AI Storage Demands Reshape the NAND Market: Expect Permanently Higher SSD Prices

NAND flash pricing is shifting away from short-term cycles toward structural pressure TrendForce data shows inventory movements no longer dictate SSD component costs Suppliers are limiting bit output growth through cautious capacity expansion strategies NAND Flash pricing is entering a phase of sustained pressure that mirrors, and may exceed, recent DRAM market disruptions. New data from TrendForce suggests SSD component costs are no longer driven by short-term inventory cycles. Instead, structural shifts in production strategy and demand composition are reshaping how NAND Flash is supplied and priced. Supply strategies restrict bit growth The recent forecast challenges assumptions that NAND pricing will normalize once temporary market imbalances fade, particularly as enterprise storage demand continues to expand. Memory suppliers have adjusted NAND Flash strategies toward efficiency improvements rather than aggressive capacity expansion. Manufacturing focus has shifted to higher layer counts, QLC adoption, and process optimization, which limits near-term output growth. Capital expenditure remains conservative despite rising demand signals, with cleanroom space and production line constraints acting as limiting factors. These conditions restrict how quickly additional NAND supply can reach the market, even as pricing incentives increase. Demand patterns across NAND Flash markets remain uneven. AI infrastructure, enterprise servers, and cloud storage platforms continue to absorb large volumes of high-capacity SSDs. AI stands out as the primary driver behind rising NAND Flash demand, prompting revisions to industry capital expenditure outlooks. At the same time, smartphone and notebook shipments face downward revisions as rising memory costs pressure device margins. This divergence has reinforced seller leverage, allowing stronger segments to influence contract pricing while weaker consumer markets provide limited offsetting demand. However, investment priorities favor advanced manufacturing technologies over raw capacity expansion. DRAM spending emphasizes advanced nodes and HBM-related output, while NAND Flash investment centers on higher-layer architectures and hybrid bonding techniques. Equipment suppliers remain optimistic about long-term demand, although increasing technical complexity raises barriers to rapid scaling. As a result, higher spending does not translate directly into meaningful bit growth. For these reasons, contract prices are increasing sharply, supported by inventory restocking and sustained enterprise demand. These price increases appear more durable than temporary, given limited supply growth, which reduces the likelihood of price retracement after prices reach higher levels. If AI-related storage requirements continue to expand faster than manufacturing output, SSD NAND components may follow a pricing trajectory similar to recent DRAM trends. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!