Technology
Surging AI data center demand drives up solid-state and hard drive prices
High demand from hyperscalers has sharply increased consumer and enterprise storage costs, according to Engadget.
The short version
- Booming investment in artificial intelligence data centers has led to significant price spikes for both solid-state drives and traditional hard drives.[Engadget]
- Hardware buyers face substantially higher expenses, with 2TB solid-state drives climbing from $120–$200 last year to roughly $400.[Engadget]
- Hard drive costs have surged concurrently, as hyperscalers procure high-capacity units in bulk while other consumers turn to hard disks to bypass expensive flash storage.[Engadget]
- Average prices for standard 4TB SATA hard drives have doubled from approximately $120 to around $240.[Engadget]
Key facts
- The expansion of AI data centers has triggered substantial price rises across both solid-state drives and hard drives.[Engadget]
- A 2TB SSD priced between $120 and $200 a year ago can now approach or exceed $400.[Engadget]
- Hyperscalers are acquiring large volumes of high-capacity hard drives, and buyers priced out of SSDs are also turning to HDDs.[Engadget]
- Average pricing for 4TB 3.5-inch SATA hard drives jumped from about $120 to approximately $240 over the past year.[Engadget]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.