Shunsuke Nakato (나카토 슌스케), a senior executive at Japanese chipmaker Kioxia, warned that rapid price increases for 1TB SSDs are likely to accelerate.

Tech outlet TechRadar reported on Jan. 21 that Nakato, a managing executive officer in Kioxia's memory business, said in a recent interview with Digital Daily that 1TB SSD prices are rising sharply and could soon climb by a larger margin.

“To be honest, this year’s production volume has already sold out,” Nakato said. “The era of low-cost 1TB SSDs at around 7,000 yen is over,” he added. Buyers must pay at least $100 to purchase a 1TB SSD at major U.S. retailers, and some NVMe models are selling for more than $130.

Nakato warned that SSD prices could soon rise sharply, citing that memory price increases are being followed by higher RAM prices. He projected price pressure could persist from 2026 to 2027. He urged value-focused consumers to buy now and stressed that securing lower-priced models is a safer choice, with prices of some higher-end models already having risen by more than double.

TechRadar also said, “In this situation, the most reasonable choice is to buy an SSD before prices rise further,” and compiled three recommended 1TB SSD models.

The outlet said the cheapest option currently is Micron’s Crucial P310. The product sells for $106 on Amazon in the United States, offers strong power efficiency and supports the NVMe interface. It warned that inventory could be depleted quickly, and said buyers should consider purchasing soon.

Next, for those who prioritize price-to-performance, Western Digital's WD Black SN850X is suitable. The SSD sells for $109 at Walmart in the United States and offers high write and read speeds and PCIe 5.0 support. Inventory may be limited.

Finally, for those who want higher specifications, the Samsung 990 Evo Plus 1TB model can be considered. The product is available for $155 at U.S. computer hardware and software retailer Newegg, uses triple-level cell (TLC) NAND for strong durability and supports PCIe 5.0. TechRadar said the Crucial P310 offers better value for money.

In conclusion, amid rising price pressure, value-focused consumers should choose the Crucial P310 while it is still priced lower, those who value both performance and durability should opt for the WD SN850X, and high-performance seekers should select the Samsung 990 Evo Plus.