SSDs Now Outvalue Gold When Measured by Weight

High-capacity consumer NVMe drives are now on par with the cost of gold when comparing price per gram. We're talking about 8 TB models, whose average market price has exceeded the equivalent cost of an equal weight in gold.

Calculations based on data from major retail platforms reveal the following picture. The average weight of an M.2 format 8 TB drive is approximately 8.2 grams. With the current price of gold at $148 per gram, 8.2 grams of the precious metal would cost roughly $1,214. However, the average price for an SSD of the same capacity has already reached $1,476, making them more expensive than a gold bar of equivalent mass.

The situation with 4 TB models currently appears less severe, but the price surge is cause for concern. An analysis of price charts over recent months shows a sharp and sustained increase in the cost of drives with 4 TB capacity and above. The primary reason is a global shortage of NAND flash memory, exacerbated by increased demand from the artificial intelligence industry and the reallocation of manufacturing capacity.

Overall, the market is experiencing significant stratification. Budget models in the mass-market 4 TB segment can still be found in the $500-800 range, but their availability is dwindling fast. High-performance solutions, however, along with virtually all available 8 TB models, have already moved into a price bracket that exceeds the value of gold.

This situation is unlikely to change in the near future. Consumers planning to purchase a high-capacity SSD in the foreseeable future might want to consider buying sooner rather than later, while some models with older pricing are still available for purchase.