Micron announces end to Crucial SSDs and memory, goes all-in on AI chip production
Micron announces end to Crucial SSDs and memory, goes all-in on AI chip production
22h •
Micron has announced the impending demise of one of the most iconic brands in desktop and laptop memory. Crucial SSDs and memory will no longer be sold by February 2026, as Micron pivots more of its business toward HBM and low-power DDR memory that AI data centers are buying in such enormous volume, Tom's Hardware reports.
"The AI-driven growth in the data center has led to a surge in demand for memory and storage," said Sumit Sadana, EVP and chief business officer at Micron Technology. "Micron has made the difficult decision to exit the Crucial consumer business in order to improve supply and support for our larger, strategic customers in faster-growing segments."
Micron has said that it will slowly shutter the Crucial side of its business over the next few months, halting sales entirely in February. After that point, it will continue to honor warranty obligations and offer technical support to customers for a period of time. Service coverage will also continue to all customers who own existing Crucial memory or storage devices, too, so Micron won't leave customers out of luck.
But it's a huge change for the industry, and it feels like yet another unfortunate casualty of the booming (and bubbling) AI industry. Micron established Crucial 29 years ago in 1996, and it's frequently considered one of the leading brands in desktop memory products. Its Ballistix line in particular, with gaming styling and features, was well loved among enthusiasts, although that range was shuttered in 2022. (Our sister site, PCMag, has a review of some DDR2 sticks from 2008!)
The reasons for Micron shuttering it are more economic in nature, though. Crucial memory and storage represent some of the lowest margins out of Micron's product lineup, making it an easy brand to cut. Micron is struggling to produce enough memory for its enterprise products, so those are getting the focus of its fabrication efforts. By cutting out Crucial, Micron can refocus on the most booming industries with higher margins.
From a business standpoint, it makes sense. As a fan of computing, though, it's sad to see Crucial go. |
