SanDisk’s looped portable SSDs used to feel like an easy, affordable way to stash a few terabytes. That bargain disappears fast if you shop through Apple. Apple Store listings now show dramatic price jumps on external drives, matching what Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported this week.
One example is blunt: Gurman said a SanDisk 4TB external SSD that previously hovered around $500 now lists near $1,200, and the 1TB version jumped from about $120 to roughly $360.
Why external SSD prices are rising now
The driver isn’t a single brand. It’s a broader supply squeeze tied to the AI infrastructure boom and the knock-on effects across memory and storage markets. As vendors prioritize high-margin, data-center demand, consumer-grade SSDs can get tighter and pricier.
This doesn’t stop at SSDs. The same “capacity crunch” is starting to show up in hard drives too. Industry tracking found HDD prices rose ~46% on average since September 2025, as bulk storage demand increases and consumer supply tightens.
Apple also retains the right to change prices on its store, which matters because Apple’s storefront often becomes the most visible “reference price” for mainstream buyers.
What to do if you need storage right now
- Compare retailers before buying from Apple’s store, especially for SanDisk and similar brands.
- Consider HDD for cold storage (archives, backups) if speed isn’t critical.
- Use smarter storage habits: compress old videos, dedupe photo libraries, and rotate backups.
Eco-friendly SEO angle
Buying fewer drives and keeping them longer reduces e-waste. Better file hygiene also cuts unnecessary cloud sync and repeated transfers, which lowers energy use across devices and data centers. The green play is simple: store less junk, buy once, and back up smarter.
