If you wish to add cupboard space to a Nintendo Swap, GoPro or Raspberry Pi, you want a microSD card. However whereas a number of playing cards can be quick sufficient for many use instances, some cheap choices will carry out higher than others. We not too long ago put a dozen fashions via a spread of benchmark checks that will help you discover the very best microSD playing cards to your wants.
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 house you want. Trendy playing cards are normally accessible in sizes starting from 32GB to 512GB, whereas a handful provide 1TB fashions as nicely. 2TB playing cards are theoretically attainable however still in the prototype stage.
For many, a 128GB or 256GB mannequin ought to be the candy spot between value and capability. However in case you want extra room – say, for stashing a bunch of video games on a Steam Deck – a 512GB card might make extra sense and infrequently supplies a greater cost-per-GB ratio. Nowadays, you’ll find an honest 128GB card for round $15 or much less, an honest 256GB card for lower than $30 and (with sales) an honest 512GB card may very well be as little as $40 (although most price nearer to $50 or $60). There’s a starker improve whenever you go as much as 1TB playing cards, which usually price round $100.
Observe {that a} microSD card’s efficiency might 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 provide as much as 130 MB/s.
After we speak about microSD playing cards immediately, we normally confer with playing cards that use the microSDXC (eXtended Capacity) standard, which have a capability between 32GB and 2TB. Your machine must assist this for it to work with a microSDXC card. It will nearly by no means be a difficulty nowadays, however some older gadgets (a Nintendo 3DS for 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 normally measured in megabytes per second (MB/s). Typically talking, most microSD playing cards have quicker learn speeds than write speeds. These metrics can then be damaged down into sequential and random efficiency. Sequential learn and write speeds matter whenever you’re attempting to entry or save lengthy, fixed streams of information, akin to opening a big video or copying an enormous batch of information from a PC. If you wish to use a microSD card for media storage, that is notably necessary.
Random efficiency, in the meantime, is about how shortly a card can learn and write small information 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 necessary 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 information in random places.
SD Affiliation
Velocity rankings
If you happen to have a look at a microSD card, you’ll see a buffet of numbers, letters and symbols. Most of those confer with the cardboard’s speed class and efficiency rankings, that are decided by the SD Association.
A card’s Video Velocity Class, or V-rating, particulars its minimal sequential write pace, which is particularly necessary when recording video from a digital camera. 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 pace of at the very least 30 MB/s. This ought to be sufficient to assist as much as 4K video at decrease bitrates. Greater-rated V60 and V90 playing cards are normally higher for capturing 8K, however they arrive at a a lot increased price.
The UHS Velocity Class, or U-rating, additionally refers to a card’s minimal sequential write pace. 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 ranking overlaps with the opposite two programs. It’s signified by a C image and goes from Class 2 to Class 10, with the quantity (once more) indicating minimal sequential write pace. This ranking is much less related these days, however you should still see a “C10” brand on some playing cards.
The Utility 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, reasonably than MB/s. There are two classes right here: A1 playing cards provide a minimal random learn pace of 1,500 IOPS and a minimal random write pace 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 at the very least 10 MB/s.
Most individuals ought to search for a card with V30, U3 and A2 rankings. It’s completely attainable to get a stable card with out these: A U1 card is perhaps price it in case you simply want an inexpensive choice with a excessive capability to carry information, for instance. V60 and V90 playing cards are price a glance in case you’re severe about taking pictures high-resolution pictures and video as nicely. However typically talking, playing cards with the certifications above ought to present the very best mix of value and efficiency immediately.
It’s necessary to emphasise that these rankings are baselines. Many V30 playing cards provide considerably increased write speeds than 30 MB/s, for example, and a few A1 playing cards can outperform some A2 fashions in apply. The speeds marketed by producers aren’t all the time one hundred pc correct, both: Generally the cardboard can be slower in real-world use, different instances it could really be a bit quicker.
UHS bus speeds
The opposite spec to notice is the cardboard’s bus interface. Most microSD playing cards accessible immediately are UHS-I, which have a theoretical most pace of 104 MB/s. There are additionally UHS-II playing cards, which have an additional row of pins on the again and may attain as much as 312 MB/s. (A more recent UHS-III commonplace exists as nicely however hasn’t seen extensive adoption simply but.) These are labeled on the cardboard with a Roman numeral I or II.
Absolutely the quickest microSD playing cards proper now are UHS-II playing cards, they usually’re normally those with V60 or V90 rankings. If you happen to shoot a number of 4K to 8K video or incessantly use burst mode to seize extremely high-res pictures, the efficiency positive factors of a very good UHS-II card can prevent time.
However these are rather more costly than UHS-I playing cards: This 128GB model from ProGrade Digital, for instance, is a relative cut price at $55. You want a tool that’s appropriate with the UHS-II interface to see any advantages, too, and as we have been placing this information collectively, inventory for UHS-II playing cards was spotty. For now, the upper speeds aren’t well worth the value premium for the overwhelming majority of individuals, so we principally caught to UHS-I choices.
Kris Naudus / Engadget
A notice 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 pace via proprietary extensions. You want a appropriate card reader and host machine to benefit from that further efficiency, although. If you happen to discover a UHS-I card promoting speeds increased than 104 MB/s, that is what’s happening. You possibly can see these limits in motion with a Nintendo Swap or Steam Deck: Both of those gaming gadgets assist the UHS-I interface and don’t transcend its official pace, flattening any sequential positive factors some playing cards might 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 all the time good to have. Many producers provide lifetime restricted warranties, although we’ve seen that “endurance” playing cards marketed to resist extra hours of writing are normally lined for a a lot shorter time period.
Avoiding counterfeits
The reminiscence card market has had a specific drawback with scammers promoting pretend merchandise. To protect towards this, solely purchase from a recognized model and a good retailer akin to Greatest Purchase, B&H Picture or Adorama. If you happen to 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 straight prior to now.) Bear in mind: If a value appears too good to be true, it in all probability 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 possibly can run benchmark checks like CrystalDiskMark or BlackMagic Disk Speed Test to confirm its speeds aren’t drastically decrease than what’s marketed (or attainable, given its specs). You may also use software program that’s designed to confirm the true capability and efficiency of your card, akin to H2testw and FakeFlashTest.
How we examined
We put 12 microSD playing cards via a collection of checks 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 just a few “real-world” checks. We copied and pasted a small folder of pictures 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 information.
We used a Kingston USB 3.2 UHS-II reader to check every card on each Home windows 11 and macOS Ventura. 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 attainable, although for a few playing cards – the SanDisk Excessive and Samsung Professional Plus – we have been solely in a position to take a look at their 256GB fashions. We additionally reformatted every card earlier than testing with the SD Affiliation’s Memory Card Formatter tool.
Greatest for many: Samsung Professional Plus
The Samsung Pro Plus supplied nearly the very best sequential write efficiency of the playing cards we examined (round 130 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark) and topped all of them by way of random learn/write speeds, so it ought to work nice whether or not you’re shopping for for a digital camera, pill or gaming handheld. Unsurprisingly, it has all of the requisite rankings: U3, V30 and A2. Its sequential learn efficiency isn’t fairly as fast as a few of our alternate picks beneath, but it surely’s not far behind. In our giant file switch take a look at, for example, it was solely 4 seconds off the quickest fashions.
The Professional Plus initially began at $19 for 128GB, $30 for 256GB and $60 for 512GB, however current gross sales have introduced these fashions as little as $12, $20 and $35, respectively. When it’s that low cost, the Professional Plus makes most competing microSD playing cards irrelevant. Samsung additionally sells the cardboard with a USB reader that’ll assist it attain its most speeds for just a few {dollars} extra. Both approach, the cardboard comes with a 10-year restricted guarantee.
If you happen to choose to purchase the Professional Plus, be sure to get the latest-generation mannequin, which Samsung launched in April 2023. In the meanwhile, the corporate continues to be promoting the prior iteration of the Professional Plus, which appears similar however isn’t as fast, particularly on the subject of random learn/write speeds. (Search for the mannequin 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 Professional Plus attributable to inventory points with the 128GB mannequin on the time of testing, however this shouldn’t have a significant affect on real-world efficiency, as Samsung charges each playing cards identically.
Runner up: Kingston Canvas Go Plus
If the Samsung Professional Plus ever turns into unavailable, the Kingston Canvas Go Plus is a powerful different. It is a U3-, V30- and A2-rated card backed by a lifetime restricted guarantee. It delivered the very best sequential learn speeds of any card we examined throughout CrystalDiskMark, ATTO and the BlackMagic Disk Velocity Check, simply edging out SanDisk’s Excessive and Nintendo Swap-branded playing cards. It successfully tied with these two playing cards in our giant file switch take a look at. Its 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 card, too, so it’s nonetheless a very good choice for apps and video games. It’s arduous to justify in case you see it priced increased than the Professional Plus, nonetheless.
Greatest worth: Samsung Evo Choose
The Samsung Evo Select is a step behind our prime picks, notably on the subject of sequential write speeds (slightly below 70 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark), so it’s not ultimate for a digital camera. Nonetheless, it’s completely usable for a lot of use instances, and we have seen its 128GB, 256GB and 512GB fashions fall as little as $12, $18 and $35, respectively, prior to now. All of these are about on par with the SanDisk Ultra, a incessantly beneficial cheapo card, regardless of the Evo Choose having increased V30, U3 and A2 rankings. The Professional Plus has been accessible for round these costs, too, however the Evo Choose tends to sit down there extra frequently.
One other good choice: SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Swap
The SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch is one other worthwhile choice in case you 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 Kingston card in our benchmarks, however its sequential writes have been barely slower (and farther behind the Professional Plus). Its random learn/writes have been a step behind in response to CrystalDiskMark, as nicely. The 128GB version of this card is normally priced round $20, however these days the 512GB version has gone for $10 or so lower than the Canvas Go Plus. SanDisk backs the cardboard with a lifetime guarantee, too. Observe that we examined the Apex Legends model of the 128GB card. SanDisk additionally sells a Super Mario model, however we will’t communicate as to whether that one performs any in another way.
One other good choice: Lexar Skilled 1066x
Equally, the Lexar Professional 1066x is an honest different to the Professional Plus in case you see it cheaper. It’s one other V30, U3 and A2 card, and like Samsung’s card, its sequential write speeds have been a bit quicker than the Canvas Go Plus and SanDisk Swap card in our benchmarks. These write speeds weren’t as fast as 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 take a look at. Nonetheless, it’s not sluggish, so relying on its value, it is perhaps a very good cut price if you need higher write speeds than the Kingston card can provide. It additionally comes with a lifetime restricted guarantee.
Different notable microSD playing cards
Picture by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
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 will ship considerably quicker sequential write speeds than our picks above. It’s one of many few UHS-II playing cards we might really discover in inventory, but it surely prices a ton, normally beginning at $55 for simply 32GB.
The SanDisk Extreme successfully matched the Professional Plus in just a few 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 having the ability to safe the cardboard’s 256GB mannequin, which is higher-rated than the 128GB model. Its random efficiency was nicely behind the Samsung and Kingston playing cards, too, and it is usually price extra as of late. If you happen to see it on sale from a good vendor, nonetheless, it’s one other high quality choice.
The SanDisk Extreme Pro, in the meantime, is rated for even increased speeds (as much as 200 MB/s sequential reads), but it surely seems to be both unavailable at most trusted retailers or priced considerably increased as of this writing.
The PNY Elite-X wasn’t far off the random learn/write efficiency of the Professional Plus and Canvas Go Plus in CrystalDiskMark, and it usually goes for affordable, but it surely was nicely behind in our sequential checks.
Trending Merchandise
