Is there a valid reason why SSDs are still so expensive?

[Kevin_Walter]

The average seems to be about a 300% increase on mechanical drives. 500 GB HDs cost around $50-60 on average. Meanwhile 500 GB SSDs cost in the neighborhood of $150+

 

Is there a compelling reason as to why exactly this is, or is it just a "because they can" kind of thing? I mean it's not like SSDs are cutting-edge technology anymore. They've become pretty common over the last several years.

[MoonlightSylv]

They still cost more to make than hard drives...

[Syntaxvgm]

For the short term-some kind of nand shortage. Prices have been going up. An adata 480GB drive I bought a few of a while ago for 109 is now 137 for example. 

 

Long term, they have bene going down, and will keep going up in capacity. One day spinning rust will be dead, but it will be some time. 

[Misanthrope]

Yes: They're still at least 4 or 5 times faster than mechanicals. I say that's a fairly valid reason still. Though I do get your point it's frustrating that prices aren't going down as fast as they could be but oh well.

[Kevin_Walter]

1 minute ago, Syntaxvgm said:

some kind of shortage. Prices have been going up. An adata 480GB drive I bought a few of a while ago for 109 is now 137 for example. 

Ah. That makes sense.

[Lethalmonk]

New tech, high demand, R&D, marketing, advertisement and quality.

[m0k]

prices havent increased over HDD...

 

HDD are cheap to manufacture

SSD arent as cheap to manufacture.

 

therefore SSDs will cost more

[SageOfSpice]

R&D, less facilities to produce them, VNAND technology...

You'd probably save in transport and materials over a traditional HDD, but if there aren't enough facilities capable of producing them...

 

It's just the way that old tech kind of gets stuck to our teeth. It's why change is difficult.

[Bananasplit_00]

they are fast. like vastly surperior fast. thats basically why. HDDs are pretty old tech, sure, but they also have about the same amount of RND done right now as SSDs because companies need them to stay relevant, so its not really RnD. its mostly because they are fast, light and cost more to produce currently

[dizmo]

They're still relatively new. Look how long HDDs have been around compared to SSDs.

They've dropped in price massively since they came out.

[Lethalmonk]

One thing  you will notice about most pc parts is, the parts will stay near a baseline price for a long time unless a newer, much much better version comes out with ground breaking technology or Years and years go by. Prices will fluctuate due to demand. The"baseline price" is based on the cost of materials (gold, metal etc) the cost of R&D (usually alot) retail cost, shipping, manufacturing and etc. Thats why old tech without Vnan is cheaper than than ones without. And the same thing will happen with m.2 nvme vs 2.5" sata ssd once the m.2. drives become cheaper (less demand/more supply R&D becomes less expensives. manufacturing and materials go down etc.) 

 

Btw i take pride when i buy intel because of their CF project. I dont mind spending some extra $$ if it helps others.