Micron Announces Exit from Crucial Consumer Business

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Reason for Exit & Market Dynamics

  • Micron says surging AI/datacenter demand for DRAM/NAND makes it more profitable to prioritize “larger, strategic customers” over the Crucial consumer brand.
  • Commenters link this to a broader RAM shortage and recent price spikes, including large long‑term supply deals with AI players, which reallocate wafer capacity away from retail.
  • Many argue this is classic “sell shovels in a gold rush”: retool fabs toward high‑margin server/HBM products, not commodity consumer DIMMs/SSDs.
  • Others note Micron can still sell DRAM chips and modules to OEMs and consumer brands (Corsair, G.Skill, etc.); Crucial was mostly a marketing/support layer on top of Micron components.

Consumer & Enthusiast Impact

  • Many long‑time Crucial buyers see this as a direct hit to DIY builders and small “semi‑pro” users, especially those relying on Crucial to avoid counterfeits and relabeled rejects.
  • Concerns that consumer RAM/SSD prices will rise further, with less direct access to tier‑one manufacturers and more reliance on secondary brands and used enterprise gear.
  • Paired with trends toward soldered memory and cloud reliance, several fear a slow erosion of enthusiast, upgradeable PCs in favor of locked‑down devices and thin clients.

Crucial Brand Perception & Alternatives

  • Strong nostalgia and trust: Crucial RAM widely seen as reliable, fairly priced, with good warranty support; MX500 SSDs cited as “sweet spot” for SATA price/performance.
  • Some report Crucial SSD failures and note that in recent years many consumer SSDs (including Crucial’s) were generic controller + commodity NAND, with little real differentiation.
  • Discussion of remaining options: Samsung retail DIMMs/SSDs, SK Hynix-linked brands (KLEVV), Nanya, and emerging Chinese suppliers, though worries persist around NAND quality and endurance.

Business Strategy & AI Bubble Debate

  • One camp: this is rational, not “MBA brain”—consumer DRAM is a low‑margin, shrinking, commoditized segment; AI/datacenter is where the growth and pricing power are.
  • Opposing camp: abandoning a respected consumer franchise is shortsighted concentration risk; if the AI boom busts, Micron will have ceded diversification, brand equity, and market insight.
  • Broader anxiety that AI investment is soaking up fabs, electricity, and capital for questionable returns, “reverse‑democratizing” computation away from individuals toward a handful of hyperscalers.