The file storage market is constantly progressing, increasing the amount of stored data, the speed of writing and reading files, as well as optimization and reliability. 128 or 512 MB media that seemed relevant have already gone out of use, since the modern user needs at least 1 GB of free space to store photos or video files.
The choice of file media is not a difficult task, but requires basic knowledge in the field of supported formats by devices. We have collected 20 for you best cards memory for cameras, smartphones and other devices based on the following criteria:
- popularity of the manufacturer among consumers;
- reliability of the drive, terms of full operation;
- compliance of the cost with the quality parameters of the product;
- technical characteristics of the card (data exchange rate, supported standards, memory size, etc.).
Popular memory card manufacturers
Transcend. A renowned Taiwanese company founded in 1988. Differs in a wide range of manufactured products (from RAM modules to miniature storage devices) and the presence of a limited lifetime warranty on products purchased from authorized representatives and in a network of retail stores.
SanDisk. An American brand founded in 1988. On this moment SanDisk products occupy a third of the media market, and the main direction of the company's development is the development of data storage based on flash memory.
Samsung. An international corporation that needs no introduction. Among the huge production capacities, there was a place for the development department of memory modules, which are distinguished by proprietary quality and high cost.
Sony. The eternal competitor of Samsung, which has relied on the release of memory cards for cameras and camcorders. It is distinguished by a non-trivial approach to production and the use of radical solutions (to increase the speed of data exchange, experiments to equip miniature cards with extra memory, etc.)
Kingston. Another representative of the "elite" among file media manufacturers, which began operation in 1997. It occupies a leading position in terms of the volume of the DRAM module market, second in the supply of flash memory and flash cards, and first in the sale of USB drives.
ADATA. The youngest memory module manufacturer founded in 2001 in Taiwan. Positions itself as a fast-growing, cutting-edge company…and backs it up with excellent sales figures across all major segments with a solid market share.
The best microSDHC memory cards
If your smartphone is controlled by the Android system, then it probably has a microSD memory card installed. The microSDHC format, in turn, is a "subspecies" of microSD cards. Externally, it is impossible to distinguish microSD from microSDHC. They are the same size, and microSD-enabled devices work just as well with microSDHC.
The reason for the emergence of microSDHC is simple: many years ago, during the creation of the microSD format, no one seriously thought that cards would be larger than 2 GB. Therefore, the file system had a corresponding limitation. Along with the advent of memory cards with a capacity of more than 2 GB, there was also new standard. SDHC cards have a so-called. "classes". Those. if the card says "SDHC Class 10", it means that the read speed is 10 Mb/s.
5 Kingston SDCS/16GB
The classic workhorse
Country: USA
Average price: 326 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.6
The best choice for those who want to save money and get quality with a long service life. The data writing speed is low - 10 Mb / s, but everything is fine with reading - 80 Mb / s. The model is widely used in video recorders, navigators and phones.
At the same time, customers often complain about breakdowns. For some, it disappears from the system and ceases to be read. "Crankiness" in service has significantly reduced the circle of potential users, and many of them are advised not to take it at all or be treated with extreme care.
4 Kingston SDCS/32GBSP
Good value for money
Country: USA
Average price: 390 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.7
This 32 GB card costs only 390 rubles, which is one of the best indicators in our rating in terms of price and volume ratio. Characteristics for its segment are also quite good: 80 MB / s read speed at 10 MB / s when writing.
Painted black as standard. Customers like it very much for its fast recognition on any device and stable operation during multiple rewriting cycles. Despite the attractive price, you should be very careful, as the memory card can easily fail.
3 Kingston SDCR/32GB
Best Processing Speed
Country: USA
Average price: 901 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.8
The amount of memory in 32 GB determines the price of about 1000 rubles. At the same time, the speed of writing and reading also did not let us down and is 70 and 100 MB / s. Recognized by all devices, whether it's a phone, video recorder or laptop from the first time.
With it, you can not only shoot video in 4K format, but also take burst photos. There is more than enough space and the product is perfect for use during weddings or travel. There is also a simple protection against moisture, as well as high and low temperatures. The minimum warranty is only 12 months.
2 Transcend TS16GUSD300S-A
Best budget microSDHC memory card
A country: USA (made in China)
Average price: 300 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.9
Here is the best micro SD card for phones and DVRs. 16 GB of memory, although they are not something supernatural, nevertheless, such a volume had a positive effect on the price. Add to this the write and read speeds of 45 and 95 MB / s, respectively, and we get the formula for success.
The memory card is colored silver. The official website of the company has additional software for restoring functionality in case of unforeseen errors. A definite plus is 60 months or 5 years warranty.
- When choosing a card, be guided by the tasks that you face most often. Cards with a high read / write speed are more suitable for video, while a low speed is enough for photos.
- Not all cards are suitable for intensive use. Continuous photography often overloads the card, which can lead to overheating and failure of the card. Therefore, for professional photography, it is better to buy professional-grade cards.
- Pay attention to reviews. What the manufacturer says technical description, does not always correspond to actual user experience.
- Take measurements with special programs right before buying. Marriage is not excluded even from reputable manufacturers. And so, you can have a complete picture of how high-quality the card fell into your hands.
- Do not buy overly cheap cards from Chinese online stores. You run the risk of buying a cheap fake 8 GB card instead of a 128 GB card, which lacks a write limiter. This means that when you load 128 GB files onto such a card, you will get 16 overwrite cycles per 8 GB. (This recording principle is similar to the working mechanism of a car DVR)
1 Samsung MB-MC32GA
The standard of reliability and quality
Country: China
Average price: 650 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
Where without Samsung, because they are the leaders in the development of chips and micro SD cards. We must admit that their product is not cheap. For a card with 32 GB of memory, the manufacturer asks for 650 rubles. Is the model worth it? Definitely yes. The write speed of 20 Mb/s is higher than most competitors, and the read speed is 95 Mb/s.
Customers note that the memory card is so fast that not all phones can handle its speed potential. At the same time, in tests, the write speed is often almost twice as high as the declared characteristics, and the read speed reaches 100 MB / s. Today it is the undisputed leader in the market.
The best microSDXC memory cards
Today, even inexpensive smartphones shoot video in 1080x1920 resolution. "Flagships" can produce video in 4K, (i.e. with a frame width of more than 4 thousand pixels). It is convenient to mount such a video due to the good clarity of the frame, but it is extremely inconvenient to store it. After all, in just a few minutes, your smartphone can shoot a video of 3-4 GB. Here another problem appears - to shoot such a video, you need a memory card with a high write / read speed. Otherwise, it will simply not be possible to capture the best moments of reality. Secure Digital XC cards are designed to solve two problems that the SDHC standard can no longer handle:
- The updated file system allowed the creation of maps up to 2 terabytes
- The data transfer rate reaches 300 Mb/s and allows you to shoot/play back high-definition video.
If you plan to actively use the storage of your smartphone, work with video and photos in high resolution, then the Digital XC card is exactly what you need. And our rating will help determine the best representatives of this category.
5 Leef microSDXC Class 10
Memory capacities up to 128 GB
Country: USA (Russia)
Average price: 1980 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.3
The product developed by domestic masters cannot be classified as top-end - it has too little popularity and free information from users. Leef microSDXC is a strong mid-ranger of the market, pampering owners with balanced technical characteristics and annoying with irreversible and uncorrectable bugs.
The write and read speeds (peak) are 24 and 42 Mb / s, respectively, which, with volumes from 64 to 128 gigabytes and the absence of any support for additional formats (UHS), is an excellent result. The disadvantage is related to the unpredictable stability of the memory card. There are frequent cases when, without any manipulation, the device spontaneously went into read mode and did not give users the opportunity to format the memory or correct errors that occurred. Leef microSDXC is a valid model, but with a big limitation of applicability.
4 Kingston SDCA10/64GB
Best card for read/write speed
Country: China (Taiwan)
Average price: 1790 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.3
Kingston once again demonstrates that nothing is impossible. In his new card SDCA10, the manufacturer has managed to achieve record speeds for writing / reading data. The read speed is 10MB/s faster than Samsung. This makes the SDCA10 one of the fastest cards in the segment.
SDCA10 Features:
- Possible volume 16/32/64 GB
- Upload speed - 90 Mb/s, write speed - 45 Mb/s.
- Low heating even during intensive use
- In rare cases, it happens that the reading speed does not correspond to the declared one. It's better to test the card before buying
- Users complain about the low reliability of the card
3 Samsung microSDXC EVO Plus 80MB/s
Good reliability
Country: South Korea
Average price: 2400 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.5
Samsung has quite a lot of experience in creating storage devices. Among the company's products are full-size hard drives and ultra-compact drives. It is to such devices that EVO Plus belongs. The bright, white and red card boasts a good volume (up to 64 GB) and a high read / write speed, and a good "safety margin".
Map Features:
- Stylish design. Against the background of gray and black cards, Samsung's bright red device looks much more attractive. In addition, this card is hard to lose. It stands out among the things in your wallet/pocket/bag.
- Optimal data transfer rate. Today, read / write speeds of 80/20 MB / s are more than enough.
- UHS Class 1 support.
- Reliability. Users note that the card meets the declared parameters, withstands long write cycles without overheating, and does not fail.
2 ADATA Premier microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I U1 + SD adapter
The best choice for an inexpensive smartphone or tablet
Country: China (Taiwan)
Average price: 1360 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.6
ADATA cards are characterized by a low price while maintaining high parameters. microSDXC UHS-I is ideal if you want to get a high-quality device with high recording speed for little money. The card supports the SDA 3.0 data transfer standard, thanks to which the card works faster.
Main characteristics:
- Support for the UHS-I standard in accordance with the SDA 3.0 specification allows you to achieve a read speed of 50 MB / s.
- Although the card belongs to the new SDXC standard, its price is in line with older SDHC cards.
- The write speed is relatively low, at 10 Mb/s
1 SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Class 10
Good choice for professional equipment
Country: USA
Average price: 2805 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.9
One of the few optimized memory cards on the market today that do not experience serious problems with the operational part. Enlisting a lifetime warranty, it offers users a decent set of technical "chips" built on the ability to store large amounts of information (up to 128 gigabytes) and the speed of access to them. Data is written to the micro-card at a speed of 60 Mb / s, and files are read from the media at 90 Mb / s (which, according to experienced consumers, is not the limit for it).
Yes, with such characteristics, it is not very advisable to install SanDisk Extreme microSDXC on smartphones and other "smart" gadgets. Its purchase will be fully justified only when you need to be constantly ready to process large amounts of information (working with photos and videos, cyclic recording of a DVR camera, etc.). Against the background of such results, the issue of cost is rather secondary.
Best Compact Flash Memory Cards
Compact Flash cards: appeared back in 1994. But despite the years, the standard has not lost its relevance, and is actively used now. The capacity of Compact Flash memory cards reaches 512 GB, which makes these cards one of the most capacious drives on the market today.
Due to the high transfer rate, such memory cards are primarily focused on photographic equipment. When we shoot a video, it is automatically uploaded to the temporary memory buffer. When using cards with a low bit rate, the buffer overflows and video recording ends. In the case of CF cards, a buffer overflow is almost impossible, since the transfer rate is one of the highest.
However, Compact Flash cards, despite their name, cannot be called "compact". These are the largest cards on the market. But, given that they are used in professional large-sized photographic equipment, this disadvantage cannot be called obvious. In our ranking are the best Compact Flash cards that are ideal for a modern camera.
5 Transcend TS32GCF133
Practical acquisition
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 2055 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.4
Many professional photographers and cameramen fundamentally clear the internal storage after the next photo / video shoot. Therefore, it does not always make sense to buy a capacious card. If you are not used to storing photo archives on your device, or you use several cards at once, then the 32 GB Transcend TS32GCF133 will be a profitable and practical purchase.
Main characteristics:
- Read speed - 20 Mb / s, write speed - 10 Mb / s
- Suitable for high-resolution burst shooting with a professional camera
- Not suitable for shooting 4K video.
4 SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash 160MB/s
Optimal data transfer rate at a low price
Country: China
Average price: 6990 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.5
Memory cards for modern photo/video equipment require a high speed of information exchange. The SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash boasts a read speed of 160MB/s. At the same time, the recording speed is not significantly behind and is 140 MB / s. The card is equipped with a video processing accelerator and is optimized specifically for professional video equipment.
Map Features:
- Support for VPG-65 standard. The card is ideal for recording 4K video by meeting the required bandwidth above the 65 Mbps threshold.
- The presence of modifications with a memory capacity of 16 to 256 GB.
- Support udma 6 interface to connect to PC as SATA disk.
- 30-year manufacturer's warranty (only for countries that support a lifetime warranty).
3 Transcend TS*CF133
Good budget option
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 1400 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.6
32GB large capacity made this micro sd best companion for travelers. The read and write speed remains very decent to this day, although there are also "cooler" options. The available volume is enough for two-week trips to the mountains or nature reserves, but in a series of shooting it will give 4-6 frames less than the declared characteristics, so it is not recommended to use it for reportage shooting.
Occasionally stutters when shooting Full HD . Well suited for amateur and semi-professional cameras.
2 SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash 120MB/s
No freezes
Country: USA
Average price: 3371 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.7
A quality product that, together with 16 GB of internal memory, offers stable operation for long term use. Reading at a speed of more than 120 Mb / s has a positive effect on the interaction with files on cameras and smartphones.
Occasionally, buyers note "floating" characteristics within the margin of error, as with many models. To distinguish its product from competitors, the manufacturer provided it with a golden sticker. At the same time, she is more willing to work with older models of cameras than with new ones.
1 Transcend TS*CF800
Baud rate 800x
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 3650 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.8
The main advantage of the model is the increased data exchange rate up to 800x. Along with this, buyers note a high level of reliability when working with data and overall stability at high speeds.
As for the tests, everything is very interesting here. Real tests show reading at 40 Mb/s and writing at 35 Mb/s. Modification with a capacity of 32 GB is considered the best choice for those who want to capture the brightest moments in their lives with a camera or who are actively traveling and need to constantly record materials on a video recorder.
Best Secure Digital HC Memory Cards
The difference between a Secure Digital HC format card and similar micro versions lies not only in overall dimensions, but also in application. Discarding the technical part, these models are components for photo and video equipment, as well as a number of functional devices that have an interface for this standard.
Currently, there is a systematic decrease in the popularity of this type of cards due to the presence of appropriate adapters in micro-analogues. They are less reliable, but add versatility than the full-sized Secure Digital HC, alas, they cannot boast.
5 Transcend TS8GSDHC10
For long term use
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 553 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.5
Best Micro SD for those who care about the "set and forget" principle. With a warranty period of 36 months, it can last 60 months. It is easily installed in DVRs, cameras and phones. To simplify the organization of storing files and documents, the system is designed in the format FAT 32, and its volume is 8 GB.
Content reading is declared by the manufacturer at a speed of 20 Mb/s. It is advisable to use it with a quality card reader that will not cut speed. When used with equipment of the lower price segment (for example, budget Canon ) may have reading problems as they simply won't be able to read the card. In all characteristics, the model is an analogue of the 6th class, only the speed of writing data blocks is higher large sizes. Buyers note that DHC 10 is occasionally naughty with the connection interface, but otherwise there are no complaints.
4 SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS Class 3 V30 95MB/s 32GB
30 years warranty
Country: USA
Average price: 990 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.6
SanDisk Company extremely creatively approached the PR of her flash drive, offering any buyer who registered this product on the official website, a 30-year warranty. Good writing speed and reliability make the card a powerful tool for storing files on smartphones. If the data is damaged, there is a special software for their recovery. Buyers note a relatively fragile case, which is why the flash drive should be handled with extreme care. By channel USB 3.0 files are transferred very quickly and without freezes.
3 Transcend TS32GSDC300S
Versatility, reliability, price
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 472 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.7
Another high quality micro sd card from Transcend. It withstands formatting well and performs well even when working with MacOS . In this case, you still have to download third-party software, since the internal settings of the operating system do not allow you to write files to the format NTFS.
A volume of 32 GB is considered small, but sufficient for basic everyday tasks. The write speed is 45 Mb/s, and the read speed is 95 Mb/s. When shooting in Full HD The volume is enough for 250 minutes of video.
2 Transcend TS32GSDHC10
Buyers Choice
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 795 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.8
One of the most accessible and modern models. With its help, you can provide additional volume of the disk array to accommodate documentation, games, applications and various content that supports the standard SDHC or SDXC. The FAT32 system greatly simplifies the storage of files, it limits their size to 4 GB.
The product is also interesting in terms of read and write speeds of 30 and 16 Mb/s. In fact, it gives out 18 Mb / s when reading, which is lower than the declared characteristics. The operating temperature range is standard from -25 to 85 degrees Celsius. Periodic cleaning with a school gum from the oxide film is recommended. Also, many unscrupulous sellers put fakes on display. Distinguishing an original from a copy is easy - the write protect switch will yellow color, not grey. plays a role and serial number, consisting of a ten-digit number.
1 Kingston SDR/32GB
Best Choice of Secure Digital HC Format
Country: USA
Average price: 1060 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.9
High speed, fast detection, reliability are the list of advantages of this Micro SD can be listed for a long time. On paper, the speed is 70 Mb / s when writing and 100 when reading, although in reality it gives out 50 and 70, respectively. However, these indicators are enough to record 4K video without friezes at a comfortable frame rate.
Ideal for camcorders, smartphones. Performance with DVRs is rated as average. There were no complaints about the "dump" or the occurrence of defective files when using the card.
Having purchased a smartphone or tablet computer, you immediately feel the desire to try working in a variety of interesting applications, download a cool game, and much more. But in order to open an application for a smartphone or other device, you must first download and install it. And for this, of course, you need a certain place in the internal memory. Music, movies, documents and other files - all this is stored on the device's resources and sometimes takes up too much space on the built-in storage. You can expand the volume using an SD card. But not all of us know how to choose a good memory card that is not expensive and at the same time of high quality. We will also find out what classes of memory cards are and what characteristics you should pay attention to when buying. This or that gadget supports specific types of equipment - if you buy another, then it simply will not work. In addition, you also need to know how much volume your smartphone or tablet supports - this is of great importance.
Types of SD cards by form factor
Previously used MultiMedia Card (MMC). Then they were replaced by SD memory cards. Their physical dimensions are the same, however, they are made according to perfect different technologies. SD has a controller and has a protective area that will not allow someone to "climb" into the system unnoticed. A special switch is also installed, which can block the possibility of deleting information (switched manually).
So, what are the types of memory cards and how to choose them? There are three types of SD in total:
- The standard SD measures 32mm by 24mm by 2.1mm.
- miniSD is slightly smaller - 21.5 by 20 by 1.4 mm.
- The smallest is microSD - 11 by 15 by 1 mm.
With the help of special adapters designed for this, any of the presented cards can be inserted into any slot that supports SD drives.
What are the classes of memory cards
Among other things, drives differ in classes. Let's see what a memory card class is and what does this parameter affect? So, it determines how fast the data is written. Speaking in a slightly different language, the higher it is, the sooner you can record data, play large video or audio recordings without losing quality.
In order for a potential buyer to navigate the capabilities of flash drives, the SD card association classifies them according to the SD Speed Class - what is it? Speed signs: on drives, the speed is indicated based on a certain multiplier, where 1 is 150 kb / s.
Memory cards can be made in the following varieties:
- class 2;
- class 4;
- class 6;
- class 10;
- class 16.
When choosing a memory card for a DVR or other device, you need to Special attention set this parameter. Among other things, you need to choose a drive only from a reputable manufacturer. The fact is that many companies indicate a classification that does not correspond to speed indicators. Or it will mean not the speed of writing information, but its reading.
Type will be of no small importance for those who like to watch movies with HD resolution, the difference between them is palpable. The higher, the more stable the data streams will be and there will be no slowdowns. In the documentation for the device where this or that card will be used, you should carefully read the information about the minimum speed for playing HD video.
In general, flash drives with the 10th grade are considered the most popular and in demand. The speed of reading and writing information is at the most optimal level and can reach more than 10 Mb / s, which is good news.
Memory card capacity
Before buying a memory card, you should check what is the maximum volume that your device can withstand. It is also recommended to pay attention to the type:
- Regular SD cards can have a maximum capacity of 4 GB;
- SDHC - up to 32 GB;
- SDXC - up to 2 TB;
- SDXC II, SDHC II, SDXC I, SDHC I is the maximum number available.
The larger the memory card, the better - as it can store more information. For example, 8 GB is enough for a thousand mp3 songs or 21 minutes of Full HD video.
Read and write speed
The speed of reading and loading information on the card depends on its class and type.
Various types of memory cards have different speed data exchange. What does a specific characteristic mean:
- SD - 12.5 Mb / s;
- SDHC - 12.5 Mb / s (difference from the previous one only in a larger volume);
- SDXC - 25 Mb / s;
- SDXC II, SDHC II, SDXC I, SDHC I - very high speed (UHS I architecture - 50 Mbps, UHS II architecture - 156 Mbps or 312 Mbps).
How to determine the class of a memory card by the speed of information exchange? Class characteristics:
- Class 2 - not less than 2 Mb / s;
- Class 4 - not less than 4 Mb / s;
- Class 6 - not less than 6 Mb / s;
- Class 10 - not less than 10 Mb / s;
- Class 16 - not less than 16 Mb / s.
Choose SD card
Despite the huge range of memory cards, figuring out which one is better is not difficult at all. The main thing is in which device the drive will be used. Standard SD cards are most commonly used in camcorders and digital cameras. It is necessary to single out two modifications of SD cards: SDHC and SDXC, which are characterized by increased capacity (32 GB - 2 TB). If you need a flash drive for your mobile phone or tablet, then you should look at miniSD and microSD. Despite their miniature size, these varieties differ in the same speed and capacity as a full-fledged SD, but differ only in an increased price.
When choosing a memory card, it is also necessary to take into account the fact that their modern formats may not be compatible with outdated devices. It is worth noting that if the gadget contains a slot for a large SD flash drive, then you can use the most ordinary microSD, provided that there is a special adapter that almost always comes with the purchase.
As for the capacity of the card, it all depends on what files you plan to store on it, and in what volume. One of the most important characteristics when choosing is the speed with which it can receive and store data. For example, recording burst photos or Full HD video files on a slow card is not feasible. When playing videos, the video will “slow down” all the time. To understand how to find out the speed? You need to pay attention to the special marking - class. As mentioned earlier, a good memory card has high class, and nowadays it must be at least "10", for comfortable work without delays in writing and reading.
Additional information
If you are the owner of a mobile device or other gadgets, then you should be aware of other significant parameters that you need to take into account when choosing a memory card. To store all the data on the flash drive, cells are provided. In the course of repeated formatting and rewriting of information, cell data can “wear out” modern drives are designed for 10,000-1,000,000 data rewriting cycles. As practice shows, this figure can be much less. It depends on the conditions of use of the flash drive, its resistance to influences, etc. Thus, a high-quality card must be resistant to mechanical damage, high humidity, temperature changes.
Conclusion
Choosing a quality memory card is not difficult. The main thing is to first study their main varieties, classes of memory cards and criteria that should be paid special attention to. First of all, you need to start from the device for which the drive is intended. You also need to decide on your needs, which the flash drive must satisfy.
With this article, our site continues a whole cycle of useful materials, the purpose of which will be to facilitate the choice of any product from the thousands of options offered on the market. Agree, the choice of a specific model of a device always takes a lot of time, which can be spent usefully. In today's material, we will talk about choosing a memory card for a smartphone, tablet or camera.
Introduction
Flash memory is used today in almost all electronic devices - both in personal computers and laptops in the form of SSD drives, and in mobile devices - in the form of internal memory and flash cards. The latter will be discussed in this article. With a small card (their size has long allowed them to be used in the smallest and thinnest devices), you can increase the amount of available memory of a smartphone, camera or tablet by many gigabytes, so you can carry more content with you - games, music, videos or books with magazines . In addition, the cost of capacious and fast memory cards is now lower than ever.
Memory cards are not as fast as USB flash drives, but their speeds have long reached a level that allows you to record 4K video on them without any problems, and even more so to view it. But different models cards can vary greatly in their data writing and reading speeds - you will learn about this in the section on their characteristics. But it is worth noting that different devices can support cards of a certain maximum capacity - say, cheap smartphones sometimes cannot work with microSD cards with a capacity of more than 32 GB. Also, don't expect new speed gains from an old camera by using a card with a higher speed class - it's likely that the card will run in a slower mode to ensure compatibility. To find out about support for specific speeds and sizes of memory cards, you need to refer to the official user manual for a particular device.
By 2015, the memory card industry focused on just two types - SD and microSD. The former are more often used in photo and video cameras, sometimes in laptops; the latter are more commonly used with smartphones and tablets. Once upon a time, there were many more types of cards - some of you may remember names like MMC, Memory Stick Duo or xD-Picture. Fortunately, this fragmentation is now gone - almost any device supports either SD or microSD cards (or even both formats). We will describe their differences, as well as other important characteristics, below.
Key Features of Memory Cards
As we already reported in the introduction, now almost the entire memory card market is occupied by models of two types - and microSD. They are used in all possible electronic devices: cameras, smartphones, tablets, e-readers, GPS-navigators and even some game consoles.
SD and microSD cards are divided into four generations. SD 1.0 generation cards supported from 8 MB to 2 GB, SD 1.1 generation - up to 4 GB, SDHC - up to 32 GB, SDXC (the most advanced and expensive) - up to 2 TB. SDHC and SDXC cards cannot be used with SD 1.0 / SD 1.1 devices.
The main thing to remember is that a device that can handle the newer SD card standard will also be able to handle older cards, but most likely not the other way around (more on that below).
Memory size, GB
It is hardly worth buying memory cards with a capacity of less than 16 GB - their cost has already dropped by a very low level, and 16 GB is not that much for high-quality photos and videos. If you're serious about photography or videography, you'll want to use a card with at least 32 GB of memory, 128 GB is even better. If you just want to increase the memory of your smartphone, then 32 GB in most cases will be enough.
Data writing and reading speed
The write speed of a memory card can be a very important parameter for you. The fact is that when shooting photos and videos, the cameras transfer the received data to the internal memory buffer, and from there photos and videos are transferred to the card's memory. If this buffer fills up faster than the data can be written to the card (for example, when shooting in burst mode, when the camera takes a series of high-quality pictures), then they will simply be lost.
Reading speed is not that important, but the higher it is, the faster you can work with the data that is recorded on the card. For example, if you want to watch high-bitrate video on your tablet in FullHD resolution or higher, then you will need a pretty good card.
You can see examples of maximum and satisfactory card speeds below - in the section " Top 10 SD and microSD cards".
Support for UHS interfaces
UHS is a faster interface supported by more expensive SD and microSD memory cards. UHS-I allows you to transfer information at 50 MB/s or 104 MB/s, and UHS-II at 156 MB/s or 312 MB/s.
Speed class
A designation like "Class x" or "Ux" that indicates the minimum standardized data rate of a particular card. Memory cards can have the following speed classes:
- Class 2 - at least 2 MB / s, you can record SD-video.
- Class 4 - at least 4 MB / s, you can record HD video or Full HD video.
- Class 6 - at least 6MB/s, can record HD video or FullHD video.
- Class 10 - at least 10 MB / s, high-quality FullHD video recording.
- UHS Speed Class 1 (U1) - at least 10 MB / s, high-quality FullHD video recording.
- UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) - at least 30 MB / s, video recording in resolution up to 4K.
In addition, manufacturers often refer to the speed of their memory cards with a multiplier like "100x" or "600x" in the name. Several of these multipliers correspond to speed classes (13x - Class 2, 26x - Class 4, 40x - Class 6, 66x - Class 10), and the fastest cards currently have a 633x multiplier and can transfer data at speeds up to 95 MB / s .
Adapters included
Special adapters may be supplied with the memory card for use in devices that do not support its original type. In most cases, this is an SD to microSD card adapter - a plastic housing for a microSD card that allows you to insert it into a much larger SD card slot. If you plan to use the same card on multiple devices that support different types, then the adapter in the kit will definitely not hurt.
USB card reader included
You can transfer the captured photo and video files to a PC not only by connecting the camera itself - it is much more convenient and sometimes faster to use a special card reader that is inserted into the computer's USB port. The presence of such a card reader in the kit is a very nice bonus, which usually does not cost too much.
Top 10 SD and microSD cards
An SD card that is great for recording high-quality Full HD video and taking large photos in burst mode. Those who record 4K video will want to use models that are recommended by their camera manufacturer.
A cheaper SD type model that should also do a great job of recording Full HD video and capturing high quality photos.
A very fast and rather expensive SD model that can easily handle 4K video recording and has a large enough capacity for temporary storage.
A slightly faster SD card than the first two models on this list. It also does a great job of recording Full HD video and has twice the capacity.
Not sure which microSD card to buy? Capacity is not the only criterion. What is the use of a “capacious” drive if the write speed is only 2 Mb / s? Large files will be uploaded to it very slowly. The technology used and the frequency of the bus also matter. Browse through the MicroSD card ratings to find the one with the right features and price.
The specifications of the SD drive are listed on it. But all the parameters with explanations on such a small device simply do not fit. Therefore, the information is given in an abbreviated form.
- Capacity/Memory. It is measured in Megabytes (“MB”), Gigabytes (“GB”) and Terabytes (“TB”). It depends on how many files will fit on the card. Now 16 GB media is popular. 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB. A card with a small capacity is marked "SD", with a high capacity - "SDHC", with an extended one - "SDXC".
- Recording speed. May be listed on the front of the drive.
- Class. On the MicroSD case, the parameter is indicated as a number inside the letter "C". For example, "Class 7" is 7 Mb/s, "Class 9" is 9 Mb/s. A multiplier may be specified instead of a class. To calculate the speed, multiply it by 0.15 and get the result in Megabits per second. Marking "x200" is 30 Mb / s, "x400" - 60 Mb / s.
- UHS-I. If the media has a designation in the form of the letter "U" with a number, then it is made using the "Ultra High Speed" technology. The maximum write speed in such cards reaches 104 Mb/s. The minimum depends on the model: U1 - 10 Mb / s, U3 - 30 Mb / s.
- UHS II. These drives have another row of contacts. It should also be on the SD-MicroSD adapter. The peak speed of the cards is 312 Mb/s. This the new kind MicroSD cards, so many devices do not support it.
- VSC. Technology - Video Speed Class. The designation is the letter "V".
- If there is a Roman numeral II on the case, then the UHS-II bus is used.
IMPORTANT. There can be several markings on one carrier: both “C”, and “U”, and “V”. The card will not continuously operate at the peak speeds that are specified in the specifications. These are the maximum possible values.
How to choose a card?
First, read the instructions for the device for which you are looking for a card. See what SD formats it supports. Often there are restrictions like "MicroSD up to 64 GB". This means that the gadget will not fit 128 GB media.
The choice of drive depends on the conditions in which you will use it. Which memory cards are best for a smartphone, camera, camcorder? Are there any priority features?
To shoot videos, you need high speed. Otherwise, the recording will slow down or even be interrupted. For HD video, it is recommended to use SD class 10 or higher. For 4K - U3. And if you decide to work with 8K, look for V60 or V90.
Such speeds are for professionals: operators, editors, filmmakers, bloggers. For "home shooting" V-cards are hardly suitable. And it's not even about the price. If you're into amateur videos, you won't need half of the drive's features. The same goes for car DVRs. But in action cameras, V-drives will come in handy.
For extreme sports (like Go-Pro motorcycle racing or rock climbing), choose wearables that can handle your active lifestyle. It will be a shame if the card fails and you lose valuable footage. The specifications say whether it is affected by temperature, sudden jumps, concussions or impacts. See also under what conditions the warranty expires.
If you want to take UHS-II for a phone, laptop or any other gadget, it must support this technology. That is - to read information from the second row of contacts. Otherwise, what's the point in them?
The best memory cards
It is impossible to say unequivocally which memory cards are worse or better. They are used for different purposes. One drive is suitable for the camera, the other for the phone, the third for storing information. Yes, users have different preferences. Browse through the rating that describes the pros and cons of various microSDs. So you can choose the right option.
Transcend
Transcend has several top-notch SD media. One of them is TS*USDHC10U1. This is a class 10 card made with UHS-1 technology. Available in 8, 16 and 32 GB options. Stable recording speed - 45 Mb / s. And a very high read speed - 90 Mb / s.
This card will work well in DVRs. Ideal for smartphones and tablets. You can watch HD video, listen to music, run applications and games. There will be no brakes or departures. The price of the drive is from 1200 rubles for 32 GB, 800 rubles for 16 GB and 500 rubles for 8 GB.
- These memory cards have a long service life.
- High reading speed.
- Good combination of price and quality. This is the best microSD storage you can buy for the price.
- There are practically no defective products.
- The maximum capacity is only 32 GB.
SanDisk UHS-3
Now let's turn our attention to SanDisk products. For example, on Extreme MicroSDXC Class 10 UHS Class 3. Its write speed - 40 Mb / s - is not suitable for filming in 4K. Reading speed also does not break records - it is about 60 Mb / s. So why is it one of the best MicroSD cards out there? As the name suggests, it uses UHS-3 technology. At the same time, its maximum capacity is 64 GB. Such indicators are quite enough for smartphones, tablets and laptops of the middle price category. With video in FullHD resolution, this SD card will definitely cope.
However, the drive itself is quite expensive - from 3000 rubles for 64 GB. And it is better not to connect it to the GoPro 4 Black camera. In it, the MicroSD will get very hot. But if you do not shoot in 2.7K and 4K, then there will be no problems.
- 64 GB options available.
- Very low chance of breakage.
- Good speed performance. Although for action cameras and professional equipment she doesn't fit.
- Price.
- Do not use this card in devices that shoot 4K resolution.
- Doesn't work well with GoPro 4 Black camera.
Another member of the SanDisk family is the Extreme Plus UHS-I U3. And here he has speed indicators that can be envied: writing - 90 Mb / s, reading - 95 Mb / s. The maximum volume is 128 GB. There is support for 4K. This is a great option for video equipment. When recording in high resolution, there will be no freezes or crashes. The price of the product is from 2000 rubles for 32 GB, 5000 rubles for 64 GB and 8000 rubles for 128 GB. With such characteristics, it is quite acceptable.
The manufacturer's website states that the card is suitable for extreme conditions. You can shoot videos in the mountains or hiking. Even if your camera or smartphone breaks down, the drive will keep your files.
- There are models for 128 GB.
- High speed. You can record 4K without any problems.
- Such indicators will be useful only in a professional video camera. For a regular phone or tablet, they will be useless.
The first thing you should pay attention to in the SanDisk Ultra is the capacity. In such a small card fits as much as 200 gigabytes. On it you can download several seasons of the series or movies in HD. Music lovers will like it - after all, 10,000 music tracks will "fit" on it.
The drive is made according to the UHS-1 standard. Reading speed - 90 Mb / s. You can watch movies on the screen of your tablet or laptop - there will be no breaks or loss of quality. The write speed is about 40 Mb/s. Shooting in 4K resolution, of course, will not work. But for "home" use, it is suitable.
The price of the product is from 5000 rubles.
- 200 gigabyte memory.
- High reading speed.
- The recording speed does not allow for high-definition filming.
Kingston is a fairly well-known brand. The company provides a lifetime warranty on all of its products. So the acquired Kingston UHS-I U3 is unlikely to ever fail. It is suitable for video and photo equipment, game consoles, action cameras. The SD card has an impressive read-write speed of 95 and 90 Mb/s.
This model has an affordable price. The line has drives with a capacity of 32 and 64 GB. They can be purchased for 800 and 2000 rubles, respectively. But the 128 GB option is expensive - about 5,000 rubles.
Another representative of "high-speed" cards is Kingston SDCA3. It is unlikely to be used in smartphones, as its characteristics are more suitable for professional equipment. Write - 80 Mb / s, read - 90 Mb / s.
Of course, the drive can be purchased for phones. But it is expensive - 1500 rubles for 32 GB, 2500 rubles for 64 GB and 5000 rubles for 128 GB.
And here is Kingston for mobile phones. The SDCA10 has an average write speed of 45 Mb/s. But for smartphone cameras, it is ideal. Even if the device shoots in HD. But the reading speed on high level- 90 Mb/s. Recording a video in 4K will not work, but watching it is fine.
The price of the card is quite high for such parameters: 1300 rubles for 32 GB and 2500 rubles for 64 GB.
Conclusion
These are the best microSD memory cards at the moment. They have advantages and disadvantages. These drives are used in various fields of activity. Therefore, one product is unlikely to suit everyone at once. And technology doesn't stand still. Someday there will be carriers with higher rates.
Modern devices - communicators, cameras, players, electronic photo frames, etc. are equipped with slots for installing additional memory cards. Users, chasing cheapness, master AliExpress and eBay. On these trading platforms you can see very "tasty" offers for fast and capacious memory cards. But in reality, everything is not so simple.
Memory card fraud
Probably, many have heard or encountered scammers when buying memory cards at a very favorable price. Miracles almost never happen. The low price completely discourages the buyer's ability to think soberly and objectively.
The most popular ways to deceive sellers from AliExpress and eBay are inflated product specifications. For example, the seller claims that the memory card has a capacity of 32GB and corresponds to the 10 speed class. And the user receives an 8GB memory card and class 6 in the package (at best). If you have not closed the deal and left positive feedback to the dishonest seller, it is possible to open a dispute and receive a full refund in the event of a well-drafted claim. Dispute (dispute) is the only way to press a dishonest seller and receive compensation. So never close a deal before receiving and inspecting any item.
How to find out about the problem with MicroSD
When you receive the purchased memory card, start writing files to it, everything looks great. The recording is in progress, the files are there. But when you start using the media, some of the files are not readable or disappear, reading and writing errors appear. Files that are located in existing cells work fine. Files that are "written" to an area that exists only in the controller's firmware are not readable or cause errors. You may be unaware that a memory card is fake if you only use part of the space on it.
How to check the memory card for compliance with the declared characteristics
You have received a microSD card. How to find out if it matches the product description on the seller's page? How to protect yourself from scammers. Further, simple ways check the capacity and speed of the memory card.
The main user assistant in checking the characteristics of memory cards is the h2testw program. This program allows you to determine the actual size of a memory card, check cells for problem areas in read-write mode, and also determine the read-write speed from MicroSD cards. Any memory card (and SSDs) is a complex device. The filling is memory cells and a controller in which technical information and a read-write control program are recorded. The capacity of the memory card is written to the controller. Replacing the real volume with the desired one is a method used by scammers. The h2testw program allows you to find out the actual amount of memory on a MicroSD card.
How h2test works
The program writes data to memory cells that physically exist, and then reads the written data. The volume that is read without errors displays the actual volume of the memory card. The program allows you to perform a write and read speed test to check the class of microSD, TransFlash or CF cards - the program fills the card with data, measuring the speed and number of errors. As a result, you have complete information about the drive. This report can be saved as a screenshot and presented to the seller, moderators during the dispute. If you bought a card with a declared capacity of 64 GB, and the h2testw program successfully sees only 4 GB, then this is an obvious scam. Do not go along with the seller and do not change the essence of the claim to “goods not received” or the like. In this case, it will be more difficult for you to receive compensation.
Real capacity of MicroSD, TransFlash, Compact Flash and other memory cards
If the memory card says 32GB, but Windows Explorer or an electronic device has 30.8GB or 31.2GB (slightly less) writable, then many users may suspect that the memory card is counterfeit. In fact, in the case of such an available volume, everything is completely normal. Similarly, on a 320GB HDD, real 298GB is available for recording. This is due to the fact that marketers replace the concepts of multiplier prefixes "tera-" and "tibi-", "giga-" and "gibi-". In fact, the memory card has a capacity of not 32 gigabytes, but 32 gigabytes. Hence there is a discrepancy in the labeling and actually available capacity. With a larger volume, the difference between the declared and actual volume increases. However, this is not a difference of 2, 3, 4 times, which is typical for fake memory cards and fraudulent actions of sellers on online marketplaces.
Memory card classes CF, MicroSD
Memory card class - the minimum manufacturer-guaranteed write speed to a flash drive. If the flash card corresponds to the 6th class, then writing large files to it must be at a speed of at least 6MB / s. The h2testw program allows you to test the speed of writing data to microsd or trans-flash cards and determine their class. Please note that when recording to memory cards installed in smartphones or other devices, the speed will be lower. Your best bet is to use a good card reader connected to a fast USB port.
What to do with a fake memory card
So, if you are faced with scammers (unfortunately), there are several options for what to do with a memory card. If you bought a card on eBay or AliExpress, did not close the deal and did not leave positive feedback to the seller, then there is an opportunity to open a dispute for compensation or a full refund. But you still have a memory card in your hands. Most of the fake cards aren't that bad (aside from the actual and advertised size). Let's say you received not a 32GB, but an 8GB memory card. It can be used without writing more than 7.4GB of information to it. You can save yourself from such difficulties by physically re-partitioning the card space with programs for working with hard drives, SSD drives and memory cards.
Programs for working with disk and flash drives
Among the products available to users that allow you to work with MicroSD, TransFlash, CompactFlash memory cards, there are free versions that allow you to perform operations of repartitioning the memory card space to correct its volume to the real one. Among the most popular and powerful programs (among which there are paid ones):
- Acronis Disk Manager
- PowerQuest Partition Magic
- Partition Manager
- MyDiskFix
- diskpart
After the program corrects the information in the memory card controller, its real size is displayed in Windows Explorer, in the menu of available space on your mobile phone. As a result, the user is protected from the fact that files will be written to the fake area. And such a memory card can be used like any other.
