Memory card data transfer speed. What is the difference between sdhc and sdxc memory cards and which one to choose?

Today, almost no equipment can do without a memory card, because all multimedia files are of sufficient size and require a lot of storage space. When choosing one, we often choose the cheaper option, wondering why some of them cost a little more.

Few users pay attention to the class of the flash drive when purchasing.

It's all about not only the brand, but also the class of the memory card. Let's figure out what it means and which of them are needed for certain purposes.

This concept applies to micro, mini equipment and full-fledged SD cards. As you might guess, their name determines the size - the smallest ones are used in mobile phones and tablets, great in photo and video equipment. We are mainly interested in compact microSD, since they are the most popular among users.

All cards have a class that determines the guaranteed data writing speed. That is, this indicator determines how quickly files and information will be exchanged when recording to an external drive.

Accordingly, the higher the class, the faster the data transfer occurs, which is the main advantage of those microSD cards that cost more for the same capacity.

What classes are there?

Exist the following indicators: 2, 4, 6, 10, 16 and Ultra-High Speed ​​Class. Further, if you have a card class 2, then the guaranteed data transfer speed is at least 2 MB/sec, in the case of class 10 - at least 10 MB/sec, and so on. In the case of UHS, the situation is slightly different - these drives have very high parameters and are used exclusively in those devices that support this format.

How to choose a class?

It all depends on the purpose for which you are buying external memory. Please note the following recommendations:

• If the card will be used exclusively for, for example, music or photos on the phone, grade 10 does not play a special role. You will only see the difference when you reset files from your computer, and it will be that at the lowest rate the data will take a few minutes longer to move.
• To play music in the player, you do not need an overly powerful microSD card - this does not affect the quality of work.

This indicator is of great importance when files of this type will be recorded on the card, such as streaming video or a series of photos, in general, the following voluminous multimedia tasks:

• When recording Full HD video, you need at least a class 6, and preferably a class 10, memory card so that recording doesn’t slow down and you don’t miss a good shot because the device didn’t have time to process it.
• To shoot moving objects with high quality, professionals buy cards with speeds of 30 MB/sec. Naturally, such equipment is more expensive, but it will do its job reliably.
• And if your goal is to make your shooting work continuous and always be ready to take a large number of pictures, do not skimp on resources and choose drives with speeds up to 100 MB/sec.

Important! Before purchasing a microSD or other format card, check the owner's manual for the hardware you're using for the part—it will likely tell you the recommended settings for your external drive. If the required class is indicated there, you will be able to navigate the purchase more easily.

Speed ​​check

Not all microSD cards indicate the class, and in some cases the stated rating is not true. How to check the performance of a memory card? For this purpose, the H2testw utility was created - quite simple and understandable for any user. After checking, the program will show you the real speed of your drive, and if, for example, the number 10 is indicated on it, and the process showed a result of about 5 MB/sec, then the manufacturer has decided to deceive you.

As already mentioned, the class does not greatly affect the case when microSD is used in a phone or tablet as information storage. If you know that you often dump files and have a fairly large volume, the highest level 10 card will not hurt. This way, you can save a few minutes each time you transfer, which you can spend with greater benefit for yourself.

It would seem that it does not affect such a small thing as a microSD card or another format, but choosing a trusted brand when purchasing will make you more confident that the memory will work properly and smoothly. After all, the safety of your information and multimedia files directly depends on this. Therefore, it is better to pay a little extra than to lose the equipment with all the information stored on it at an unexpected moment.

Now you know what a card class is, and also in what cases it is advisable to pay attention to it in order to purchase good external memory at the best price.

Choosing a memory card is always a problem. The only thing you can immediately determine is the storage capacity. The remaining parameters - write speed and read speed - always confuse the inexperienced user, because not all manufacturers indicate them on the cards. And even if you manage to see the value of the speed, it is not clear whether it is enough for specific task or vice versa, there will be a lot, and you can save money and buy a cheaper card. Instead, flash drives have a bunch of different markings on them, which are not easy to understand.

Now this is a very pressing issue, since cameras are “learning” to shoot video in ever higher resolution, the burst shooting speed is also growing and you need to choose correct map so that the camera does not slow down at a crucial moment. Therefore, let's figure out what all these letters and numbers mean on a memory card using SD cards as an example, because this is the most popular and frequently used format. By the way, everything I will say also applies to microSD cards; they have the same markings.

SD, SDHC, SDXC

All SD cards are divided into three types: SD, SDHC, SDXC. These markings have nothing to do with writing or reading speed. They make it clear what volume this media supports:

• SD – from 128 MB to 2 GB;
• SDHC – from 4 GB to 32 GB;
• SDXC – from 64 GB to 2 TB.

SD SDHC
SDXC

Class 2, 4, 6, 10

The first speed indicator is the card class. It is designated by the letter “C” with the class number next to it. Everything is simple here, the number in the name means the minimum write speed of the memory card, that is:

• Class 2 – 2 MB/s;
• Class 4 – 4 MB/s;
• Class 6 – 6 MB/s;
• Class 10 – 10 MB/s.

Class 2
Class 4 Class 6
Class 10

UHS-I, -II, -III

With the development of technology, this data exchange port became outdated and did not allow increasing the speed of reading from cards. Then it was developedhigh-speed data exchange protocol UHS. UHS-I is the most common type; almost all flash drives currently comply with it. UHS-II is just beginning to be used and only top cameras support it so far. The UHS-III protocol was only recently announced and there isn’t even a single memory card that supports it yet. The speed of each protocol is given below, but it should be noted that we are not talking about real speed read/write, and about throughput:

• UHS-I – up to 104 MB/s;
• UHS-II – up to 312 MB/s;
• UHS-III – up to 624 MB/s.

UHS-I
UHS-II UHS-III

U1, U3

With the advent of UHS, new memory card speed classes were created -U1 and U3. The first option corresponds to Class 10 with a minimum guaranteed write speed of 10 MB/s. The second allows you to record files at a minimum speed 30 MB/s.

• U1 – 10 MB/s;
• U3 – 30 MB/s.

U1
U3

V6–V90

To make it easier to select a card for video recording, another marking was invented. It is designated by the Latin letter V (V6, V10, V30, V60 and V90). Everything is simple here, as is the case with the marking “ Class”, the number means the minimum recording speed. This marking also helps you understand what resolution a particular memory card is suitable for shooting at:

• V6 – 6 MB/s (HD video recording);
• V10 – 10 MB/s (FullHD video recording);
• V30 – 30 MB/s (4K video recording at 60/120 frames per second);
• V60 – 60 MB/s (8K video recording at 60/120 frames per second);
• V90 – 90 MB/s (8K video recording at 60/120 fps).

Do you know what the 10 in C, the 1 in U, and 300x mean on this card?

On mysku.ru, Vladimir Veretennikov (user Waldemarik) in a review of the MicroSD card (http://mysku.ru/blog/ebay/29690.html) wrote a whole treatise on memory card standards and notations. I took the liberty of dragging out the entire theoretical part from this review.

A little about the Secure Digital format standards:

— SD 1.0 is the very first standard, created in 1999 by SanDisk, Toshiba and Panasonic, as a direct competitor to another Memory Stick standard. This standard, in theory, implied storage capacities from 8 MB to 2 GB. File system FAT16.
— SD 1.1 is a further refinement of the standard, adopted in 2003. Among the features are an increase in capacity to 4 GB and a twofold increase in speed. File system FAT16/FAT32.
- SD 2.0 (SDHC, Secure Digital High Capacity, high capacity) - was created in 2006 to remove some of the limitations of old standards, in particular the insufficient capacity of drives. Thanks to this specification, the 4 GB limit has been removed and speed classes have been added (Class Speed ​​Rating). It is now possible to create cards with capacities from 4 to 32 GB. The changes also affected the addressing scheme and the use of the FAT32 file system.
- SD 3.0 (SDXC, Secure Digital eXtended Capacity, extended capacity) - adopted in 2009, the maximum capacity was increased to 2 TB (capacity ranges from 64 GB to 2 TB), speed class 10 was added. The updated version of this standard SD 3.01 introduces an updated data exchange protocol (UHS-I), the data exchange speed over the interface is up to 104 MB/s. File system exFAT.
- SD 4.0 (SDXC) - appeared in 2011. According to the specification, a new data exchange protocol (UHS-II) has been introduced, and a number of new contacts have been added on the cards. Data exchange speed via the interface is up to 312 MB/s. File system exFAT.

Compatibility of cards and devices of different standards:

As we can see, older SD cards are supported on all devices, the speed is limited by the speed of the card. But if you insert an SDHC or SDXC card into a device designed only for SD cards (old photo/video equipment), the device simply will not see it. All standards have only direct compatibility (support for old formats), which is why my popular SDHC card reader Kingston MCR-MRG2 (previously included with all Kingston microSDHC cards) does not see the SDXC card (second line in the photo, SDHC devices see only SD and SDHC cards). There is only one conclusion, if the smartphone/telephone/tablet/player/photo/video camera, etc. do not have SD 3.0 support, not worth buying for them SDXC cards. Devices simply won’t see them!!! And vice versa, even in newest device With SD 3.0 support, you can insert and use old cards without any problems, but there will be speed restrictions.

A small plate of microSD card speed classes (meaning the minimum writing speed):

SD Class 2 - write speed of at least 2 MB/s
SD Class 4 - write speed of at least 4 MB/s
SD Class 6 - write speed of at least 6 MB/s
SD Class 10 - write speed of at least 10 MBs
SD Class 16 - write speed of at least 16 MB/s
UHS Speed ​​Class 1 (U1) - recording speed of at least 10 MB/s, theoretical ceiling - 104 MB/s, the speed can be any (updated data exchange protocol)
UHS Speed ​​Class 3 (U3) - write speed of at least 30 MB/s (updated data exchange protocol)

Note: UHS Speed ​​Class only applies to devices that support the UHS-I interface.

Manufacturers often indicate the speed rating as a multiplier, such as 13x, 40x, 300x, etc. How can this multiplier be converted into understandable MB/s? You just need to multiply by 150, i.e. 1x = 150 KB/s = 0.15 MB/s. As a result, we have 100x=0.15*100=15 MB/s, 300x=0.15*300=45 MB/s. For those who are too lazy to calculate, here are the most popular speed ratings:

13x - 2 MB/s
26x - 4 MB/s
40x - 6 MB/s
66x - 9 MB/s
100x - 15 MB/s
106x - 16 MBs
133x - 20 MB/s
150x - 22 MB/s
200x - 30 MB/s
266x - 40 MB/s
300x - 45 MB/s
400x - 60 MB/s
600x - 90 MB/s

Note: these multipliers are indirectly related to the speed class. Often, manufacturers mark the card's read speed in this way, but the write speed can be several times lower. Always look at the speed class first, and then at the rating (multiplier).

Since our card supports the UHS-I protocol, let’s try to figure out what it is (something with Wiki):
Data bus interfaces (protocols):

UHS (Ultra High Speed) bus is a high-speed data exchange protocol introduced in version 3 of the standard. The specification requires UHS cards and controllers to be backward compatible with earlier Normal Speed ​​and High Speed ​​interfaces.
The UHS-I interface (protocol) is defined in the technical description of version 3.01. Data exchange speed via the interface is 50 MB/s or 104 MB/s. Standard pins are used, but some pin assignments are redefined to accommodate 4-bit communication.
The UHS-II interface (protocol) is defined in the technical description of version 4.00. Transfer speed - 156 MB/s or 312 MB/s. Cards of this standard contain two rows of contacts - 17 for a regular card and 16 for microSD; a 4-bit exchange mode is used.
Depending on the conductor architecture, the maximum speed over the UHS-I interface may vary. The standard allows two options: up to 50 MB/s (SDR50, DDR50) and up to 104 MB/s (SDR104). The architecture is usually indicated on the blister (packaging) of the card. In our case, this is SDR50 mode interfase, i.e. transfer speed up to 50 MB/s:

There are devices that support the UHS-I protocol, therefore, in them, a UHS-I standard card will reveal all its capabilities, including in this case speed (the protocol allows data exchange speeds of up to 104 MB/s). There are also legacy devices that do not know about the UHS-I protocol (created, for example, for the second or third version of the SD 2.0 or SD 3.0 standard), so there will be some speed restrictions. A familiar situation, a high-speed UHS-I card and a cheap card reader that does not support the UHS-I protocol. The latter will greatly limit the speed, operating in High Speed ​​mode (up to 20-25 MB/s), although the card is capable of more (see photos of the modes above). More in clear language, it's like USB 2.0/3.0 standards. That is, if the flash drive worked at the limit of its capabilities of 8 MB/s on the second version, then by connecting it to the third, we will not get an increase in speed (well, insignificant). So it is here (figuratively, for comparison). This is just a “startup” for the future, because 4K and 8K are just around the corner, and at today’s speeds, you need to wait a long time to transfer such a film to the card. As they say, if your card is “sharpened” under new specification, then zer gud!

A small plate according to SD standards:

If the above is still not understood, then this is the same thing in simple words(it’s impossible to figure this out without a bottle :-):
There are regular cards, and there are cards that support the UHS-I protocol (Roman numeral 1). And there are devices with or without support for the UHS-I protocol. If some element is not supported, there will be restrictions.

Here is an example - a comparison of two identical microSDHC cards, but the latter has support for the UHS-I protocol (SD 3.01 standard):

IN fast cards readers with UHS-I support, the first card will be limited to Normal Speed ​​or High Speed ​​modes.

Another example of a Lexar 64 GB microSDXC card (the situation is similar):

A little about marking cards.

Because common standards There is no marking; all manufacturers designate their cards differently. The most correct labeling of cards is the one that indicates the speeds for devices that support UHS-I and for regular ones. The speed for devices supporting UHS-I is indicated by the number 1 or 3 in the letter U. The speed for conventional devices is indicated by the number inside the letter C. Additional parameters are often indicated, in the form of a read speed of 300x-500x or a speed of Up to 45 MB/s.

Example of markings:

Toshiba microSDXC card (information content 3 out of 5). As you can see, the speed class is indicated only for conventional devices (number 10 inside the letter C), i.e. speed in conventional devices is not lower than 10 MB/s. Since the card supports UHS-I (Roman numeral 1), it lacks the speed class when connecting via the UHS-I interface (number 1 inside the letter U). It is not clear what the minimum recording speed is in UHS-I mode. The actual recording speed is also unknown. But there is additional information on read speed, not higher than 30 MB/s.

Next is the Samsung microSDXC card (information content 2 out of 5). As you can see, both speed class designations and the UHS-I specification icon (Roman numeral 1) are present, but there is no additional information about read speed. In devices that support UHS-I, it can vary widely, up to 104 MB/s. Here we only have a minimum write speed in any device (with/without UHS-I support) of at least 10 MB/s. The actual recording speed is unknown. Perhaps the reading speed is indicated on the packaging (blister).

More informative microSDXC Lexar (information content 3 out of 5). Both speed class designations and the UHS-I specification icon are present. As planned, 300x should mean write speed, which corresponds to 45 MB/s. Is this the real recording speed? Unfortunately no. The manufacturer is cheating again (*Up to 45MB/s read transfer, write speeds lower. Speeds based on internal testing. x=150KB/s), the “loud” numbers of 300x do not give anything, the write speed is unknown. Here 300x again means reading speed. The actual recording speed cannot be determined from the packaging.

Another microSDXC Transcend card (information content 3 out of 5). Both speed class designations and the UHS-I specification icon are present, as well as a read speed of 300x, which corresponds to 45 MB/s. Again, nothing is known about the actual write speed except that it is at least 10 MB/s.

And finally, the legendary microSDXC SanDisk (information content 3 out of 5). There is no speed class for conventional devices (the number 10 inside the letter C), although it is present on the packaging. There is also no speed rating, although the packaging shows Up to 45 MB/s (300x), in tests it shows about 45/80 MB/s for writing/reading and the price is around 3.5 kilo rubles:-(, but in a store with there is no way to know about this from the packaging.

Total: why didn’t one card receive 5 points for information content? Because manufacturers are cunning and almost always indicate the read speed (Up to 45-60 MB/s or 300x). In most cases, the write speed is important, it is the bottleneck, and it is indicated by a class that gives almost nothing (almost all cards provide a write speed of 10 MB/s). When buying in a store, you can easily run out of money and buy a regular budget card with a write speed of 10-12 MB/s (two cards with class U1 can have different speed writes from 12 MB/s to 45 MB/s). One of the main guidelines is price. Therefore, there is only one conclusion: the information on the map/packaging does not indicate anything about the travel information and before purchasing it is better to look at speed tests on the Internet!
Before reading this text, I only knew about notation classes (a number inside the letter C) and something vague about speeds with an "x" at the end. :)

In my opinion, a very useful holiday reading. :)

Our modern life in all areas connected with technology - cameras, smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

Thirty or forty years ago, no one would have dreamed of creating smart hair dryers, window washers, etc., but we now have this too!

With this abundance of available information, there is a reasonable need for a device, compact and convenient, that would help store all this information.

It is for these purposes that memory cards were developed.

Trend towards minimal size and weight electronic devices, along with an increase in their functionality, did not pass by memory cards.

Following the requirements of the present time, they also became more spacious in volume and more compact in size.

A modern miracle of technology is literally a few millimeters of plastic with enormous information storage capabilities. Our article is about them.

If you have a phone or tablet, you like to watch TV shows, download music, download funny and beautiful photos from the Internet - and maybe all together - then the question of how you can increase the built-in memory of your device will be especially interesting to you.

Believe me, sooner or later any native memory of even a very expensive smartphone will run out - and flash memory cards will be an excellent addition to increase the memory of your phone.

Just as there are different manufacturers, companies and classes of manufacturers, memory cards also differ among themselves. We will try to look at their main types, the differences between them and their functionality. And for those who read the article to the end - a pleasant surprise - a review of the five most popular and high-quality microSD cards different manufacturers.

Types of memory cards

Memory cards, like any other device, have gone through their own evolutionary path:

Currently, removable storage media are becoming increasingly popular - in terms of memory capacity they are in no way inferior, but they attract equipment manufacturers with their compact size.

Accordingly, an increasing number of equipment manufacturers are producing phones, tablets, cameras and other portable equipment with support for memory cards in the micro-SD format.

If you have a camera, camera or old model that supports SD cards - Now it’s not a problem to use micro-SD with them too, but using a special adapter.

How it looks, look at the photo:

When using a micro-SD card, it is inserted into the adapter - and you can use it as a full-fledged SD card:

The adapter will also help you transfer data from your phone's micro-SD card to your computer.

In addition, if you do not use micro-SD, it is convenient to store it inside the adapter so as not to lose or damage it due to small sizes.

Differences between cards depending on memory size:

If ten years ago you could boast of 128 MB of volume, now consumer demands have increased significantly. Cards of different sizes are available in the market. Naturally, the higher the number, the higher the price. I would also like to mention that a memory card with a large capacity, especially a high-quality one, cannot be cheap. for a 32GB memory card from a well-known manufacturer, the market price is from $15, respectively, a larger volume is more expensive. And buy a memory card famous manufacturers safer and more profitable - if only because they are covered by a guarantee.

How to choose a memory card

Pay attention e when purchasing using information printed on the front of the card itself.

Usually this is enough to have general idea about it, as well as distinguish counterfeit from the original.

The main indicators are speed class, device compatibility class and support for the UHS-I interface - their location can be seen in the diagrams above.

In the table for your attention how to decipher the icons on the front side of memory cards:

microSD formats

The main advantage of MicroSD and MicroSDXC cards is their higher capacity and writing speed, and they require separate compatibility than MicroSD cards.

That is, a device that reads MicroSD may not read MicroSDHC and MicroSDXC at the same time.

Flash drive classes

The quality of memory and data processing speed depend on the class of the memory card.

Let us clarify that each card has two speed indicators - data reading speed and data writing speed; and, if you need a MicroSD card for a video camera or, the data recording speed will be of great importance - otherwise the video quality may deteriorate or photos may disappear during high-speed shooting.

The class of the memory card is usually indicated by the sign C

It is usually customary to talk about the existence of 4 types of cards

• 2: write at 2MB/s;
• 4: 4 MB/s;
• 6: 6 MB/s;
• 10: 10 MB/s.

For high-quality video recording, cards with the abbreviation UHS were invented. Their class is indicated by the symbol U.

• UHS Speed ​​Class 1: min. speed 10 MB/sec.
• UHS Speed ​​Class 3: min. speed 30 MB/sec.

Decide which card is right for you

It's pretty simple if you consider your basic needs:

• 2-4 classes will be enough to listen to the playlist, watch videos in average quality high resolution;
• 6th or 10th grade will be needed if you use devices that support HD and Full HD format;
• UHS is the top option - if you have a device with HD and Full HD recording formats, then this format is for you, as it provides high recording speed.

What problems may be associated with wrong choice memory cards:

• slow playback and recording of video on the device;
• long-term file storage;
• inability to watch video in high definition HD and Full HD (or very slow playback);
• limited use of applications on the device: they either cannot load due to lack of memory, or may play slowly. This is especially true for games with high graphics - crashes and failures are possible.
• when shooting a series of photographs on high speed If you select a memory card with a low write speed, some photos may be damaged or lost. This also applies to recording in high resolution - some parts of the video may be rejected.

Additional nuances

Again, everything is tailored to your needs.

If you are a reporter, a traveler, or just someone who likes to take pictures outdoors in conditions that are not very suitable for this, you will be interested in the option of a memory card with moisture protection and heat-resistant functions. Such cards will be guaranteed against falling into water, temperature changes, and bad weather in the form of snow and rain.

If you are an athlete or like to shoot on the move, there are memory cards that are resistant to damage when dropped - they are designed to be used in extreme conditions.

Rarer models can even take into account protection against x-rays, vibration and magnetic waves.

If you work in mass marketing, some large manufacturing companies have a service - printing an image of your choice onto memory cards.

Before purchasing, it is important for you to make sure that your device supports memory cards of this format - if in doubt, it is better to take the device with you when purchasing and consult with a specialist.

For example, UHS format cards are designed for high-end flagship devices that support the function - and may not be compatible with low-end devices. The road itself is not always the best in every sense.

If you buy online, each large company There is an online support service.

Quality

There are companies that have made a worldwide name for themselves and produce removable memory media. These are Samsung, Lexar, etc.

It is important to be aware that when buying a cheap card from an unknown manufacturer, you are taking a risk rather than spending your money wisely.

Naturally, a quality product, especially with warranty period, can't be cheap.

And what becomes especially offensive is not so much the money spent, but the lost data, which is then difficult, and sometimes impossible, to recover.

In addition to greater reliability and safety of your data, with a branded card you will receive high speed and a guarantee (in some cases even lifetime).

Fakes

No one is currently safe from purchasing counterfeit products. It's not so much a matter of the seller's fame and the store's guarantee - they usually counterfeit removable media and now the market is filled with them. If we analyze the market and check the sold memory cards, it is established that up to a third of them were fake.

In the photo above, you can even guess without a signature which of the cards was original and which was a crude fake.

But now the catch is that pirate companies have learned to make quite beautiful fakes that are indistinguishable from the original.

How can you tell if it's a fake flash card?

• it is sold at a significantly lower price. Those. We are not talking about normal market price regulation or various promotions when it is at a discount - it is simply sold at a price 2-3 times lower than the same card, for example, in the official store of this brand. This should be alarming.
• Look carefully at the front side of the card, at the quality of the markings and printing of the package. Everything should be clear and beautiful, the colors should be bright, and the company name should not be distorted.
• There are special programs for checking the originality of a memory card - H2testw for Windows and F3 for MacOS and. But in this case, you must purchase it first.

Bonus for readers - top MicroSD 2018

This is the top choice of many consumers, which cards they considered the highest quality and best, assessed by sales volumes.

Kingston microSDXC Class

Samsung microSDXC Evo Plus 64GB

Transcend microSDHC Class 10 32GB

Kingston microSDHC Class 10 U3 UHS-I

SmartBuy microSDHC Class 10

Sandisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS Class 3

If you are a professional photographer and use a camera as a means of earning money, your camera's memory card should work flawlessly.

A 15-20 megabit record could be filled in 7-10 photos and that would be the end of it. Sandisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS Class 3 will help solve this complexity.

Information can be written to it at lightning speed, approximately 90-95 megabits per second.

Over the past twenty years, the file media market has undergone enormous changes, culminating in the inevitable increase in memory capacity. Not so long ago, data storage devices of 128 and 512 megabytes seemed to be the height of evolution, but now they are out of use. Due to the sharp increase in the flow of information, the world began to need much more stable and voluminous memory cards while maintaining the same proportions, standards and dimensions. This is how media appeared that made it possible to record up to 512 gigabytes of data. Such a sharp step forward significantly influenced the development of technology, which, in turn, led to the emergence of memory cards of new interfaces and formats: for example, MicroSD, SDXC, SDHC, Compact Flash, etc.

Selecting file media is a separate task that requires the buyer to have knowledge of the segment and basic technical parameters, such as data transfer/reception speed and support for various standards. As a purchase recommendation, we have compiled for you the 15 best memory cards, divided into four main categories. The following criteria were adopted to compile the rating:

• popularity of the manufacturing company among consumers;
• reliability of the drive, terms of full operation;
• correspondence of cost to product quality parameters;
• technical characteristics of the card (data exchange speed, supported standards, memory capacity, etc.).

Popular memory card manufacturers

Transcend. A famous Taiwanese company founded in 1988. Differs in a wide range of manufactured products (from modules random access memory to miniature storage devices) and a limited lifetime warranty on products purchased from authorized representatives and online retailers.

SanDisk. An American brand, which was founded in the same 1988. At the moment, SanDisk products occupy a third of the media market, and the main direction of development of the company 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 also room for a department for the development of memory modules, distinguished by proprietary quality and high cost.

Sony. An eternal competitor of Samsung, which has relied on the production of memory cards for cameras and video cameras. 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 capacity, etc.)

Kingston. Another representative of the “elite” among file media manufacturers, whose work began in 1997. It occupies a leading position in terms of the market volume of DRAM modules, second in the supply of flash memory and flash cards, and first in the sale of USB drives.

ADATA. The youngest memory module manufacturing company, founded in 2001 in Taiwan. It positions itself as a rapidly developing company with cutting-edge developments... and confirms this with excellent sales figures in all leading segments with a decent share of the developed market.

The best microSDHC memory cards

If your smartphone runs Android, it probably has a microSD memory card installed. The microSDHC format, in turn, is a “subtype” of microSD cards. Externally, it is impossible to distinguish microSD from microSDHC. They have the same dimensions, and devices with microSD support work equally well with microSDHC.

The reason for the appearance of microSDHC is simple: many years ago, during the creation of the microSD format, no one seriously thought about the fact 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, a new standard appeared. SDHC cards have a so-called "classes". Those. if the card says “SDHC Class 10”, it means the read speed is 10 MB/sec.

5 SmartBuy microSDHC Class 10

The lowest price
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 530 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.3

A model for those who are willing to sacrifice stability in favor of a low price. SmartBuy microSDHC is a memory card designed primarily for use with video recorders, smartphones and tablets, rather than with special filming equipment using the included adapter. It offers consumers a wide range of memory capacities – from 4 to 32 gigabytes – and has a standard nominal data transfer/reception speed (up to 10 MB/s).

It is worth noting that the narrow specialization of SmartBuy microSDHC is due to one simple fact: the safety of files with a large number of rewrite cycles is not guaranteed. And if for ordinary users data loss is not always an issue big problem, then for photographers, for example, the loss of frames from a shooting can result in a serious blow to their reputation.

4 SanDisk Ultra microSDHC Class 10 UHS-I

Best card for data transfer speed
Country: China
Average price: 594 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.3

Increasingly, smartphone displays have a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. This high resolution is due to the popularity of HD video. If you want to watch the video in high quality, or you often have to download a lot of photos and videos to your PC, then SanDisk Ultra microSDHC is exactly the solution you can’t do without.

Main characteristics of the memory card:

• Built-in memory capacity: 32 GB. This storage is enough for several hours of video in FullHD format.
• The card is assigned data transfer speed class 10. The device transmits data at 48 Mb/s
• IN standard There is an SD adapter for quick connection to a PC or camera on full-size Secure Digital cards.

3 Samsung microSDHC EVO Plus

High degree of reliability. Perfect option for professional needs
Country: South Korea
Average price: 830 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.7

Samsung's pricing policy in the storage segment has always been characterized by loyalty to consumers, which is once again proven by the example of Samsung microSDHC EVO Plus. The 32-gigabyte micro-card costs almost less than all its competitive analogues, but offers owners much more than standard data processing measures.

Reading files from the media is performed at a speed of 95 MB/s, which is almost the most optimal result in the class (if not for the eternal rivals in the person of experimenters from Sony). Alas, the transfer speed was unable to support the bold impulse - only 20 Mb/s at the most favorable conditions. However, the card is not lacking in reliability. It can be used as an addition to DVRs, phones and tablets, but the potential of Samsung microSDHC EVO Plus can become an addition to much more professional equipment.

2 Kingston SDC4/8GB

The best solution for a budget smartphone
A country: USA (manufactured in China)
Average price: 316 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.7

Cards with high data transfer rates are not justified in all cases. If your phone does not shoot video in full resolution, or if you use a memory card exclusively for music and for storing books, then a card with data transfer class 4 will be enough. A prominent representative of budget cards is Kingston SDC4. For less than $4, the user gets 8 GB of storage from a renowned manufacturer.

Advantages and disadvantages of the card:

• The volume of built-in memory is 8 GB. This volume is quite enough for 1000 music tracks in 320 kb/s quality, or for 8000 high-resolution photographs
• The kit includes an adapter for a full-size SD card
• The disadvantage is the “Class 4” data transfer speed. This card is not suitable for shooting FullHD video.

• When choosing a card, be guided by the tasks you encounter most often. Cards with high read/write speeds are more suitable for video, while low speeds are sufficient 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 writes in the technical description does not always correspond to actual use experience.
• Take measurements using special programs right before purchasing. Defects are not excluded even from reputable manufacturers. And so, you can have a complete idea of ​​how high-quality the card is in your hands.
• Do not buy overly cheap cards from Chinese online stores. Instead of buying a 128 GB card, you run the risk of buying a cheap fake 8 GB card that does not have a write limiter. This means that when you load 128 GB files onto such a card, you will get 16 rewrite cycles per 8 GB. (This recording principle is similar to the working mechanism of a car DVR)

1 Transcend TS*USDHC10

The best card in terms of price-quality ratio
Country: China (Taiwan)
Average price: 906 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.8

If you need a plug-and-forget memory card, the Transcend TS*USDHC10 is optimal solution. Its cost is 40% higher than that of Kingston SDC4, but we get a card with a “margin of safety”. It has a high data transfer speed and will definitely not become obsolete in the coming years.

Card Features:

• UHS standard support: data transfer speed increased to 20 Mb/s
• Speed ​​class Class 10: writing to the card reaches 10 MB/sec
• Supplied with adapter
• Disadvantage: Users complain about the low number of write cycles. On average, malfunctions occur every year. At the same time, the card displays data even after failure, allowing you to make a backup copy

The best microSDXC memory cards

today even inexpensive smartphones They shoot video in 1080x1920 resolution. “Flagships” can produce video in 4K (that is, with a frame width of more than 4 thousand pixels). This kind of video is convenient to edit due to the good clarity of the frame, but it is extremely inconvenient to store. After all, in just a few minutes your smartphone can shoot a 3-4 GB video. Here another problem arises - to shoot such a video you need a memory card with high write/read speed. Otherwise, remove best moments in reality it simply won't work. Secure Digital XC cards are designed to solve two problems that the SDHC standard can no longer handle:

1. Updated file system made it possible to create cards up to 2 terabytes in size
2. The data transfer speed reaches 300 MB/sec and allows you to shoot/play video in high resolution.

If you plan to actively use your smartphone's storage and work with high-resolution videos and photos, then the Digital XC card is exactly what you need. And our rating will help you determine the best representatives of this category.

5 Leef microSDXC Class 10

Memory capacities up to 128 GB
Country: USA (Russia)
Average price: RUB 2,206.
Rating (2018): 4.3

The product developed by domestic masters cannot be classified as a top product - it has too little popularity and free information from users. Leef microSDXC is a strong middle peasant of the market, pampering owners with balanced technical characteristics and annoying with irreversible and incorrigible bugs.

The write and read speeds (peak) are 24 and 42 MB/s, respectively, which is an excellent result for volumes ranging from 64 to 128 gigabytes and the absence of any support for additional formats (UHS). The disadvantage is associated with the unpredictable stability of the memory card. There are often 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 had arisen. Leef microSDXC is a suitable model, but with a large limitation of applicability.

4 Kingston SDCA10/64GB

Best card for read/write speed
Country: China (Taiwan)
Average price: 2,320 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.3

Kingston once again demonstrates that nothing is impossible. In its new SDCA10 card, the manufacturer managed to achieve record data writing/reading speeds. Reading speed is 10 MB/s higher than Samsung. This makes the SDCA10 one of the fastest cards in the segment.

Features of SDCA10:

• Possible volume 16/32/64 GB
• Data upload speed – 90 MB/sec, recording speed – 45 MB/sec.
• Low heat even with 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

When the choice is made in favor of reliability
Country: South Korea
Average price: 6,477 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.5

Samsung has enough great experience creating data storage devices. The company's products include full-size hard drives and ultra-compact drives. EVO Plus belongs to such devices. The bright, white and red card boasts a record capacity (up to 128 GB), high read/write speed, and a good “safety margin”.

Card Features:

• Stylish design. Compared to the gray and black cards, Samsung's bright red device looks much more attractive. Plus, this card is hard to lose. It stands out among the things in your wallet/pocket/bag.
• Optimal data transfer speed. Today, read/write speeds of 80/20 MB/sec are more than enough.
• Supports UHS Class 1 standard.
• Reliability. Users note that the card meets the stated parameters, withstands long recording 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: RUB 2,414.
Rating (2018): 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 compliance with the SDA 3.0 specification allows you to achieve a read speed of 50 MB/sec.
• Even though the card is a new SDXC card, its price is in line with older SDHC cards
• The recording speed is relatively low, 10 MB/sec.

1 SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Class 10

Good choice for professional equipment
Country: USA
Average price: 2,990 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.9

One of the few optimized memory cards on modern market, not experiencing serious problems with the operational part. Backed by a lifetime warranty, it offers users a decent set of technical features based on the ability to store large amounts of information (up to 128 gigabytes) and 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 if constant readiness for processing large volumes of information is required (working with photos and videos, cyclic recording of a DVR camera, etc.). Against the background of such results, the issue of cost is very secondary.

The 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 modern market.

Due to the high transfer speed, such memory cards are aimed primarily at photographic equipment. When we shoot a video, it is automatically downloaded to a temporary memory buffer. When using cards with low transfer speeds, the buffer overflows and the video recording is interrupted. In the case of CF cards, buffer overflow is almost impossible, since the transfer speed is one of the highest.

However, Compact Flash cards, despite their name, cannot be called “compact”. These are the most large cards from those on the market. But, given that they are used in professional large-sized photographic equipment, this drawback cannot be called obvious. Our rating includes the best Compact Flash cards that are ideal for a modern camera.

2 Transcend TS32GCF133

Best price for 32 GB
Country: China
Average price: 1,860 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.4

Many professional photographers and camera operators essentially empty their internal storage after each photo/video shoot. Therefore, it does not always make sense to buy a high-capacity card. If you are not used to storing a photo archive on a device, or use several cards at once, then the Transcend TS32GCF133 with a capacity of 32 GB will be a profitable and practical purchase.

Main characteristics:

• Read speed – 20 MB/sec, write speed – 10 MB/sec
• Suitable for high-resolution burst shooting with a professional camera
• Not suitable for shooting 4K video.

1 SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash 160MB/s

The best data transfer rates at a low price
Country: China
Average price: 4,190 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.8

Memory cards for modern photo/video equipment require high speed information exchange. SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash boasts a read speed of 160 MB/sec. At the same time, the recording speed does not lag significantly behind and is 140 MB/sec. The card is equipped with an accelerator for video processing, and is optimized specifically for professional video equipment.

Card Features:

• VPG-65 standard support. The card is ideal for recording 4K video by meeting the required bandwidth exceeding the threshold of 65 MB/sec.
• Availability of modifications with memory capacity from 16 to 256 GB.
• Support for udma 6 interface for connecting to a PC as a SATA drive.
• Manufacturer's warranty - 30 years (exclusively for countries that support a lifetime warranty).

The best Secure Digital HC memory cards

The difference between a Secure Digital HC format card and similar microversions lies not only in overall dimensions, but also in application. Leaving aside 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 decline in the popularity of this type of card due to the presence of corresponding adapters in micro-analogs. They are less reliable, but add versatility than the full-size Secure Digital HC, which, alas, cannot boast of.

3 Sony SF-G32

Best data transfer speed (300 Mb/s)
Country: Japan
Average price: 5,490 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.7

Sony's remarkable love for experimenting with its own products sometimes produces stunning results. In the memory card segment a clear example This was the Sony SF-G32 model, which crowned the genius of the Japanese company with the highest data processing speeds.

It is obvious that the SF-G32 was created primarily for photo and video professionals. The standard (and to some extent modest) 32 gigabytes of memory were complemented by colossal file writing/reading speeds - 300 MB/s at peak. At the same time, the model showed enviable stability and only in very rare cases (as evidenced by the comments) “let down” the user. The fact of cost prevented Sony SF-G32 from gaining a foothold in the top sales list - consumers were not willing to pay such a high price (even taking into account the obvious advantages), which is why the model began to gradually leave store shelves.

2 SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC

Reliable storage medium. Balanced characteristics
Country: USA
Average price: RUB 1,353.
Rating (2018): 4.8

Although not very popular among domestic buyers, SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC is one of the most reliable memory cards with an optimal (but, by and large, standard) set of technical characteristics. Available only in 32 gigabytes, this model has good file writing/reading speeds - 95 and 90 MB/s, respectively. There is support for the UHS standard at speed class 3, thanks to which the card can work with “older” models of video and photo cameras.

As users note, SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC noticeably speeds up burst and 4K shooting, which is due to the presence of a small speed reserve in the card (the data writing speed sometimes goes beyond 100 MB/s). It is unknown how detrimentally this “loading” affects the working resource of the mini-module, but the presence of such an opportunity is an asset to the model.

1 Transcend TS*SDHC10

The most popular memory module. Profitable price
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 703 rub.
Rating (2018): 4.9

One of the most popular SDHC drives, loved by users for the quality of its functions and the duration of its impeccable service. Despite the fact that a decent number of years have passed since the series was released, these cards continue to be actively used by photo and video enthusiasts. Of course, the memory volumes for the new modes (Ultra HD and 4K) have already moved into the category of “modest”: 32 gigabytes will not surprise anyone for a long time. However, data transfer parameters still remain at the optimum level, which is achieved thanks to the 10th (maximum) speed class.

What speaks most eloquently about consumer opinion is the almost complete absence of negative reviews. Transcend TS*SDHC10 is a card that has been proven over the years, and largely due to its enormous credibility, it is still not forgotten and remains among the best drives in its segment.