Power consumption by a memory device is optimized by maintaining data
input buffers in an off state until a command sequence containing a write
command is received by the memory. A command sequence is provided to the
memory device where the command sequence was constructed by generating a
command sequence of n cycles and providing valid data in each cycle in
which a write command is generated after a m.sup.th cycle of the command
sequence, where m is less than n. The data input buffers are returned to
an off state upon completion of a program or erase operation defined in
the received command sequence.