The current chip shortage driven by AI data centers is causing prices for everyday technology to skyrocket as manufacturers prioritize AI-enabled hardware over that used in things like PCs, smartphones and gaming consoles. In recent months, products like the PlayStation 5 and Samsung Galaxy tablets have seen price increases. Even USB drives and SD cards, storage options known for their affordability and constant price drops, have not been spared.
In just one year, the prices of USB drives and SD cards have risen dramatically. PCWorld and Tom’s Hardware each compared current prices of certain devices to their 2025 peak and found significant increases across all drive types and capacities, doubling or even tripling in some cases. These numbers have increased further since these reports were published. As an example, a 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SD card that cost $60 in 2025 had increased to around $107 when Tom’s Hardware published its article in April; as of this writing in June 2026, the same product now costs $150 on Amazon. By the time you read this, prices may have increased further.
The price increases haven’t necessarily stopped consumers, as people are buying Steam Decks for almost $1,000. Still, it’s difficult to recommend purchasing USB drives or SD cards at their current prices. While they may be the only options for storage expansion in some cases (the Nintendo Switch 2 uses expensive microSD cards), in most cases a hard drive (HDD) or cloud service is a smarter financial choice in 2026.
Hard drives are better value for money
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Although they are slower and less efficient than SSDs, HDDs are still worth buying in 2026. Demand and prices are increasing as AI companies and consumers view them as cheaper alternatives. Still, hard drives give you much more bang for your buck in terms of capacity.
The cheapest 8TB SSD we could find was the Team Group T-FORCE GA PRO at $1,009.99 (or $126.25/TB). Compare that to the best-selling hard drive on the same site, the Seagate IronWolf, which sells for $299.99 ($37.50/TB) and has much higher ratings. In fact, the only Seagate hard drives to be more expensive than an 8TB SSD were the 28GB and 32GB options, meaning you could buy a triple or quadruple sized hard drive for about the same price. That said, HHDs aren’t really a replacement for your regular USB sticks and SD cards, given their capacity and price.
Cloud storage plans are affordable, but with caveats
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If your storage needs are GB and not TB, cloud storage is currently the most cost-effective option. Chances are you already use a cloud service like Google One, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, or Dropbox, which offer limited amounts of free storage. Subscribing to a paid plan (or upgrading your current plan) is an easy way to get more. Prices vary by service and tier, but you can expect to pay around $2/month ($20/year) for 100GB and around $12/month ($120/year) for 2TB.
Of course, the cloud has advantages and disadvantages. Although it makes it easier to access your files from anywhere, there are common mistakes people make with cloud storage, such as saving sensitive information. That’s why, even if you want to use it, the cloud shouldn’t be your only form of storage.
Cloud storage is also subscription-based rather than an upfront fee. Monthly or annual costs can increase at any time, and eventually the amount you spent will exceed what you would have paid if you had just purchased a USB drive or SD card. However, given the current trend in hardware prices, this could take some time.
