Samsung denies halting SATA SSD production as reported earlier in media

In a dramatic turn of events, Samsung has denied reports suggesting that it plans to phase out production of consumer SATA SSDs. The clarification follows a flurry of speculation originating from the YouTube channel Moore's Law Is Dead, which claimed Samsung was preparing to wind down its SATA SSD business due to tightening NAND flash supply.

The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of surging demand for semiconductor memory fueled by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. NAND flash capacity that once served consumer products like SSDs is increasingly being diverted to hyperscalers and AI research facilities. This reallocation has produced one of the tightest storage markets in years, as leading component manufacturers adjust production priorities and inventory allocations.

According to Moore's Law Is Dead (MLID), multiple distribution and retail sources indicated that Samsung was planning to halt SATA III SSD production permanently. The outlet suggested that the company's newer NAND facilities – particularly in Pyeongtaek and Hwaseong – were being retooled for DRAM production.

Those facilities include the upcoming Pyeongtaek Fab 4, expected to manufacture memory chips on Samsung's advanced 1c process node, with a focus exclusively on DRAM. The move, if true, would mark a notable shift for a company long regarded as one of the world's leading suppliers of both NAND and DRAM technologies.

The shortage of NAND Flash has already disrupted supply chains for several brands. Transcend, for example, has reportedly not received a NAND flash shipment since October. It expects relief only after another three to five months of constrained availability.