SSD prices just doubled in two months — and gamers aren't why

DRAM and NAND prices are wrecking PC budgets everywhere, and the customer actually buying up the chips isn't you — it's AI data centers. Aliteq Ravi Malhotra · Hardware Editor

DRAM contract prices rose 90–95% quarter-over-quarter in Q1 2026, per TrendForce.

A basic 1TB consumer SSD has roughly doubled in price since late 2025, from about $45 to about $90.

Memory makers are diverting NAND and DRAM wafer capacity to High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI accelerators, which sells to hyperscalers at a premium.

SK Hynix says its HBM, DRAM and NAND capacity is sold out through the end of 2026.

Analysts don't expect real relief until 2027–2028, with full price normalization possibly not until 2029.

If you're building or upgrading a PC this year and can afford the RAM and SSD you need, buy them now. I don't say that lightly — timing a hardware market is usually a losing game — but this isn't a…

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