HDD and SSD Prices Anticipated to Surge by 30% Due to Increased Demand from Data Centers and AI Mania Among NAND Manufacturers

In the coming weeks, prices for NAND-based products, including consumer SSDs, are poised to rise sharply. This surge is largely driven by the escalating demand for AI technologies, pushing major suppliers to adjust their pricing strategies.

AI Data Center Capacity and Its Impact on Storage Demand

As the data center capacity expands rapidly, the gaming community may find themselves facing another supply shortage. Recent reports from supply chain sources indicate that leading NAND manufacturers, including Western Digital, SanDisk, and Micron, are planning price increases of up to 30%.The heightened interest in AI and enterprise storage solutions is fueling this spike in demand. For the time being, these major suppliers have paused their quote distributions to customers, hinting at a potential widespread price increase that could extend beyond enterprise storage offerings.

2025年9月12日親愛的客戶：人工智慧時代以數據為動力，而HDD硬碟則確保資料安全、可存取、經濟實惠，並為創新做好準備。… pic.twitter.com/cu42ONMsqp

— Shun HaYaO (@QQ_Timmy) September 15, 2025

Western Digital has publicly acknowledged shifts in its NAND pricing structure. According to DigiTimes, SanDisk is projected to increase NAND product prices by approximately 10%.Meanwhile, Micron is contemplating an increase that could reach up to 30%; however, they have not yet formally informed customers of these changes, indicating that the supply chain is still adjusting. This suggests that consumer-oriented NAND pricing could see substantial increases in the near future.

Samsung QLC V-NAND — Image Credit: Samsung

For those interested in the intricacies of AI’s impact on enterprise storage, it’s essential to recognize that AI training requires extensive datasets, which are primarily housed in these systems. In particular, HDDs serve as crucial cold storage for these raw datasets. As global data center computing capabilities expand, the corresponding demand for enterprise storage is climbing as well. Thus, NAND manufacturers are leveraging the current market excitement. Although HDDs are not reliant on NAND chips and may not face as drastic a price hike as SSDs, they will still likely be affected by the overall market shifts.

Interestingly, it was just last year when the NAND sector encountered significant challenges due to slumping consumer demand. The current dynamics highlight a stark contrast in market conditions and provide a glimpse into the rapidly evolving landscape of storage technology.

Source & Images