Flash Memory prices

[elm669]

I went out to frys and a few places looking at the flash drives and the prices and in many cases they are higher in price than they were a few years ago... 16gb are still like 60 bucks and 32gb are like 80 bucks, what gives?

 

[munkle]

Demand is going up. Ssd's are driving demand up a ton.

 

[Trepidati0n]

Supply, demand...its is what drives all prices.

 

[rive22]

Better grab now. Or wait it out.

 

[FrostBite]

Ssd's are driving demand up a ton.

I don't think this is actually true. Most SSD's require the very best flash memmory (exception is the Sandforce but that's more controller than anything) as they can be rewritten 10,000 times (if I remember correctly). The flash chips you buy in thumb drives can be rewritten on 4,000 - 5,000 times. You wouldn't use anything but the best flash memory on a SSD because the thing would get wrecked extremely quickly, and you wouldn't use the best flash memoy on a thumb drive because it'd be way to expensive. Just like how the Toyota Corolla and the Ferrai Enzo are both cars, the buyers are most likely pretty different.

Demand though is probably going up.