What is a notable drawback of SSDs?

• A. They are cheaper per GB than HDD.
• B. They have unlimited write cycles.
• C. Limited lifespan due to finite read/write operations per cell.
• D. They require mechanical motors.

Answer: (C)

Write endurance of NAND flash is the main drawback of SSDs. Each flash cell can be programmed and erased only a finite number of times, and after many cycles its ability to hold and reliably store data degrades. That wear-out limits the drive’s lifespan, especially under heavy write workloads. To cope, SSDs use wear leveling to spread writes evenly across all cells, over-provisioning to provide spare space for rewriting, garbage collection, and TRIM to help the controller reclaim unused blocks. Because of this, longevity depends on total writes and the cell type (SLC lasts longer than TLC or QLC). When enough cells wear out, performance can drop and the drive may become unable to write new data until it’s replaced. The other statements aren’t the fundamental drawback: SSDs aren’t cheaper per gigabyte than HDDs, they don’t have unlimited write cycles, and they don’t rely on mechanical motors.