The Ripple Effect of NAND Flash Shortages Driven by AI Data Center Demand… Price Adjustments Become Inevitable
ProGrade Digital, the high-performance memory brand, will implement a price increase across its entire product lineup starting May 1. This move comes in response to the rising costs of NAND Flash, signaling a broader trend of price volatility in the professional storage media market.
■ AI Boom Triggers NAND Flash Shortage
The direct cause of this price hike is the supply-demand imbalance in the semiconductor market, fueled by global IT companies expanding their AI data centers. As NAND Flash manufacturers shift their supply priorities to secure inventory for enterprise-grade SSDs, the raw material costs for consumer memory cards have risen sharply.
Mark E. Lewis, co-founder of ProGrade Digital, explained:
"As semiconductor manufacturers focus on AI-related clients, raw material costs have surged by as much as 100% to 200%. While we have held off on price increases through April, adjusting consumer prices starting in May has become unavoidable."
■ Universal Price Adjustments: From SD to CFexpress
The price hike effective May 1 will cover all of ProGrade’s flagship product lines:
- CFexpress (Type A / B): Entire Gold and Cobalt series.
- SDXC UHS-II: Both V60 and V90 lineups.
- Other Equipment: microSDXC cards, card readers, and related accessories.
■ Chain Reaction Expected Across Other Brands
The rise in raw material costs is a challenge shared by all manufacturers. Following ProGrade’s lead, other major memory brands such as SanDisk, Sony, and Lexar are expected to join the wave of price increases in the near future.
With the global memory shortage persisting and the demand for high-resolution RAW photography and 8K video recording on the rise, the upward trend in prices shows no signs of slowing down. Leading media outlets, including Photo Rumors, advised: "If you have equipment needs, completing your purchase by the end of April—before the hike—is the most rational choice."
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