Most microSD playing cards are quick sufficient for enhancing cupboard space and making easy file transfers, however some present just a little extra worth than others. For those who’ve obtained a tool that also accepts microSD playing cards — whether or not it’s a gaming handheld, a splash cam, a drone or an Android tablet — we’ve scoured the market and put greater than a dozen high contenders by means of plenty of benchmark exams. You’ll find our high suggestions under, alongside some basic buying recommendation earlier than you seize one.
What to search for in a microSD card
Capability
The very first thing to determine when shopping for a microSD card is how a lot cupboard space you want. Fashionable playing cards are normally out there in sizes starting from 32GB to 512GB, whereas an growing quantity can be found in 1TB as nicely. 2TB playing cards from respected producers are getting closer however aren’t extensively out there simply but.
For many, a 128GB or 256GB mannequin ought to be the candy spot between worth and cupboard space. However in case you want extra room — say, for stashing a bunch of video games on a Steam Deck — a 512GB or higher card may make extra sense and sometimes gives a greater cost-per-GB ratio. As of late, you’ll find a good 128GB card for round $15 or much less, a superb 256GB card for lower than $30 and a strong 512GB card for lower than $40 (although many value nearer to $50 or $60). There’s a starker improve while you go as much as 1TB playing cards, which generally value nearer to $100.
Word {that a} microSD card’s efficiency could differ relying on what capability you purchase. SanDisk says its 128GB Extreme card delivers sequential write speeds as much as 90 MB/s, for instance, whereas the higher-capacity fashions in the identical line supply as much as 130 MB/s.
Once we discuss microSD playing cards at the moment, we normally check with playing cards that use the microSDXC (eXtended Capacity) standard, which have a capability between 32GB and 2TB. Your machine must help this for it to work with a microSDXC card. This may virtually by no means be a difficulty today, however some older units (a Nintendo 3DS, as an illustration) are solely appropriate with microSDHC (Excessive Capability) playing cards, which vary from 2GB to 32GB.
Learn and write speeds
MicroSD playing cards are primarily judged on their learn and write speeds, that are normally measured in megabytes per second (MB/s). Typically, most microSD playing cards have sooner learn speeds than write speeds.
These metrics can then be damaged down into sequential and random efficiency. Sequential learn and write speeds matter while you’re attempting to entry or save lengthy, fixed streams of knowledge, resembling opening a big video or copying an enormous batch of recordsdata from a PC. If you wish to use a microSD card for media storage, that is significantly vital. Random efficiency, in the meantime, is about how rapidly a card can learn and write small recordsdata scattered all through the machine.
Since random learn/write speeds are a lot decrease than sequential ones, storage machine makers have a tendency to not promote them as loudly. However they’re vital in case you use a card with a gaming machine or a single-board pc just like the Raspberry Pi, the place it usually has to quickly save and entry small bits of knowledge in random areas.
Velocity scores
For those who take a look at a microSD card, you’ll see a buffet of numbers, letters and symbols. Most of those check with the cardboard’s speed class and efficiency scores, that are decided by the SD Association.
A card’s Video Velocity Class, or V-rating, particulars its minimal sequential write velocity, which is very vital when recording video from a digital camera. It ranges from V6 to V90. Many of the playing cards we examined had a V30 score, so that they have a sequential write velocity of a minimum of 30 MB/s. This ought to be sufficient to help as much as 4K video at decrease bitrates. Larger-rated V60 and V90 playing cards are normally higher for capturing 8K, however they arrive at a a lot larger value.
The UHS Velocity Class, or U-rating, additionally refers to a card’s minimal sequential write velocity. It is available in two varieties: U3, which mandates a minimal of 30 MB/s, and U1, which is rated for 10 MB/s.
The older Velocity Class score overlaps with the opposite two techniques. It’s signified by a C image and goes from Class 2 to Class 10, with the quantity (once more) indicating minimal sequential write velocity. This score is much less related these days, however you should still see a “C10” emblem on some playing cards.
The Utility Efficiency spec, marked by an An emblem, is an indicator of random learn/write speeds. That is measured in IOPS, or enter/output operations per second, relatively than MB/s. There are two classes right here: A1 playing cards supply a minimal random learn velocity of 1,500 IOPS and a minimal random write velocity of 500 IOPS, whereas A2 playing cards bump these as much as 4,000 IOPS and a pair of,000 IOPS, respectively. Each scores additionally assure sequential write speeds of a minimum of 10 MB/s.
To maintain it easy, most individuals ought to search for a card with V30, U3 and A2 scores. It’s completely potential to get a strong card with out these: A U1 card is perhaps price it in case you simply want an inexpensive, high-capacity choice, for instance. V60 and V90 playing cards are price a glance in case you’re critical about capturing high-resolution images and video as nicely. However general, playing cards with the certifications above ought to present one of the best mix of worth and efficiency at the moment.
It’s vital to emphasise that these scores are baselines. Most V30 playing cards supply considerably larger write speeds than 30 MB/s, as an illustration, and a few A1 playing cards can outperform some A2 fashions in observe. The speeds marketed by producers aren’t at all times 100% correct, both: Typically the cardboard will likely be slower in real-world use, different occasions it could really be a bit sooner.
UHS bus speeds
The opposite spec to notice is the cardboard’s bus interface. Most microSD playing cards out there at the moment are UHS-I, which have a theoretical most velocity of 104 MB/s. There are additionally UHS-II playing cards, which have an additional row of pins on the again and might attain as much as 312 MB/s. (A UHS-III commonplace exists as nicely however hasn’t seen extensive adoption.) These are labeled on the cardboard with a Roman numeral I or II.
The quickest microSD playing cards you should purchase proper now are UHS-II playing cards, and so they’re normally those with V60 or V90 scores. For those who shoot plenty of 4K to 8K video or continuously use burst mode to seize extremely high-res images, the efficiency features of a superb UHS-II card can prevent time.
However these are way more costly than UHS-I playing cards: This 128GB Lexar Professional Gold mannequin, as an illustration, is a relative discount at $40. Whereas that is lower than many UHS-II fashions we’ve seen prior to now, it is nonetheless greater than double the everyday worth of our high decide talked about under. You want a tool that’s appropriate with the UHS-II interface to see any advantages, too, and inventory for UHS-II playing cards is usually spottier. For now, the upper speeds aren’t definitely worth the worth premium for most individuals, so we caught principally to UHS-I playing cards right here.
We’ll additionally be aware Samsung’s announcement earlier this 12 months of a brand new 256GB microSD card primarily based on a wholly totally different commonplace referred to as SD Specific. That is theoretically a lot sooner than any UHS-I or UHS-II choice: Samsung claims this particular mannequin can attain sequential learn speeds as much as a whopping 800 MB/s. For context, that’d be faster than some older SSDs. SD Specific has technically been around for a number of years however hasn’t seen extensive adoption, so precisely how this card performs in actuality — and the way a lot it’ll value — stays to be seen. We’ll check the machine as soon as it turns into out there, which Samsung says will likely be someday later in 2024.
A be aware on card readers, the Nintendo Change and Steam Deck
Whereas the UHS-I spec has a theoretical most of 104 MB/s, some UHS-I playing cards can exceed that velocity by means of proprietary extensions. You want a appropriate card reader and host machine to make the most of that additional efficiency, although. For those who discover a UHS-I card promoting speeds larger than 104 MB/s, that is what’s happening. You’ll be able to see these limits in motion with a Nintendo Change or Steam Deck: Both of those gaming units help the UHS-I interface and don’t transcend its official velocity, flattening any sequential features some playing cards could have elsewhere. The broader takeaway: Your microSD card will solely be as quick because the slowest hyperlink in your chain.
Guarantee
Many microSD playing cards are designed to be sturdy, with safety from water, excessive temperatures, X-rays and drops. Nonetheless, in case of disaster, an extended guarantee is at all times good to have. Many producers supply lifetime or 10-year restricted warranties, although we’ve seen that “endurance” playing cards marketed to face up to extra hours of writing are normally lined for a shorter time frame. For instance, Samsung’s Pro Endurance, a mannequin geared toward safety cameras and different monitoring units, comes with a five-year guarantee.
Avoiding counterfeits
The reminiscence card market has had a specific downside with scammers promoting faux merchandise. To protect towards this, solely purchase from a identified model and a good retailer resembling Greatest Purchase, B&H Photograph or Adorama. For those who store at Amazon, solely purchase if the shipper and vendor is Amazon.com. (Although a handful of customers have reported receiving counterfeits even from Amazon immediately prior to now.) Keep in mind: If a worth appears too good to be true, it most likely is. Be cautious of any retailer providing considerably a cheaper price than others.
When you obtain a card, verify its packaging for any irregularities. You’ll be able to run benchmark exams like CrystalDiskMark or BlackMagic Disk Speed Test to confirm its speeds aren’t drastically decrease than what’s marketed (or potential, given its specs). You can too use software program that’s designed to confirm the true capability and efficiency of your card, resembling H2testw and FakeFlashTest.
How we examined
We put 13 microSD playing cards by means of a collection of exams to confirm their sequential and random efficiency. These included benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark, BlackMagic Disk Speed Test, ATTO Disk Benchmark and AJA System Test, in addition to a number of “real-world” exams. We copied and pasted a small folder of images about 1.15GB in measurement to and from every card, then did the identical with a bigger 12.2GB folder containing a number of file varieties and subfolders, timing the method every time. We additionally checked how every card carried out on the Steam Deck, downloading video games of various sizes — together with Stardew Valley, Aperture Desk Job, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Apex Legends — then timing how lengthy it took to launch every sport and cargo save recordsdata.
We used a Kingston USB 3.2 UHS-II reader to check every card on each Home windows 11 and macOS Sonoma. For the previous, we used an Alienware gaming PC with an Intel Core i9-10900F, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. For the latter, we used a 2021 16-inch MacBook Professional with an Apple M1 Professional chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. To make use of our card reader on the MacBook, we used Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.
We examined the 128GB model of every card wherever potential, although for a number of playing cards — SanDisk’s Excessive and Samsung’s Professional Plus and Professional Final — we have been solely in a position to check their 256GB fashions. We additionally reformatted every card earlier than testing with the SD Affiliation’s Memory Card Formatter tool.
Greatest microSD playing cards of 2024
Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Pro Plus was practically the quickest card we examined by way of sequential write efficiency (round 130 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark) and was an in depth second by way of random learn/write speeds, so it ought to work nice whether or not you’re shopping for for a digital camera, Android pill or gaming handheld. Unsurprisingly, it has all of the requisite scores: U3, V30 and A2. Its sequential learn efficiency (round 165 MB/s) isn’t fairly as fast as a few of the different playing cards under, so it isn’t absolutely the quickest for accessing massive recordsdata saved in your card, however the distinction is small in real-world use.
The principle purpose the Professional Plus tops our listing is as a result of it delivers these sturdy speeds at a comparatively reasonably priced worth. The cardboard initially began at $19 for 128GB, $30 for 256GB and $60 for 512GB, however previous gross sales have introduced these fashions as little as $11, $18 and $29, respectively. When it’s that low cost, the Professional Plus makes most competing microSD playing cards redundant. Samsung additionally sells the cardboard with a USB reader that’ll assist it attain its most speeds for a number of {dollars} extra. For those who want extra space, there’s also a 1TB model that ought to be simply as quick, although that one is at the moment way more costly at $110. Both method, the cardboard comes with a 10-year restricted guarantee.
For those who choose to purchase the Professional Plus, ensure you get the latest-generation mannequin. Samsung remains to be promoting the prior iteration of the Professional Plus, which seems to be equivalent however isn’t as fast. As a substitute, go for the one with sequential learn speeds rated at 180 MB/s and sequential write speeds rated at 130 MB/s. We examined the 256GB model of the newer Professional Plus because of inventory points with the 128GB mannequin on the time of testing, however this shouldn’t have a significant impression on real-world efficiency, as Samsung charges each playing cards identically.
- Persistently fast sequential and random learn/write efficiency
- Nice worth
- Available at trusted retailers
- Has a 1TB choice
- Some friends have barely sooner sequential learn speeds
Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Pro Ultimate is a step-up mannequin in Samsung’s microSD lineup and, as anticipated, it’s just a little bit sooner than the Professional Plus throughout the board. Its greatest features are in sequential learn speeds, which have been the quickest we examined and averaged near Samsung’s marketed price price of 200 MB/s throughout our numerous benchmarks. You’ll want to purchase the cardboard with Samsung’s USB reader to realize that efficiency, however that might be price it in case you often transfer recordsdata out of your microSD card to a PC. The Professional Final technically led the pack when it got here to sequential write and random learn/write speeds as nicely, although the margins there are a lot much less important in comparison with the Professional Plus and the opposite high UHS-I playing cards we examined.
The principle query is value. For those who see the Professional Final out there for a similar worth because the Professional Plus, you may as nicely seize it as a substitute. It comes with the identical 10-year guarantee and ought to be equally sturdy. Previous reductions have introduced the 128GB, 256GB and 512GB fashions as little as $15, $25 and $45, respectively; that is nonetheless reasonably priced, however the Professional Plus will virtually at all times be just a little bit cheaper — and thus a greater worth for many wants, particularly at larger capacities. There isn’t any 1TB choice right here, both.
- Quickest microSD card we examined (with applicable USB reader)
- Simply out there at trusted retailers
- Professional Plus is best worth for many
- No 1TB mannequin
Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: Lifetime restricted
If the Samsung Professional Plus ever jumps too excessive in worth or turns into unavailable, the Kingston Canvas Go Plus is one other sturdy various. It is a U3-, V30- and A2-rated card backed by a lifetime restricted guarantee. Its sequential learn speeds trailed solely the Samsung Professional Final throughout CrystalDiskMark, ATTO and the BlackMagic Disk Velocity Take a look at. It successfully tied with SanDisk’s Excessive and Nintendo Change-branded playing cards in our massive file switch speeds check. Sequential write speeds (simply over 100 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark) are the place it lags behind the Professional Plus, however they need to nonetheless be fast sufficient for a lot of makes use of. Its random learn/write speeds have been solely bested by Samsung’s Professional playing cards in benchmarks, so it’s nonetheless a superb choice for apps and video games. The 1TB model can also be $20 cheaper than the equal Professional Plus, so it ought to be a good worth in case you want plenty of area and wish to save money. However the different fashions are laborious to justify in case you see them hovering in the identical worth vary as our picks above.
- Quicker sequential write speeds than Professional Plus for a (sometimes) cheaper price than Professional Final
- Lifetime restricted guarantee
- Has a 1TB choice
- Professional Plus is normally a greater worth for many
- Slower sequential write speeds than picks above
Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB (“new era” mannequin solely) | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 / (64GB) U1, V10, A1, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Evo Select is a transparent step behind our high picks, significantly in the case of sequential write speeds (slightly below 70 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark), so it’s not ideally suited for cameras. Nonetheless, it’s completely usable for a lot of use circumstances — a Nintendo Change, as an illustration — and we have beforehand seen its 128GB, 256GB and 512GB fashions fall as little as $10, $14 and $25, respectively. All of these are about on par with the SanDisk Ultra, an oft-recommended cheapo card, regardless of the Evo Choose having larger V30, U3 and A2 scores. Whereas the Professional Plus has come near these costs, the Evo Choose virtually at all times retails for much less.
Just like the Professional Plus, now you can discover two variations of the Evo Choose: a “commonplace” mannequin with sequential learn speeds rated at 130 MB/s, and a “new generation” model that bumps that spec as much as 160 MB/s. Because the level of this suggestion is to offer you a card that performs nicely sufficient for as little as potential, it’s best to get whichever one is cheaper within the capability you need. The brand new mannequin did certainly ship these improved reads in our benchmarks, but it surely performs nearly identically in any other case, so you will not lose a lot by saving a couple of bucks with the older era.
The one huge distinction is that the up to date mannequin is the one one out there in a 1TB capacity; we’ve not examined that particular mannequin, however at $80-ish it ought to be price a glance if pricing is your solely concern.
- Usually out there for cheaper price than Professional Plus
- Stable efficiency in case you simply need an appropriate card for affordable
- Has a 1TB choice
- Slower than picks above, significantly in sequential write and random efficiency benchmarks
Different notable microSD playing cards
Delkin Units Energy
We didn’t use it ourselves, however in case you’re prepared to pay for a extra highly effective UHS-II card constructed for heavy-duty video recording, the Delkin Devices Power has tested well elsewhere and may ship considerably sooner sequential write speeds than our picks above. It’s one of many few UHS-II playing cards we may really discover in inventory, but it surely prices a ton, with a 128GB mannequin usually priced round $90.
SanDisk Excessive
The SanDisk Extreme successfully matched the Professional Plus in a number of of our sequential write exams and delivered sequential reads about on par with the Canvas Go Plus, however that was partly because of us solely having the ability to safe the cardboard’s 256GB mannequin, which is higher-rated than the 128GB model. It’s a tremendous alternative in case you see it on sale at a good vendor, however its random efficiency lagged behind the Samsung Professional and Kingston playing cards, and it usually prices extra.
SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Change
The SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch is one other first rate choice in case you ever see it out there for lower than the Professional Plus and Canvas Go Plus. Its sequential learn speeds have been about the identical because the latter in our benchmarks, however its sequential writes have been barely slower (and farther behind the Professional Plus). Its random learn/writes have been a bit behind in keeping with CrystalDiskMark as nicely, and it is usually priced larger than our high decide. SanDisk backs the cardboard with a lifetime guarantee, nonetheless, plus it’s out there in a 1TB capacity. Word that we examined the Apex Legends model of the 128GB card; SanDisk additionally sells a Super Mario model, however we will not say if that one performs any in a different way.
Lexar Skilled 1066x
Equally, the Lexar Professional 1066x is a good various to the Professional Plus if our major picks are unavailable. It’s one other V30, U3 and A2 mannequin, and like Samsung’s card, its sequential write speeds have been a bit sooner than the Canvas Go Plus and SanDisk Change card in our benchmarks. These write speeds weren’t as fast because the Professional Plus, and its sequential reads trailed all three playing cards. Random learn/writes additionally lagged behind the Professional Plus and Canvas Go Plus, and we seen its speeds peak and dip extra noticeably in our file switch check. Nonetheless, it’s not gradual, so relying on its worth, it is perhaps a superb discount in case you want quick write speeds for video recording and the like. It’s additionally available in 1TB, plus it comes with a lifetime restricted guarantee.
SanDisk Excessive Professional
The SanDisk Extreme Pro is a rival to the Samsung Professional Final however, as of this writing, is both unavailable at most trusted retailers or priced too excessive by comparability.
PNY Elite-X
The PNY Elite-X usually goes for affordable and wasn’t too far off the random learn/write efficiency of Samsung’s Professional playing cards in CrystalDiskMark, but it surely was nicely behind in our sequential exams.
Current updates
November 2024: We have checked again with this information to make sure our suggestions are nonetheless correct and made gentle edits for readability.
August 2024: We’ve up to date this information to notice the lately launched 1TB fashions for 3 of our high picks: the Samsung Professional Plus, the Kingston Canvas Go Plus and the Samsung Evo Choose. We’ve additionally made positive all pricing particulars are as updated as they are often.
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