What is one of the significant drawbacks of NAND flash memory?

One of the significant drawbacks of NAND flash memory is its limited write endurance. This characteristic refers to the finite number of program/erase cycles that NAND flash can endure before the memory cells begin to wear out. Each time data is written to or erased from the flash memory, it puts wear on the memory cells. This limitation affects the long-term reliability of flash storage, particularly in applications that require frequent writing and erasing of data.

Understanding write endurance is critical for system design and data storage strategies, especially in scenarios involving high-write workloads, such as in SSDs used for heavy database transactions or write-intensive applications. Managing write operations effectively, through methods like wear leveling and the use of over-provisioning, can help mitigate this limitation, but it remains a crucial factor to consider when selecting storage technology for specific use cases.