[News] Kingston Warns NAND Prices Have Surged 246% Since Early 2025, Signals More Price Hikes Ahead

Amid a global memory price surge driven by tight supply, another major module maker is warning of imminent price hikes. Citing remarks from Kingston Datacenter SSD Business Manager Cameron Crandall, Tom’s Hardware and TechPowerUp report that NAND prices—already up 246% since 1Q25—are likely to climb further in the next 30 days as shortages intensify.

In the interview with The Full Nerd Network cited by the reports, Crandall noted that nearly 70% of the sharp NAND price surge occurred in just the past 60 days. With NAND accounting for roughly 90% of an SSD’s cost structure, he said Kingston has little room to absorb the impact and will be forced to pass the cost pressure on through pricing.

Kingston is certainly not the first memory module maker to voice its concern. In early December, Taiwan’s Transcend, according to a notice seen by TechNews, was abruptly informed by key NAND suppliers—SanDisk and Samsung—that upcoming shipments are being pushed back yet again. With major chipmakers prioritizing top customers, prices are surging, and Transcend was told costs jumped 50–100% in just the past week, the notice indicates.

Micron Winds Down Crucial as Kingston Holds Its Ground

The upside, according to Tom’s Hardware, is that Kingston has no plans to follow Micron in scaling back its consumer business. Citing Crandall, the report says Kingston will stay focused on the distribution channel and, together with other SSD and memory suppliers, step in to fill the void left by Crucial’s exit.

Micron announced in early December that it would wind down its Crucial consumer brand amid a deepening memory shortage fueled by surging demand from data centers and hyperscalers. After the close of its fiscal second quarter in late February 2026, Crucial consumer products will be discontinued, while Micron’s enterprise lineup will continue to be supplied through commercial and server-oriented channels.

Read more

• [News] Samsung Reportedly Denies Plans to Halt Consumer SATA III SSDs Amid Tight NAND Supply
• [News] Micron to End Crucial Consumer Memory by Feb 2026, Redirects Supply to Enterprise amid AI Surge

(Photo credit: Kingston)