The situation that the RAM market for the consumer market is experiencing has claimed its first victim. After several months in which the rise in modules of this type of memory, a situation that has also already extended to storage, strained the consumer market causing a shortage of components and more than notable Price increases, Micron has confirmed that it is closing its affordable consumer RAM and SSD brand, Crucial.30 years after his birth.
The company, in a statement, acknowledges that it is stopping manufacturing its ranges of SSD units and RAM kits, characterized by their quality at an affordable price, because it prefers to focus its resources on selling memory and storage to companies dedicated to AI, which bring it more money and greater benefits.
Officially, what Micron has commented is that the closure of Crucial will allow it «improve supply and support to larger and more strategic customers in faster growing segments«. That is, it prefers to sell its products to hyperscalers and companies unrestrainedly dedicated to the construction of data centers and all types of infrastructure for AI.
Final consumers, given this, will have more difficulties in being able to Buy the products they need for their computers, in a context in which the prices of RAM memory modules have multiplied since the end of summer. Furthermore, everything indicates that they will continue to rise due to the shortage that the rise of AI is causing in this type of components, and incidentally, the desire to earn as much money as possible from hardware manufacturers, even if it is at the cost of abandoning traditional customers and markets.
Meanwhile, companies like OpenAI are signing astronomical agreements with manufacturers like Samsung or SK Hynix to produce hundreds of thousands of DRAM modules for their projects. Consumers, small businesses and professionals who need components, who see the price of computers and other devices also rising on a rebound, take a second or third place. Or directly, they stop counting, as happens with Micron.
Micron assures that it will continue selling Crucial products until the end of February 2026, and that it will continue to offer warranty and support for them. The company will continue to sell branded business components through its business customer channels. Regarding Crucial employees, Micron «intends to reduce the impact on team members of their business decision through outplacement opportunities in open positions within the company«. That is to say, a part will probably also be fired.
Sumit Sadama, Vice President and CBO of Micron Technologyhas recognized that «The growth of data centers, driven by AI, has led to growth in demand for memory and storage«.
The manager has also commented that «Thanks to a passionate community of users, the Crucial brand has become synonymous with the technical leadership, quality and reliability of leading memory and storage products. We would like to thank our millions of customers and hundreds of partners, as well as all the Micron team members who have supported the Crucial brand over the past 20 years.«. Curious way to thank them for their loyalty and support: turning your back on them and leaving them in the lurch.
