Market share held by NAND flash memory manufacturers 2010-2020, by quarter

In the first quarter of 2020, Samsung held a market share of 33.3 percent of the NAND flash memory market worldwide, ranking first among vendors. Kioxia ranked second, occupying 19 percent of the global market.

Computer memory

Computer memory refers to the physical devices which are used to store data or programs for use in a computer. Primary storage allows for the short-term storage of data: information is retained for immediate use and is directly accessible by the CPU, usually until the main device is reset or turned off. Secondary storage, either in the form of hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), flash drives, or other longer-term storage devices, record and hold data indefinitely, even when the main device is unpowered.

HDD and SSD

HDDs and SSDs are both a form of non-volatile memory commonly used for secondary storage in laptops and computers. HDDs are considered to be an old-school storage device, made up of magnetic tape and with mechanical parts inside. A solid-state drive (SSD) is a newer storage technology that has no moving parts. Instead, it uses NAND flash memory, a type of non-volatile storage that does not require power to retain data. Lower-priced laptops often still come with the cheaper HDD option, but most midrange to high-end PCs come with an SSD instead.