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MicroSD Card Manufacturers, Features, and Benefits

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This article explores the world of MicroSD cards, highlighting the best manufacturers, key features, and the overall benefits of using these tiny storage powerhouses.

What is a MicroSD Card? - An Introduction

Memory cards are indispensable for expanding the storage capacity of mobile phones, cameras, and tablets. They come in three primary sizes: full-size SD, miniSD, and the ever-popular microSD.

These cards are further classified based on their storage capacity and technology:

  • SD (Standard Capacity): Supports up to 2 GB of data.
  • SDHC (High Capacity): Handles storage from 4 GB to 32 GB.
  • SDXC (Extended Capacity): Designed for larger storage, ranging from 32 GB to 2 TB, although currently, sizes up to 400 GB are more readily available.

The speed of a memory card is indicated by its class:

  • Class 2 (@ 2 MB/s)
  • Class 4 (@ 4 MB/s)
  • Class 6 (@ 6 MB/s)
  • Class 10 (@ 10 MB/s)
  • UHS-1 (@ 15 MB/s)
  • UHS-3 (@ 30 MB/s)

(UHS stands for Ultra High Speed.)

MicroSD Card

Figure 1: SanDisk MicroSD cards in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities (prices as of May 2018). SanDisk offers MicroSD cards up to 400 GB, with transfer speeds of up to 98 Mb/s or 100 MB/s.

Best MicroSD Card Manufacturers

Here’s a rundown of some of the top MicroSD card manufacturers and their offerings:

ManufacturersDescription
SanDiskOffers MicroSD cards in various sizes, including 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 200GB, and 400GB. These cards are designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25 to 85 degrees Celsius.
SamsungProvides MicroSD cards in a range of capacities, such as 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256 GB. A Samsung 32 GB card supports the UHS-1 interface, offering read speeds of up to 80MB/s and write speeds of up to 20 MB/s. It also features protection against X-ray damage.
Strontium Technology Pte LtdThe company offers memory cards from 2GB to 128 GB sizes using various techologies. Latest Nitro Plus Micro SD Cards are available in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB sizes with read speed of 95 MB/s and write speed of 65 MB/s. Video speeds are supported as per C10 and U3 specifications.
PanasonicOffers micro SDXC cards specifically designed for cameras in sizes like 32 GB and 64 GB. These cards are built for reliable 4K video recording. They boast UHS-3/Class 10 performance, with read speeds reaching up to 95 MB/s and write speeds of up to 90 MB/s.
KingstonMemory cards from Kingston are available in capacities of 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB. They support Class 10 UHS-I speeds, providing read speeds of around 45MB/s and write speeds of approximately 10MB/s. These cards are also resistant to temperature variations, shock/vibration, and X-rays.

Advantages of MicroSD Cards

MicroSD cards offer a multitude of benefits:

  • Portability and Storage: They enable the storage of large amounts of data on portable devices like smartphones, cameras, and tablets.
  • Multimedia Support: They facilitate real-time video capture, photo storage, and more.
  • Durability: Many are temperature-proof, shockproof, and waterproof, ensuring data integrity in various conditions.
  • Security: The X-ray-proof nature of many cards protects data at airports and other transit locations.
  • Performance: High-capacity MicroSD cards allow for faster application loading.
  • Lightweight: They are incredibly light, typically weighing around 10 grams.
  • Affordability: MicroSD cards are relatively inexpensive, making them accessible to a wide range of users.