Why are Hard drive prices so high?
Cloud storage demand is strong, according to Seagate. That provides context for hard drive prices, but it does not measure the markup on a particular desktop drive.
What retail prices actually did
Of the same 327 products listed on Aug 3, 2026 and Sep 28, 2026, 78 cost more, 97 cost less and 152 were unchanged. Bought together, they cost 0.9% more on Sep 28, 2026.
This comparison uses the same products at both dates. It does not attribute every dollar of a shop price to a manufacturer's costs.
Hard drive retail price history
Daily prices and missing dates
| Date | USD / TB | Products observed |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 2026 | $61.25 | 327 |
| Aug 4, 2026 | $61.25 | 328 |
| Aug 5, 2026 | $60.93 | 328 |
| Aug 6, 2026 | $60.00 | 331 |
| Aug 7, 2026 | $60.00 | 335 |
| Aug 8, 2026 | $60.93 | 336 |
| Aug 9, 2026 | $61.81 | 336 |
| Aug 10, 2026 | $61.90 | 334 |
| Aug 11, 2026 | $61.81 | 333 |
| Aug 12, 2026 | $61.25 | 337 |
| Aug 13, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 14, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 15, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 16, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 17, 2026 | $59.80 | 340 |
| Aug 18, 2026 | $59.95 | 341 |
| Aug 19, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 20, 2026 | $59.95 | 341 |
| Aug 21, 2026 | $59.66 | 344 |
| Aug 22, 2026 | $59.65 | 345 |
| Aug 23, 2026 | $59.65 | 345 |
| Aug 24, 2026 | $59.65 | 345 |
| Aug 25, 2026 | $59.49 | 343 |
| Aug 26, 2026 | $59.71 | 348 |
| Aug 27, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 28, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 29, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 30, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Aug 31, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Sep 1, 2026 | $61.00 | 353 |
| Sep 2, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Sep 3, 2026 | $60.96 | 356 |
| Sep 4, 2026 | $61.00 | 356 |
| Sep 5, 2026 | $61.00 | 358 |
| Sep 6, 2026 | $61.00 | 357 |
| Sep 7, 2026 | $61.00 | 360 |
| Sep 8, 2026 | $61.00 | 359 |
| Sep 9, 2026 | $60.79 | 360 |
| Sep 10, 2026 | $61.00 | 359 |
| Sep 11, 2026 | $61.00 | 358 |
| Sep 12, 2026 | $60.69 | 362 |
| Sep 13, 2026 | $60.67 | 363 |
| Sep 14, 2026 | $60.69 | 364 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | $60.67 | 363 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | $60.79 | 365 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | $60.69 | 368 |
| Sep 18, 2026 | $60.91 | 368 |
| Sep 19, 2026 | $60.75 | 371 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | $60.71 | 373 |
| Sep 21, 2026 | $60.67 | 373 |
| Sep 22, 2026 | $60.63 | 374 |
| Sep 23, 2026 | No observation | None |
| Sep 24, 2026 | $60.63 | 378 |
| Sep 25, 2026 | $60.63 | 378 |
| Sep 26, 2026 | $60.63 | 378 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | $60.69 | 380 |
| Sep 28, 2026 | $60.85 | 380 |
From Aug 3, 2026 to Sep 28, 2026, the daily median ranged from $59.49 to $61.90 per TB. The latest observed median is $60.85. It is 57% of the way from the lowest to the highest daily median in this window.
| Comparison | Cost more | Cost less | Unchanged | Same products together | Median change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 daysSep 21, 2026 to Sep 28, 2026 · 373 products | 28 | 67 | 278 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 30 daysAug 26, 2026 to Sep 28, 2026 · 348 products | 67 | 79 | 202 | +1.3% | 0.0% |
| Since the record beganAug 3, 2026 to Sep 28, 2026 · 327 products | 78 | 97 | 152 | +0.9% | 0.0% |
| Last 12 months | Not available: the retail record is shorter than a year. | ||||
What the manufacturers have said
Seagate · Jul 29, 2026
Seagate attributes its recent performance to strong cloud data-centre demand. That is business context, not a promise about a particular desktop drive price.
Manufacturer statements describe their own business and outlook. Retail promotions, stock and the exact model can move differently.