Most microSD playing cards are quick sufficient for enhancing space for storing and making easy file transfers, however some present just a little extra worth than others. Should you’ve received a tool that also accepts microSD playing cards — whether or not it’s a gaming handheld, a splash cam, a drone or an Android pill — we’ve scoured the market and put greater than a dozen high contenders by plenty of benchmark checks. You will discover our high suggestions under, alongside some basic purchasing 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 space for storing you want. Trendy playing cards are often accessible in sizes starting from 32GB to 512GB, whereas an rising quantity can be found in 1TB as nicely. 2TB playing cards from respected producers are getting nearer however aren’t extensively accessible simply but.
For many, a 128GB or 256GB mannequin needs to be the candy spot between value and space for storing. However for those who want extra room — say, for stashing a bunch of video games on a Steam Deck — a 512GB or higher card might make extra sense and infrequently offers a greater cost-per-GB ratio. As of late, you’ll find a good 128GB card for round $15 or much less, a great 256GB card for lower than $30 and a stable 512GB card for lower than $40 (although many value nearer to $50 or $60). There’s a starker improve once you go as much as 1TB playing cards, which generally value nearer to $100.
Be aware {that a} microSD card’s efficiency could differ relying on what capability you purchase. SanDisk says its 128GB Excessive 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.
After we discuss microSD playing cards right this moment, we often seek advice from playing cards that use the microSDXC (eXtended Capability) normal, which have a capability between 32GB and 2TB. Your system must assist this for it to work with a microSDXC card. This can virtually by no means be a problem lately, however some older gadgets (a Nintendo 3DS, as an example) 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 often 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 once you’re making an attempt to entry or save lengthy, fixed streams of information, resembling opening a big video or copying a giant batch of recordsdata from a PC. If you wish to use a microSD card for media storage, that is significantly necessary. Random efficiency, in the meantime, is about how shortly a card can learn and write small recordsdata scattered all through the system.
Since random learn/write speeds are a lot decrease than sequential ones, storage system makers have a tendency to not promote them as loudly. However they’re necessary for those who use a card with a gaming system or a single-board laptop just like the Raspberry Pi, the place it usually has to quickly save and entry small bits of information in random places.
Pace rankings
Should you take a look at a microSD card, you’ll see a buffet of numbers, letters and symbols. Most of those seek advice from the cardboard’s velocity class and efficiency rankings, that are decided by the SD Affiliation.
A card’s Video Pace Class, or V-rating, particulars its minimal sequential write velocity, which is particularly necessary when recording video from a digicam. It ranges from V6 to V90. Many of the playing cards we examined had a V30 ranking, in order that they have a sequential write velocity of no less than 30 MB/s. This needs to be sufficient to assist as much as 4K video at decrease bitrates. Larger-rated V60 and V90 playing cards are often higher for capturing 8K, however they arrive at a a lot larger value.
The UHS Pace 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 Pace Class ranking 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 ranking is much less related these days, however you should still see a “C10” brand on some playing cards.
The Software Efficiency spec, marked by an A logo, 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 couple of,000 IOPS, respectively. Each rankings additionally assure sequential write speeds of no less than 10 MB/s.
To maintain it easy, most individuals ought to search for a card with V30, U3 and A2 rankings. It’s completely doable to get a stable card with out these: A U1 card is perhaps price it for those who simply want an inexpensive, high-capacity choice, for instance. V60 and V90 playing cards are price a glance for those who’re critical about capturing high-resolution photographs and video as nicely. However general, playing cards with the certifications above ought to present the very best mix of value and efficiency right this moment.
It’s necessary to emphasise that these rankings are baselines. Most V30 playing cards supply considerably larger write speeds than 30 MB/s, as an example, and a few A1 playing cards can outperform some A2 fashions in follow. The speeds marketed by producers aren’t at all times one hundred pc correct, both: Generally the cardboard will probably be slower in real-world use, different instances it could truly be a bit sooner.
UHS bus speeds
The opposite spec to notice is the cardboard’s bus interface. Most microSD playing cards accessible right this 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 normal exists as nicely however hasn’t seen broad 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, they usually’re often those with V60 or V90 rankings. Should you shoot numerous 4K to 8K video or incessantly use burst mode to seize extremely high-res photographs, the efficiency beneficial properties of a great UHS-II card can prevent time.
However these are rather more costly than UHS-I playing cards: This 128GB Lexar Skilled Gold mannequin, as an example, is a relative cut price at $40. Whereas that is lower than many UHS-II fashions we’ve seen previously, it is nonetheless greater than double the everyday value 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 mostly spottier. For now, the upper speeds aren’t well worth the value premium for most individuals, so we caught largely to UHS-I playing cards right here.
We’ll additionally observe Samsung’s announcement earlier this 12 months of a brand new 256GB microSD card based mostly on a completely completely different normal known 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 round for a number of years however hasn’t seen broad 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 system as soon as it turns into accessible, which Samsung says will probably be someday later in 2024.
A observe on card readers, the Nintendo Swap 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 proprietary extensions. You want a appropriate card reader and host system to benefit from that additional efficiency, although. Should you discover a UHS-I card promoting speeds larger than 104 MB/s, that is what’s happening. You possibly can see these limits in motion with a Nintendo Swap or Steam Deck: Each of these gaming gadgets assist the UHS-I interface and don’t transcend its official velocity, flattening any sequential beneficial properties 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, a protracted guarantee is at all times good to have. Many producers supply lifetime or 10-year restricted warranties, although we’ve observed that “endurance” playing cards marketed to resist extra hours of writing are often lined for a shorter time period. For instance, Samsung’s Professional Endurance, a mannequin geared toward safety cameras and different monitoring gadgets, comes with a five-year guarantee.
Avoiding counterfeits
The reminiscence card market has had a selected drawback with scammers promoting faux merchandise. To protect in opposition to this, solely purchase from a identified model and a good retailer resembling Greatest Purchase, B&H Picture or Adorama. Should you 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 previously.) Keep in mind: If a value appears too good to be true, it most likely is. Be cautious of any retailer providing considerably a lower cost than others.
When you obtain a card, examine its packaging for any irregularities. You possibly can run benchmark checks like CrystalDiskMark or BlackMagic Disk Pace Check to confirm its speeds aren’t drastically decrease than what’s marketed (or doable, given its specs). It’s also possible to 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 a collection of checks to confirm their sequential and random efficiency. These included benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark, BlackMagic Disk Pace Check, ATTO Disk Benchmark and AJA System Check, in addition to a couple of “real-world” checks. We copied and pasted a small folder of photographs 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 sorts 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, Steel 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 doable, although for a couple of playing cards — SanDisk’s Excessive and Samsung’s Professional Plus and Professional Final — we have been solely capable of check their 256GB fashions. We additionally reformatted every card earlier than testing with the SD Affiliation’s Reminiscence Card Formatter software.
Greatest microSD playing cards of 2024
Picture by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Pace lessons: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Professional Plus was almost 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 digicam, Android pill or gaming handheld. Unsurprisingly, it has all of the requisite rankings: 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 is not absolutely the quickest for accessing giant recordsdata saved in your card, however the distinction is small in real-world use.
The primary cause the Professional Plus tops our listing is as a result of it delivers these sturdy speeds at a comparatively reasonably priced value. 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 couple of {dollars} extra. Should you want more room, there’s additionally a 1TB mannequin that needs to be simply as quick, although that one is at present rather more costly at $110. Both approach, the cardboard comes with a 10-year restricted guarantee.
Should you decide to purchase the Professional Plus, ensure you get the latest-generation mannequin. Samsung continues to be promoting the prior iteration of the Professional Plus, which appears to be like an identical 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 attributable to 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.
- Constantly 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
$21 at Amazon (128GB)
Picture by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | Pace lessons: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Professional Final 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 largest beneficial properties are in sequential learn speeds, which have been the quickest we examined and averaged near Samsung’s marketed fee fee of 200 MB/s throughout our varied benchmarks. You’ll want to purchase the cardboard with Samsung’s USB reader to realize that efficiency, however that might be price it for those who repeatedly 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 primary query is value. Should you see the Professional Final accessible for a similar value because the Professional Plus, you would possibly as nicely seize it as a substitute. It comes with the identical 10-year guarantee and needs 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 is not any 1TB choice right here, both.
- Quickest microSD card we examined (with acceptable USB reader)
- Simply accessible at trusted retailers
- Professional Plus is best worth for many
- No 1TB mannequin
$22 at Samsung Electronics
Picture by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Pace lessons: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: Lifetime restricted
If the Samsung Professional Plus ever jumps too excessive in value or turns into unavailable, the Kingston Canvas Go Plus is one other sturdy different. This can be 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 Pace Check. It successfully tied with SanDisk’s Excessive and Nintendo Swap-branded playing cards in our giant 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 great choice for apps and video games. The 1TB model can be $20 cheaper than the equal Professional Plus, so it needs to be a good worth for those who want numerous house and wish to save money. However the different fashions are exhausting to justify for those who see them hovering in the identical value vary as our picks above.
- Sooner sequential write speeds than Professional Plus for a (sometimes) lower cost than Professional Final
- Lifetime restricted guarantee
- Has a 1TB choice
- Professional Plus is often a greater worth for many
- Slower sequential write speeds than picks above
$17 at B&H Picture (128GB)
Picture by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB (“new technology” mannequin solely) | Pace lessons: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 / (64GB) U1, V10, A1, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Evo Choose is a transparent step behind our high picks, significantly in the case of sequential write speeds (just below 70 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark), so it’s not superb for cameras. Nonetheless, it’s completely usable for a lot of use circumstances — a Nintendo Swap, as an example — 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 Extremely, an oft-recommended cheapo card, regardless of the Evo Choose having larger V30, U3 and A2 rankings. Whereas the Professional Plus has come near these costs, the Evo Choose virtually at all times retails for much less.
Much like the Professional Plus, now you can discover two variations of the Evo Choose: a “normal” mannequin with sequential learn speeds rated at 130 MB/s, and a “new technology” mannequin that bumps that spec as much as 160 MB/s. Because the level of this advice is to offer you a card that performs nicely sufficient for as little as doable, you need to get whichever one is cheaper within the capability you need. The brand new mannequin did certainly ship these improved reads in our benchmarks, nevertheless it performs nearly identically in any other case, so you will not lose a lot by saving a couple of dollars with the older technology.
The one huge distinction is that the up to date mannequin is the one one accessible in a 1TB capability; we have not examined that particular mannequin, however at $80-ish it needs to be price a glance if pricing is your solely concern.
- Usually accessible for lower cost than Professional Plus
- Stable efficiency for those who simply need an appropriate card for reasonable
- Has a 1TB choice
- Slower than picks above, significantly in sequential write and random efficiency benchmarks
$15 at Amazon
Different notable microSD playing cards
Delkin Units Energy
We didn’t use it ourselves, however for those who’re keen to pay for a extra highly effective UHS-II card constructed for heavy-duty video recording, the Delkin Units Energy has examined nicely elsewhere and will ship considerably sooner sequential write speeds than our picks above. It’s one of many few UHS-II playing cards we might truly discover in inventory, nevertheless it prices a ton, with a 128GB mannequin usually priced round $90.
SanDisk Excessive
The SanDisk Excessive successfully matched the Professional Plus in a couple of of our sequential write checks and delivered sequential reads about on par with the Canvas Go Plus, however that was partly attributable to us solely with the ability to safe the cardboard’s 256GB mannequin, which is higher-rated than the 128GB model. It’s a advantageous selection for those who 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 Swap
The SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Swap is one other first rate choice for those who ever see it accessible 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 response to CrystalDiskMark as nicely, and it is usually priced larger than our high decide. SanDisk backs the cardboard with a lifetime guarantee, nevertheless, plus it’s accessible in a 1TB capability. Be aware that we examined the Apex Legends model of the 128GB card; SanDisk additionally sells a Tremendous Mario mannequin, however we won’t say if that one performs any otherwise.
Lexar Skilled 1066x
Equally, the Lexar Skilled 1066x is a good different to the Professional Plus if our predominant 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 Swap 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 observed its speeds peak and dip extra noticeably in our file switch check. Nonetheless, it’s not gradual, so relying on its value, it is perhaps a great cut price for those who want quick write speeds for video recording and the like. It’s additionally accessible in 1TB, plus it comes with a lifetime restricted guarantee.
SanDisk Excessive Professional
The SanDisk Excessive Professional 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 reasonable and wasn’t too far off the random learn/write efficiency of Samsung’s Professional playing cards in CrystalDiskMark, nevertheless it was nicely behind in our sequential checks.
Latest updates
November 2024: We have checked again with this information to make sure our suggestions are nonetheless correct and made mild edits for readability.
August 2024: We’ve up to date this information to notice the just 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 certain all pricing particulars are as updated as they are often.
