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PC Storage Costs Spike as AI Demand Squeezes Supply

Heavy AI datacenter buying is squeezing DRAM and NAND supply for consumers.

Pre-built gaming PCs on sale at Newegg
SSDs floating in the sky
It's no longer much fun to put together PC builds. Prices are way too high.
I'm not expecting that 2026 will be a good year for storage prices.

Overview

  • Windows Central reports SSD and HDD prices are rising quickly, with a few SSDs still found near $0.08 per gigabyte.
  • RAM costs have surged as AI firms buy up global DRAM, with common DDR5 kits now far above their 2025 prices.
  • Micron has ended its Crucial consumer storage line, reducing retail SSD choices and pressuring availability.
  • Pre-built gaming PCs can offer short-term value because many use pre-hike parts, including Newegg deals through February 1 with RTX systems starting at $999.
  • High-capacity pricing is extreme, with 8TB NVMe SSDs reported to cost as much as or more than the same weight in gold, and GPU prices are firming as VRAM supply tightens.