Micron kills Crucial RAM and SSDs to chase AI boom

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Micron has officially pulled the plug on its Crucial consumer business. 

The same Crucial that’s been the go-to comfort brand for anyone who’s ever Googled “why is my laptop so slow” and emerged clutching a new SSD. 

Yes, the company behind some of the most wallet-friendly RAM and storage upgrades is stepping away from everyday buyers entirely, choosing instead to chase the booming, far more glamorous world of AI and hyperscale data centers.

Micron confirmed that Crucial’s consumer RAM and SSD lineup is being wound down, with no new products planned. 

The remaining stock will stay on shelves until it sells out, like a liquidation sale, but with more panic-buying from IT students. 

Crucial has long served as Micron’s direct-to-consumer arm, offering memory that didn’t require a PhD in motherboard compatibility.

 Its exit means one of the simplest upgrade paths just evaporated.

Why does this matter? Because Crucial wasn’t just another box on a Best Buy shelf, it was the safe pick. 

The brand built its reputation on reliability, transparency, and that magical compatibility tool that told you exactly what RAM your old laptop needed without yelling at you. 

For beginners, Crucial was an on-ramp. For experts, it was the baseline that kept other brands, Samsung, WD, and Kingston, honest on pricing. 

With Crucial bowing out, that benchmark disappears, and the consumer market suddenly looks a little more chaotic.

On top of that, the timing could not be worse. RAM and SSD prices are already rising thanks to AI-driven supply pressure, and Crucial’s exit removes one of the few stabilizing forces in the budget and mid-range space. 

That doesn’t automatically mean prices will skyrocket, but let’s just say the vibes are concerning.

So what now? In the near term, Crucial gear will linger until shelves run dry, making this a surprisingly good moment to snag upgrades while they still exist. 

Long-term, expect fewer plug-and-play options, more mystery-brand SSDs, and a consumer market leaning heavily on the remaining big players.

Crucial may be gone soon, but the collective sigh from PC builders will echo for years.