SSD prices are expected to drop by up to 10% in Q4 2024 due to weaker NAND Flash demand

SSD prices can be volatile, and like RAM and other forms of flash memory and storage, the question of 'how much' is influenced by various supply and demand factors. According to TrendForce analysts, "weaker-than-expected seasonal demand in the second half of 2024" could see NAND Flash wafer prices drop by up to 15% in Q4 2024.

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The overall demand in the enterprise segment, driven by AI, remains high, and the SSD market there is profitable as drives are installed in countless servers and systems running generative AI workloads.

However, it's a different story on the client side, with the report indicating that retail demand for SSDs, memory cards, and USB drives "has remained sluggish since the beginning of 2024."

This lack of demand has seen several sales and competition drive consumer SSD prices down, but not enough to "boost consumer interest." Does all of this mean that SSD and other Flash Memory pricing is expected to drop? Possibly.

Either way, if you're in the market or could use a few extra terabytes for PC game installs, school, or work, now's the time to keep an eye on SSD pricing. For SSD makers, NAND Flash wafer pricing will decrease 'significantly.' There's a good chance the forecasted 10-15% drop in Q4 could see steeper reductions if demand continues to decline.

The flip side is that companies hold excess inventory to counteract any sharp increase or decline in pricing, so it could take months for savings to filter down - if at all. However, if you're in the market for an SSD to beef up the storage of that PlayStation 5 Pro console you've preordered, there's a good chance some bargains are on the way.