Following months of DRAM shortages and rising RAM prices, attention is now shifting toward NAND flash as the next component facing major price pressure. Supply chain sources indicate that NAND pricing is entering a steep upward phase, with Samsung reportedly implementing one of the largest increases seen in recent years.
According to a report from ETNews, Samsung has raised NAND contract prices by more than 100% in the first quarter. The increase is said to be linked to new long-term agreements signed with key customers, including Apple, NVIDIA, and AMD. Customers have reportedly already been informed of the updated pricing, suggesting that the changes are now in effect rather than speculative.
The main driver behind the surge is continued demand for AI-related products and data center hardware. Memory and storage requirements for AI workloads have expanded rapidly, placing heavy pressure on manufacturing capacity. This has already resulted in higher DRAM prices and supply constraints across the PC market, and NAND flash is now seeing similar conditions.
For consumers, the impact is expected to be felt most clearly in SSD pricing. Retail SSD prices have already been moving upward over the past few months. Data from PCPartPicker shows that average SSD prices have increased by around 18% since October 2025. With NAND contract prices reportedly doubling, further increases at retail appear likely.
At the same time, manufacturers are not signaling any major plans to expand NAND output. Ongoing DRAM shortages have led companies such as Samsung and SK hynix to focus on production strategies that protect margins. This approach limits short-term supply growth and supports higher contract pricing.
As AI adoption continues across consumer and enterprise segments, pressure on memory and storage supply chains is expected to remain. For now, PC buyers may need to adjust expectations, as lower SSD prices appear unlikely in the near term.
