Consumer SSDs are mainly in PC OEMs and retail markets. While global PC shipments in 2017 are down from 2016 levels and the retail market is affected by high prices in 2017, the demand for SSDs is less than expected. However, consumer demand for computer performance is on the rise. Apple Macs computers are fully equipped with PCIe SSDs. The proportion of laptops equipped with SSDs such as Lenovo, Dell and Asus are also on the increase. In 2017, the global consumer SSD shipments reached 135 million units, an increase of 22% over 2016.

The SSD market is dominated by Flash OEMs, with Samsung having 43.1% share of SSDs in 2017 due to the increased share of 3D NAND, followed by Western Digital / SanDisk and Intel, accounting for 7.8% and 7.3% of market share respectively. If added with Toshiba and Micron, the total market share of nearly 70%. PC OEM market benefited from two in one, light and other computer needs, driven by the SSD market growth as the driving force. SSD capacity requirements, Apple Mac equipped with 256GB and 512GB demand driven the market. Market should have been from 120GB in 2017 to more than 240GB capacity transfer, but due to NAND Flash out of stock, price hikes and other effects, the market lack of motivation. 2018 SSD develops to PCIe, higher speed advantages not only stimulate the purchase of increased demand, but also promote the PC OEM market mainstream capacity needs transfer to 240GB or 480GB capacity.

SSD Brands Consumers Shipments in 2017 Market Share

In the consumer retail market mainly are Kingston and Western Digital / SanDisk. Domestic SSD brand factories Longsys, Kimtigo, Galaxy and others’ low prices also occupy a place in the low-end market, but under the impact of NAND Flash out of stock and the of price increases, by the end of 2017 SSD shipping demand weakened. 2018 will be the year of Flash original vendor 3D NAND capacity outbreak, the domestic SSD brand factory next-generation SSD will seize the market opportunities, while Longsys, Kimtigo and other SSD brands are also improving their overall ability to prepare to enter the data center, servers and other fields, as well as to strengthen the Internet of Things and industrial applications.