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M.2 SSD prices in South Korea projected to double by early 2026
Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 01:26 AM
Data from South Korea indicates significant price hikes for M.2 SSDs projected through early 2026, with 500GB units seeing the steepest increases. Market share data shows Western Digital leading, followed by SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron.
Context
M.2 SSD prices in South Korea are projected to surge by January 2026, with lower-capacity drives seeing the most drastic hikes. Forecasts indicate 500GB units will jump 2.63x in price compared to October 2025 levels, while 1TB and 2TB models are expected to rise by 2.18x and 1.91x, respectively. This rapid price escalation marks a significant shift in the semiconductor supply chain, signaling a period of constrained availability for consumer-grade storage.
The trend is driven by major producers like Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Micron, and Western Digital shifting production focus toward high-margin enterprise SSDs to meet massive AI infrastructure demand. By prioritizing high-density NAND flash for data centers, manufacturers are tightening the supply of retail components. With Western Digital and SK Hynix currently leading in local sales share, these companies are set to capture significantly higher margins as pricing peaks through early 2026.
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