Why are HDD prices stalled?

[Eli]

I bought a couple of WD2000JD and WD2000JB drives in June of last
summer and have been watching their prices since, with plans to add a
few more to my system. But 200GB ATA & SATA prices seem to have
actually risen about $5-$10 per drive in that time, which seems rather
odd. Is there a reason for this price stagnation in the HDD market,
or is it just a result of a weak US dollar?

 

[Rod Speed]

I bought a couple of WD2000JD and WD2000JB drives in June of last
summer and have been watching their prices since, with plans to add a
few more to my system. But 200GB ATA & SATA prices seem to have
actually risen about $5-$10 per drive in that time, which seems rather
odd. Is there a reason for this price stagnation in the HDD market,
or is it just a result of a weak US dollar?

Yeah, basically given that all drives are made outside the US now.

 

[CJT]

I bought a couple of WD2000JD and WD2000JB drives in June of last
summer and have been watching their prices since, with plans to add a
few more to my system. But 200GB ATA & SATA prices seem to have
actually risen about $5-$10 per drive in that time, which seems rather
odd. Is there a reason for this price stagnation in the HDD market,
or is it just a result of a weak US dollar?

I believe there's a disk drive shortage right now.

 

[Nonymous]

I bought a couple of WD2000JD and WD2000JB drives in June of last
summer and have been watching their prices since, with plans to add a
few more to my system. But 200GB ATA & SATA prices seem to have
actually risen about $5-$10 per drive in that time, which seems rather
odd. Is there a reason for this price stagnation in the HDD market,
or is it just a result of a weak US dollar?

I think it's just supply & demand. 200GB has been the nice high 'sweet
spot' for a while now that everybody's wanted to attain ("but all the cool
kids are doing it, Mom!"). Because of that, demand has been pretty high
keeping the prices up. 300+GB is getting more and more popular and 400GB is
arriving, too. I bet once 300GB becomes the new goal that everybody wants
to be at, 200GB will finally start to nosedive.

 

[John Doe]

Yeah, basically given that all drives are made outside the US now.

My CPU, made in Malaysia, has gone from $80 to $112.

 

[Rod Speed]

My CPU, made in Malaysia, has gone from $80 to $112.

Yeah, but drive prices do tend to fall over time
without the USD flying like a lead balloon.

 

[John Doe]

....


Yeah, but drive prices do tend to fall over time
without the USD flying like a lead balloon.

So do CPU prices. Thanks for the clue.

 

[Arno Wagner]

I bought a couple of WD2000JD and WD2000JB drives in June of last
summer and have been watching their prices since, with plans to add a
few more to my system. But 200GB ATA & SATA prices seem to have
actually risen about $5-$10 per drive in that time, which seems rather
odd. Is there a reason for this price stagnation in the HDD market,
or is it just a result of a weak US dollar?

Well, here in Switzerland I find drives have become constantly cheaper.
Seems the Euro is not such a hoot after all... (Swiss francs are
relatively close to Euro for value change.)

Arno

 

[timeOday]

My CPU, made in Malaysia, has gone from $80 to $112.

But many Asian currencies including Malaysia are locked to the US dollar.

<http://enr.construction.com/features/bizLabor/archives/031222b.asp>

 

[Rod Speed]

John Doe wrote

But many Asian currencies including Malaysia are locked to the US dollar.

Hardly any are, actually.

China is the main one that is.

 

[RPR]

ComputerWorld just reported about delayed system shipments from HP and
EMC due to disk drive allocation.

 

[J. Clarke]

ComputerWorld just reported about delayed system shipments from HP and
EMC due to disk drive allocation.

Meanwhile Staples has retail-boxed 250 gig PATA Maxtors on sale for 130
bucks. Seems to be the SATA drives that are in demand.