Memory cards

How to choose a memory card

A slow card cuts off 4K recording, a small one fills up on day one of the trip, and the wrong format will not fit the slot. Check the manual for the supported type and size, then decide on five points.

• Format. microSD goes into phones, drones, action cameras, dash cams and the Switch; full-size SD is for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. A microSD works in an SD slot via an adapter, not the other way round. CFexpress is a professional camera format.
• Capacity. 64 GB holds about 2.5 hours of 4K/30 video; 128–256 GB is the sweet spot for a phone or drone; 512 GB – 1 TB is worth it for 4K/60. Our range runs from 8 GB to 2 TB.
• Speed class. Class 10 / U1 is enough for photos and Full HD. 4K needs U3 or V30, meaning sustained writes of at least 30 MB/s. V60 and V90 are for 8K and RAW video; most of our shelf is UHS-I V30 cards (100–200 MB/s read), plenty for 4K. microSD Express reaches 880 MB/s but needs an Express slot.
• App class A1/A2. If apps on a phone run from the card, look for the A1 or A2 mark — it rates random access, not video speed.
• Endurance. A dash cam or security camera overwrites in a loop around the clock — pick a High Endurance or Surveillance series.

Memory cards in our range

Most of the shelf is microSDXC cards from 32 GB to 1 TB: SanDisk Ultra (A1, up to 150 MB/s) and Extreme (V30), Samsung T7 and PRO, Kingston Canvas Select Plus and Canvas Go! Plus (200 MB/s), Lexar Play, ADATA. For cameras there are SDHC/SDXC cards from 32 GB to 2 TB: SanDisk Extreme PRO and Ultra, Kingston Canvas Select Plus Gen3, Verbatim. New-generation microSD Express (SanDisk 128 GB for the Nintendo Switch 2, Samsung Express 256 and 512 GB) writes at NVMe speeds. For dash cams and CCTV there are endurance cards Samsung PRO Endurance, Kingston High Endurance and Axis Surveillance, plus special formats: SanDisk CompactFlash and Transcend JetDrive Lite for a MacBook's SD slot. Filter by type, capacity, UHS and video class.

Brands

SanDisk is the photographers' default: Extreme and Extreme PRO shrug off water, cold and X-rays. Samsung cards are fast at random access, and PRO Endurance is built for non-stop recording. Kingston Canvas balances price and speed well. Lexar offers 512 GB and 1 TB cards at a sensible price. ADATA, Intenso and MediaRange are the budget end: 16–256 GB Class 10 cards with an SD adapter. Transcend JetDrive expands MacBook storage, Axis makes cards for surveillance cameras.

Which card for which device

Phone: microSD 128–256 GB, A1/A2. Drone (DJI Mini, Air, Avata): microSD V30 of 64–256 GB from the maker's recommended list. GoPro: V30 only and at least 64 GB, or the camera throws an error. DSLR and mirrorless: SDXC V30 (SanDisk Extreme, Extreme PRO). Nintendo Switch: the first Switch takes microSDXC UHS-I, the Switch 2 only microSD Express. Dash cam: High Endurance 64–128 GB.

Related products

If your laptop has no card slot, a card reader helps. For carrying files, see USB flash drives; the devices the card goes into are under drones and dash cams. The full range is in memory and storage.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between U3 and V30? In practice nothing — both guarantee writes of at least 30 MB/s; most cards carry both marks.

Will a 1 TB microSD work in my phone or drone? An SDXC-capable device formally reads up to 2 TB, but check the manual for the maximum supported size.

Which card do I need for 4K video? At least U3/V30 and 64 GB. An hour of 4K/30 takes 20–30 GB, 4K/60 close to 60 GB; 128–256 GB covers a shooting day.

Why is my card slower than promised? The box quotes read speed; writing is about half that, and a USB 2.0 card reader caps it at 20–30 MB/s.

How fast is delivery? To an Omniva, DPD or Venipak locker in 1–2 working days anywhere in Estonia.