The cost of supporting new technologies vs The older technologies.

[Daddy]

With Apple launching the MacBook Air, which has the option of using an SSD, I figured I would make a thread about SSDs.

The benefits of SSDs over conventional hard drives are clear: no mechanical parts and significantly faster access times.  They are a welcome change, but it does come at a price.  Right now they are much more expensive than regular hard disks.

Just look at the MacBook Air.  You can pay $1800 for one with an 80GB HDD or you can pay $3100 for a 64GB SSD.  That's $1300--almost twice the cost for 16 less GB in a SSD.  Only techfanatics are going to want to pay that premium.   This causes a problem with the fact that as more people buy products of a certain technology the price goes down, more R&D is done, and the product is improved. 

But right now Hard Disk size is what matters for many people who need it.  They are not going to want to pay significantly more for much less space.  It brings the question of whether you should stick with the cheaper option where you get more, or the newer, more expensive option where you get less.

Sure, BiTMICRO is working on a 800+ GB SSD, but can you imagine the cost? It's between 10 and 20 dollars per GB.  That's many times more expensive than an HDD. 

ITT We discuss SSDs, the cost associated with them, and innovation of such technologies.  This board needs a discussion thread and more than "lol how do end task".

[Zeta]

I predict that SSD's will start becoming standard on high-end laptops within the next three years. K.

[ncba93ivyase]

I predict that SSD's will start becoming standard on high-end laptops within the next three years. K.

I see them becoming more popular by then, but I really don't see them becoming a standard for another 5-10 years, depending on if standard hard drives can start pumping out multiple terabytes pretty soon and develop faster access speeds.

[The artist formally known]

I'll keep buying HDDs until the difference in price is about $100 at the most. And by the way I like to have 600gbs so I except that I'll never get into SSDs until 5 years from now. I don't plan on getting a SSD or new HDD until I need the room or one of mine malfuntions.

Also I assume SSDs are much much much faster? They're like flash drives right? Maybe even better?

[Daddy]

I'll keep buying HDDs until the difference in price is about $100 at the most. And by the way I like to have 600gbs so I except that I'll never get into SSDs until 5 years from now. I don't plan on getting a SSD or new HDD until I need the room or one of mine malfuntions.

Also I assume SSDs are much much much faster? They're like flash drives right? Maybe even better?

I'm not sure how much faster they are, but they are a lot faster.  Like RAM, they are random access.  The lack of mechanical parts also helps since it removes speed issues caused by mechanical delay(electricity is much faster than a spinning platter)

[Kingoftherings]

Hard Drive access speeds have never really been a problem for me, my problem has always been space.

The one advantage I can see with SSD is that it doesn't have moving parts, and is less likely to fail.  (I've never had a hard drive failure either)

[ncba93ivyase]

The one advantage I can see with SSD is that it doesn't have moving parts, and is less likely to fail.  (I've never had a hard drive failure either)

I did. caterpie;

but what about those 100000 read/write thingies

[Blaze-Senpai]

I did. caterpie;

but what about those 100000 read/write thingies

I'm pretty sure that can be fixed.

It's just too expensive right now for practical use honestly, give SSD's a few years.

[The artist formally known]

I'm not sure how much faster they are, but they are a lot faster.  Like RAM, they are random access.  The lack of mechanical parts also helps since it removes speed issues caused by mechanical delay(electricity is much faster than a spinning platter)

I understand. It's defiantly better, no questioning that, but it's the price that should be debated. Probably costs a ton more but yes if you can afford it and don't use a lot of gbs then it's worth it.