- Samsung is rumored to be ditching SATA SSDs
- The agency will supposedly announce this in January 2026
- This implies fewer fashions on the most cost-effective finish of the SSD spectrum, which is prone to affect pricing significantly
There’s some extra unhealthy information on the SSD entrance to affix one more worrying improvement within the RAM world, each of which relate to provide difficulties and elevated costs for these PC parts.
First off, the principle occasion right here, which is the SSD gloom. It comes by way of a brand new video courtesy of Moore’s Regulation is Lifeless (MLID) through which the YouTuber gives a rumor about price range Samsung SSDs (as TweakTown highlighted).
We’re advised that one among MLID’s trusted sources in distribution claims that Samsung is about to chop off SATA SSD manufacturing, and an announcement to this impact will probably be coming in January.
These SSDs are cheaper fashions that use the slower SATA interface, versus NVMe SSDs that are the extra fashionable, a lot quicker storage medium, utilizing PCIe lanes (and normally plugging immediately into the motherboard in an M.2 slot).
One other of MLID’s sources, this time in retail, backs up this concept, telling the leaker that SATA SSDs will probably be more durable to get by the center of 2026.
On high of that, VideoCardz experiences that SK Hynix, an enormous reminiscence maker, is anticipating provide of client RAM to stay tight by means of till 2028 – which is not the first time we have heard that prediction. That is based mostly on a leaked slide purportedly from SK Hynix aired on X by BullsLab Jay.
Evaluation: SSD – scarce provide drives?
After all, take this with some seasoning, and simply because Samsung is perhaps pulling the plug on SSD manufacturing quickly – in principle, and that won’t occur right away – there’ll nonetheless be present contracts to fulfil, and inventory to promote by means of.
Nonetheless, the message is obvious sufficient: SSDs of the SATA selection are on borrowed time. And though a few of you is perhaps considering “good riddance, who makes use of these gradual previous drives now, anyway?” – properly, sure, they’re outdated, however there are nonetheless patrons in search of budget-friendly SSDs who go this route.
That may very well be very true if folks constructing a PC are forking out a fortune for RAM, as the worth of that doubtlessly shoots up additional subsequent 12 months, and people look to make financial savings elsewhere.
As to the fact of what number of patrons of SATA SSDs there are, MLID theorizes that it is one thing within the order of 20% of the solid-state drive market, declaring that a few of the high sellers on Amazon are SATA drives. Samsung possible represents one thing like half of these gross sales, so these drives disappearing from cabinets might account for the provision of price range SSDs drying up as 2026 rolls onwards. Fewer low-cost SSDs might additionally put pricing stress on extra inexpensive NVMe fashions, too.
Why is Samsung making this transfer? That may be as a result of NVMe drives are merely extra worthwhile, with larger premiums to be charged – as they’re so much quicker than SATA merchandise – and so they’re simpler to fabricate, too (as a naked board that plugs into the motherboard, versus a full drive with a case).
Samsung goes to be specializing in making HBM4 reminiscence and GDDR7 video RAM, in addition to NVMe SSDs, all of that are extra worthwhile enterprises, significantly given the present AI increase.
For sure, should you’re looking to buy an SSD, now could be possible the very best time to behave, particularly if you’ll find something in the best way of a vacation deal on a drive – as a result of as of Q1 2026, costs might head upwards fairly rapidly, significantly for price range SSDs.
Most predictions have reminiscence provide ranges being tight till 2027, if not longer – and MLID reckons we’re taking a look at perhaps late in 2026, probably by means of to mid-2027, earlier than pricing woes calm down considerably.
Remember that storage and RAM worth hikes do not simply affect these particular person parts and prebuilt PCs, but additionally laptops.
The most effective SSDs for all budgets
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