PNY vs Samsung:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Samsung had more branded searches than PNY among flash drive brands worldwide. Samsung had about 110,000 branded searches, while PNY had 64,100. Samsung made up 15% of all flash drive brand searches we track, and PNY accounted for 8.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about flash drive brands, Samsung appeared in four of the five answers and PNY in two. Samsung was mentioned before PNY in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Samsung, about 72% more searches than PNY
Who does AI mention more?
Samsung, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, PNY in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Samsung, named ahead of PNY in 4 of 4 answers
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Top flash drive brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Samsung was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. PNY was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Samsung was listed before PNY in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
SanDisk5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Kingston5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Samsung4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
PNY2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Lexar2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about flash drive brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which flash drive brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best flash drive brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best flash drive brand for file storage?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best flash drive”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“usb drive brand”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is PNY or Samsung more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for PNY and Samsung by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all five flash drive brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Samsung, PNY. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | SanDisk | Samsung | PNY | Kingston | Lexar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 66.5% | 19.9% | 11.7% | 1.8% | 0.13% |
| Nov 2025 | 68% | 20.4% | 9.7% | 1.8% | 0.15% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.1% | 19.5% | 11.3% | 3.9% | 0.16% |
| Jan 2026 | 77.9% | 12.7% | 7.5% | 1.7% | 0.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 73.2% | 18% | 7.1% | 1.6% | 0.12% |
| Mar 2026 | 69.4% | 20.8% | 8.2% | 1.5% | 0.11% |
| Apr 2026 | 76.2% | 15.2% | 7.4% | 1.1% | 0.12% |
| May 2026 | 82.7% | 11.1% | 5.3% | 0.81% | 0.09% |
| Jun 2026 | 80.6% | 13.2% | 5.2% | 0.97% | 0.09% |
| Jul 2026 | 78.2% | 15.7% | 5% | 0.94% | 0.08% |
| Aug 2026 | 77.3% | 15.5% | 6.1% | 0.93% | 0.11% |
| Sep 2026 | 75% | 15% | 8.7% | 1.1% | 0.14% |
How has the PNY and Samsung comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Samsung was ahead of PNY in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, PNY’s share of searches among flash drive brands worldwide moved from 11.7% to 8.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 64.9K to 64.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Samsung’s share of searches among flash drive brands worldwide moved from 19.9% to 15%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 110K.
How did search popularity change for flash drive brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, PNY gained share of searches among flash drive brands worldwide, from 6.1% to 8.7%.
In September 2026, Samsung lost share of searches among flash drive brands worldwide, from 15.5% to 15%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PNY’s and Samsung’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among flash drive brands
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