- Samsung is rumored to be ditching SATA SSDs
- The firm will supposedly announce this in January 2026
- This means fewer models at the cheapest end of the SSD spectrum, which is likely to impact pricing considerably
There's some more bad news on the SSD front to join yet another worrying development in the RAM world, both of which relate to supply difficulties and increased prices for these PC components.
First off, the main event here, which is the SSD gloom. It comes via a new video courtesy of Moore's Law is Dead (MLID) in which the YouTuber provides a rumor about budget Samsung SSDs (as TweakTown highlighted).
We're told that one of MLID's trusted sources in distribution claims that Samsung is about to cut off SATA SSD production, and an announcement to this effect will be coming in January.
These SSDs are cheaper models that use the slower SATA interface, as opposed to NVMe SSDs which are the more modern, much faster storage medium, using PCIe lanes (and usually plugging directly into the motherboard in an M.2 slot).
Another of MLID's sources, this time in retail, backs up this idea, telling the leaker that SATA SSDs will be harder to get by the middle of 2026.
On top of that, VideoCardz reports that SK Hynix, a big memory maker, is expecting supply of consumer RAM to remain tight through until 2028 – which isn't the first time we've heard that prediction. This is based on a leaked slide purportedly from SK Hynix aired on X by BullsLab Jay.
Analysis: SSD – scarce supply drives?
Of course, take this with some seasoning, and just because Samsung might be pulling the plug on SSD production soon – in theory, and that may not happen straight away – there will still be existing contracts to fulfil, and stock to sell through.
Still, the message is clear enough: SSDs of the SATA variety are on borrowed time. And even though some of you might be thinking "good riddance, who uses these slow old drives now, anyway?" – well, yes, they are outdated, but there are still buyers looking for budget-friendly SSDs who go this route.
That could be especially true if people building a PC are forking out a fortune for RAM, as the price of that potentially shoots up further next year, and folks look to make savings elsewhere.
As to the reality of how many buyers of SATA SSDs there are, MLID theorizes that it's something in the order of 20% of the solid-state drive market, pointing out that some of the top sellers on Amazon are SATA drives. Samsung likely represents something like half of those sales, so these drives disappearing from shelves could account for the supply of budget SSDs drying up as 2026 rolls onwards. Fewer cheap SSDs could also put pricing pressure on more affordable NVMe models, too.
Why is Samsung making this move? That would be because NVMe drives are simply more profitable, with higher premiums to be charged – as they are a lot faster than SATA products – and they're easier to manufacture, too (as a bare board that plugs into the motherboard, as opposed to a full drive with a case).
Samsung is going to be focusing on making HBM4 memory and GDDR7 video RAM, as well as NVMe SSDs, all of which are more profitable enterprises, particularly given the current AI boom.
Needless to say, if you're looking at buying an SSD, now is likely the best time to act, especially if you can find anything in the way of a holiday deal on a drive – because as of Q1 2026, prices could head upwards quite quickly, particularly for budget SSDs.
Most predictions have memory supply levels being tight until 2027, if not longer – and MLID reckons we're looking at maybe late in 2026, possibly through to mid-2027, before pricing woes settle down somewhat.
Don't forget that storage and RAM price hikes don't just impact those individual components and prebuilt PCs, but also laptops.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best SSD
1. Best overall:
WD_Black SN8100
2. Best budget:
Orico O7000
3. Best gaming:
SK Hynix Platinum P51
4. Best professional:
Samsung 9100 Pro
5. Best for PS5
Samsung 990 Pro
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