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This section provides an overview for memory cards as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 9 memory card manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked memory card companies as of December, 2024: 1.PATRIOT MEMORY, INC, 2.Lexar.com, 3.Swissbit.
Table of Contents
A memory card is a thin card-shaped auxiliary storage device.
Because memory cards are compact, rewritable, and consume little power, they are widely used as storage media in mobile information devices.
Memory cards are used as recording media in a variety of electronic devices. For example, they are the recording media for various electronic devices, such as recording and storing image information in digital cameras and video cameras, storing data in smartphones, and recording music data in audio players.
Due to their low power consumption and small size and light weight, memory cards are also used as data storage devices in PCs and tablet terminals, and many PCs are equipped with memory card readers.
Memory cards come in a variety of standards, but basically they consist of NAND flash memory and controller circuitry in a single package. The following features are available:
This makes it suitable for large-capacity data storage. However, since the basic operation is block-by-block access, it is inevitable that the speed will be low when random access is performed.
In addition, the controller circuit will control reading/writing data to/from flash memory. On the other hand, flash memory has an upper limit to the number of rewrites, which in the case of NAND flash memory is said to be 100,000 times at most. The retention period of recorded data is also usually around 10 years.
Therefore, memory cards cannot escape this limitation. It is advisable to replace the memory card with a new one on a regular basis and to store the recorded data in a different recording device suitable for long-term storage.
Various types of memory cards have been proposed in the past, but these are now being consolidated into CF cards, SD cards, and microSD cards.
CompactFlash is a memory card standard developed by SanDisk. CF cards are generally referred to as CF cards, and since their electrical specifications are compatible with PC cards, they could once be used through a PC card slot with an adapter attached.
Since the input/output interface standard is ATA, a CF card can be regarded as a storage device similar to a hard disk drive by a PC.
CFexpress is the successor to CF cards, and its specifications were developed by CFA (CompactFlash Association), the organization that developed CF. Its greatest feature is its support for NVMe, a communication protocol used in PC SSDs and other devices.
The following three types of CFexpress are defined:
A memory card standard jointly developed by SanDisk, Matsushita Electric Industrial, and Toshiba, SD memory cards are 24 mm long, 32 mm wide, and 2.1 mm thick, but have a large capacity of 1 TB. Another feature is the built-in copyright protection function CPRM (Content Protection for Recordable Media).
SD memory cards are classified according to their data transfer speed, and even the fastest SD memory cards can transfer data at 2 Gbps, which is about the same speed as CF cards, but not as fast as CFexpress cards. However, because they are small, easy to use, and inexpensive, they are widely used for general data storage.
The microSD card is a more compact version of the SD card. It is 15 mm long, 11 mm wide, and weighs only about 0.4 g. It can be used in mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets. They are used in cell phones, smartphones, tablets, digital audio players, etc.
SmartMedia is a postage stamp-sized (37 mm wide, 45 mm long, 0.76 mm thick, and 1.8 g in weight) memory card standard proposed by Toshiba. It was widely used in digital cameras, PDAs, digital audio equipment, and game consoles.
A smaller version of the SD memory card, it was mainly used as a memory card for cell phones, but was replaced by the even smaller microSD card.
A memory card jointly developed by Siemens and SanDisk. SD cards are said to be an improved version of multimedia cards.
A memory card standard jointly developed by Olympus Corporation and Fuji Photo Film Co. It was used for a while in digital cameras from both companies, but no manufacturer followed suit, and both companies have switched to SD cards and miniSD cards for their current products.
A memory card with copyright protection proposed by Sony, Memory Stick has been used as a recording media for Sony PCs, digital cameras, and digital audio devices for quite a long time.
A smaller version of Memory Stick, this standard was developed as a recording media for cell phones. It was used in cell phones, digital cameras, DV camcorders, PSP, etc.
Various other memory cards have been used, but it is unlikely that they will be used in new devices anytime soon. Some of the most representative memory cards are listed above, but some have already been discontinued.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Western Digital, founded in San Jose, CA in 1986 is a manufacturer of data storage solutions such as USB Flash Drives, Memory Cards and Data Center Storage. The company's product portfolio includes Solid State Drives (SSDs), Hard Drives (HDDs), Network Attached Storage (NAS), Embedded Flash and Accessories. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. They also provide services such as equipment repair, instrumentation system upgrades, warranty service and technical support.
Kingston was established in 1987 as a manufacturer of memory and storage solutions having its headquarters in California. The company produces RAM memory for Desktop PC, laptops, or servers and Solid State Drives (SSDs) for the same along with USB flash drives that provide mobile storage and are available in encrypted and standard security formats. There are also SD and microSD flash memory cards and Readers embedded NAND and DRAM solutions and components for industrial-level electronic manufacturing and they also provide storage solutions to Data centers, cloud services, edge computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Swissbit, based in Bronschhofen, Switzerland, is a manufacturer of industrial-grade memory and storage solutions that specializes in producing products designed for demanding environments and critical applications. Established in 2001, the company offers a wide range of storage solutions, including flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and embedded storage modules. Their products cater to various industries such as automotive, industrial automation, healthcare, aerospace, and telecommunications. The company places importance on minimizing environmental impact by complying with global standards and regulations.
PATRIOT MEMORY, INC, founded in the United States in 1985, is manufacturer of a high-performance memory and storage products and solutions, streamlining users and technologies of data applications for different verticals. The company's product portfolio includes high-speed flash storage solutions, ideal for embedded systems, data centers, and consumer electronics, and a wide range of memory modules, including DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR4, with varying capacities to cater to diverse computing needs. The company has sales offices located throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Samsung Semiconductor is a Korean manufacturer of memory chips originally founded in 1974 as Samsung Semiconductor & Telecommunications Co. before merging with parent company Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s semiconductor business unit in 1988. Based in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, the company produces various memory chips for use in computers and smart devices, including low-power double data rate (LPDDR), NAND flash, and DRAM chips. It also offers large-scale integration (LSI) products such as display drivers, processors, and image sensors for integrating components or functionalities into a single chip. Samsung Semiconductor operates globally, with facilities and sales offices in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Micron is an American manufacturer of data storage and computer memory products that was established in 1978. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the company primarily produces NOR and NAND flash memory for data drives or embedded systems, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) for computers or servers, and ultra-bandwidth memory models for graphics rendering or artificial intelligence applications. Its products are used in data centers, cloud computing, smart devices, and infotainment systems. Micron has served several notable clients, including Dell Technologies Inc., the Panasonic Corporation, and Amazon Web Services Inc.
Simms International plc, founded in the UK in 1990, is a distributor of memory and storage solutions. The company's product portfolio includes memory cards, USBs, DRAM memory and components, external storage, and embedded peripherals. It also offers services such as enterprise and industrial memory expertise, configuration support, supply chain management, technology migration, and technical support. The company serves brands including Kingston Technology & IronKey, Micron Technology & Crucial, Intel, and Solidigm.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PATRIOT MEMORY, INC |
26.8%
|
| 2 | Lexar.com |
12.8%
|
| 3 | Western Digital |
10.5%
|
| 4 | Swissbit |
9.6%
|
| 5 | Micron |
9.2%
|
| 6 | Kingston Technology Company, Inc. |
8.6%
|
| 7 | Transcend Information, Inc. |
7.9%
|
| 8 | Samsung Semiconductor |
7.9%
|
| 9 | Simms International plc |
6.7%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the memory card page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
3 | 60.0% |
|
Switzerland
|
1 | 20.0% |
|
United Kingdom
|
1 | 20.0% |
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