Kioxia exec says the AI boom means the era of the cheap 1TB SSD is over —company's NAND supply is sold out for this year and likely through 2027

Exceria Plus G4 SSD.

The biggest price hikes didn't just hit the best SSDs; they also affect the budget drives that we all love. According to South Korean media outlet Digital Daily, Shunsuke Nakato, Managing Director of Kioxia's Memory Business Unit, believes the era of affordable 1TB SSDs has ended, at least until the AI boom subsides.

"To be honest, this year's production volume is already sold out. The days of cheap 1TB SSDs for around 7,000 yen (approximately 60,000 South Korean won or about $45 USD) are over," said Nakato in a meeting held today at the Nine Tree Premier Locus Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.