giving their decisions outsized influence over supply. According to the report, Samsung plans to reduce NAND output by 4.5%, while SK Hynix is expected to cut production by 10.5%. The reason is straightforward: both companies want to prioritize more profitable memory segments like DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI infrastructure.
That matters because less NAND availability means fewer SSDs can be produced, tightening supply across both consumer and enterprise storage. With AI models and data platforms consuming massive amounts of memory and storage capacity, traditional PC and device markets are increasingly competing for a shrinking pool of NAND chips. It’s a dynamic that clearly pushes prices upward. SSDs that once felt like bargains compared to hard drives could become noticeably more expensive across capacities and form factors if supply remains constrained.
For tech buyers and PC builders, this could hit at exactly the wrong time. The storage component of your next build or upgrade may end up costing more than expected, especially for anyone who has grown used to steady SSD price drops over the past few years. With both RAM and storage prices climbing, building a new gaming PC right now is starting to make less financial sense than it did even a year ago.