How did harddrives get so expensive all of a sudden? - Hardware & Software

[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=14&name=Internal-Hard-Drives[/URL] For example, there's a 1TB 7200rpm HDD on there for $140. I bought a harddrive that was 1TB/7200rpm for $60 back when I bought it. How did harddrives get so expensive all of a sudden?

there was a flood in Thailand, ruined a big warehouse full of em

[QUOTE=C2DALONE;33142042]there was a flood in Thailand, ruined a big warehouse full of em[/QUOTE] Actually, 90 percent of hard drives are manufactured in Thailand, so the flood completely ruined the supply, therefore increasing demand, raising the price.

The price will come down eventually, but for now we'll have to do without I was planning on ordering a new HDD recently, it's disappointing but I suppose we shouldn't be feeling sorry for ourselves, we're not the ones with flooding

Seems like it might be cheaper to buy a SSD right now than a hard drive.

[QUOTE=C2DALONE;33142042]there was a flood in Thailand, ruined a big warehouse full of em[/QUOTE] Wow, that's pretty interesting.

Actually it was that the factories were ruined. Hard drives aren't massively profitable, so there are very few factories making specific parts of them and stockpiles of them aren't kept particularly high compared to other stuff.

[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697[/url] This used to be $54.00 and is now $150.

Fuck, goddammit. Does this mean laptop prices go up too?

[QUOTE=Flubadoo;33165052]Fuck, goddammit. Does this mean laptop prices go up too?[/QUOTE] If a laptop contains a hard drive I'd imagine so. You might be lucky if you buy one quickly - Laptops sell less quickly than the hard drives contained within.

Get a laptop with a SSD.

Any idea when prices will go back down? Like a month or so? [editline]8th November 2011[/editline] Okay, after reading up a bit it looks like prices will go back down within the first 3 months of 2012.... But that's just what they're saying so don't carve it in stone.

Well prices will drop but it will take awhile before they reach rock bottom from what they were 3 months ago. I bought 2 2TB WD Blacks for $110 awhile back, I am good to go.

when will the prices go down again?

[QUOTE=DEATHRUNE;33187570]when will the prices go down again?[/QUOTE] I guess when Taiwan sorts out it's stuff.

I remember seeing somewhere that they think it will be mid 2012 before they start producing as fast as demand requires again

[QUOTE=Flubadoo;33187671]I guess when Taiwan sorts out it's stuff.[/QUOTE] What does Taiwan have to do with it?

[QUOTE=Brt5470;33188224]What does Taiwan have to do with it?[/QUOTE] He misread thailand as taiwan now please stop making these useless posts.

[QUOTE=Civil;33188608]He misread thailand as taiwan now please stop making these useless posts.[/QUOTE] No need to be a cunt. Calm your tits, kind sir.

[QUOTE=Civil;33188608]He misread thailand as taiwan now please stop making these useless posts.[/QUOTE] I've seen many posts all over various places make the mistake. I wanted to post it out to make sure he understood the difference. I didn't realize I was posting too much here, sorry.

[QUOTE=reapaninja;33188065]I remember seeing somewhere that they think it will be mid 2012 before they start producing as fast as demand requires again[/QUOTE] Damn shit.

[QUOTE=LordCrypto;33142864]Actually, 90 percent of hard drives are manufactured in Thailand, so the flood completely ruined the supply, therefore increasing demand, raising the price.[/QUOTE] No, it decreased the supply, not the demand. Demand is still the same, just not enough supply anymore.

[QUOTE=Jetblack357;33203233]No, it decreased the supply, not the demand. Demand is still the same, just not enough supply anymore.[/QUOTE] this it's basic economics if supply drops, price equilibrium increases and quantity equilibrium decreases

Well shit, I was about to buy a new HDD and suddenly it costs twice as much as before. :C

This is where you should have stocked up on harddrives, selling them for double the store price, half the current price. and make millions.

I should bust out my old 13gb 5400rpm hard drive, I bet I could get $50 for it now.

[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;33209927]I should bust out my old 13gb 5400rpm hard drive, I bet I could get $50 for it now.[/QUOTE]I still got my 4 GB WD drive. [editline]9th November 2011[/editline] It was an upgrade.

I could sell my samsung spinpoint that I got just before the price increase for about 50 bucks... i could probably sell it for 100 easy. Anyway, it's said that it will take around 6 months for a full recovery.

I heard that it isn't because of a couple of plants in Thailand its because everyone's panicking and being all like "ITS THE END OF ALL HDD PRODUCTION BECAUSE A COUPLE PLANTS IN BANGKOK ARE EFFECTED BY FLOODING OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT" So people are buying like there's no tomorrow, driving prices up.

[QUOTE=Folgergeist;33213362]I heard that it isn't because of a couple of plants in Thailand its because everyone's panicking and being all like "ITS THE END OF ALL HDD PRODUCTION BECAUSE A COUPLE PLANTS IN BANGKOK ARE EFFECTED BY FLOODING OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT" So people are buying like there's no tomorrow, driving prices up.[/QUOTE] Thailand manufactures 70% of hard drives in the market. Demand is the same as always but supply has been severy limited by the flooding thus causing dramatic rise in prices. This should be basic economics.