Card classifications like V30 or U3 are just categorizations of these speeds. There are three main classes: Speed Class (denoted with a number in a circle), UHS Speed Class (a number in an open beaker-like icon), and a Video Speed Class (V followed by a number). The numbers indicate the minimum writing speed when put under data transfer. Speed class is categorized into Class 2 (a minimum write speed of 2MB/s), Class 4 (4MB/s), Class 6 (6MB/s), and 10 (10MB/s). Choosing the best one for your camera depends on your camera's resolution, buffer size and burst shooting speeds. An additional clue is the UHS Speed Class rating, which is U1 or U3. U1 means it can write a minimum of 10MB/s (like Class 10), while U3 pushes the write speed up to a minimum of 30MB/s. More interested in shooting video? The Video Speed Classes are V6, V10, V30, V60, and V90, with V6 suitable for standard definition video recording and V90 capable of 8K video capture. 4K UHD video recording will require a minimum of V10 ideally, and HD video can utilize V6 or below at a push. How we test SD cards microSDHC and microSDXC cards will offer a similar performance to their larger SDHC and SDXC siblings. However, they're around a third of the size and can be used in the best camera phones and best action cameras.

Up to 200MB/s read speeds, engineered with proprietary technology to reach speeds beyond UHS-I 104MB/s, require compatible devices capable of reaching such speeds. Write speed up to 140MB/s. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device, interface, usage conditions and other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes. X = 150KB/sec. [64-128GB] Up to 200MB/s read speed. Write speed up to 90MB/s. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes. X = 150KB/sec. [32GB] Up to 100MB/s read speed. Write speed up to 90MB/s. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes. X = 150KB/sec. One of the most obvious ways to differentiate between memory cards is how much storage they have. A 16GB card might be fine for an afternoon wandering around your local wildlife reserve, but videographers looking to shoot all day could get frustrated with having to constantly swap over cards. SD cards are flash memory, which means they have no moving parts and instead rely on electronic chips to store data. While they don’t require power to store data, they can be damaged via water, fire and physical pressure. Some companies offer bespoke 'tough' versions that can withstand these elements, even remaining safe in extreme temperatures, so it's worth looking for those if you're going on an adventure.

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The fact that Extreme Pro SD cards can go up to 1 TB capacity is a nice bonus as well, as it means that you wouldn’t have to buy as many spare SD cards. This might even turn out cheaper if you’re buying in bulk. Our stand-out best SD card is the Transcend SDXC UHS-II U3. With a Class 10, V90, U3 and UHS-II rating, we thought it would be fast enough to capture almost anything modern devices could throw at it, but we weren’t expecting the speed results we got. Actual transfer speeds under our testing churned out a write speed of 33MB/s and read speed of 82MB/s; not too bad, but the write speed is close to the minimum V30 classification on the label, so that's worth bearing that in mind if write speeds are important to your work. Our SanDisk Extreme SD UHS-I V3 tests saw write speeds live up to its claims, matching them almost exactly at 71.6MB/s. But as with most other cards on this list, the read speeds leave a bit to be desired, coming in at almost half the claimed speed, 71.6MB/s. All can be forgiven, though, bearing in mind the extremely low cost of these cards, especially while still offering such high capacity to users at up to 256GB sizes. The capacity is also questionable. The useable area amounts to 119GB which means around 9GB is lost. OK system files etc. usually take up a little of the space, but surely not 9GB?

Just keep in mind that the pricing for SD cards isn’t linear with capacity. For instance, the 512 GB version of the Extreme Pro is about 4.3 times more expensive than the 128 GB version while the 1 TB version is almost 9 times more expensive. But what's the use of a 1TB memory card if everything reads and writes slowly? Speed should be your next criterion for choosing a memory card. For photographers, write speeds are very important as they determine how fast you can shoot, especially in burst mode. When you think of a memory card, you'll likely find that the popular SD card format comes to mind. However, if you're using a newer camera, or one of the best professional cameras, then you'll likely need to look for a CFexpress or XQD card. However, Compact Flash, microSD and CFast cards are still all regularly used as well. The extra capacity that an Extreme Pro card also gives it an extra boost if you store media in large formats. Again, 4K videos are good examples. This can also be useful if you save in RAW format, which stores a greater amount of information that can be useful in post-processing and color grading. Sometimes speed is what you need. The SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-I card delivers the performance to capture stunning, uninterrupted 4K UHD video 1.ProGrade Digital also has a 160GB Type A card you can buy, but it's not as readily available as this Sony equivalent, and is only marginally cheaper. Delkin has Type A cards coming soon though, so hopefully prices will start to fall further. XQD If you're often working with high quality 4K video, ProRes video, or RAW photos from cameras such as the Canon EOS-1DX Mark II, then you'll know the value of a card that can keep up with what you're shooting. However, even the higher capacity offerings – such as this CompactFlash 800x series – are hardly expensive for what’s on offer. Capacities run from a standard 32GB up to 256GB. Specification is also impressive for a budget card, with read speeds of up to 120MB/s and write speeds of 60 MB/s, although actual performance, of course, is affected by camera hardware and software. Durable and reliable, there’s even a built-in error-correcting code to detect and correct any transfer errors. CFexpress Type B

Looking at their relative specs, the cost of an Extreme Pro SD card is quite easy to justify. It’s at least 20% faster than the Extreme and around twice as fast as the Ultra. If you plan to use these SD cards for professional photography and filmmaking, then the Extreme Pro is tough to beat. The Extreme Pro is considered by many to be one of the best SD cards for high-level photography work whether it’s by DSLR cameras, drones, handheld gimbals, or 360 cameras. As an upgrade to the standard SD card, SDHC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) cards offer memory capacities between 4GB and 32GB. This makes them great for everyday use and entry-level users who don't have large storage capacity needs. As you can see, the jump from one model to the next best one is minimal at around 7 to 8 dollars. This is a fairly small difference unless you’re looking to buy five to ten SD cards at the same time. The Extreme is an excellent middle-ground option, especially because of the large price drop from the Extreme Pro. While its read and write speeds are impressive, its glaring shortcoming is that it’s just a little too slow for 4K video recording. Still, it provides the best value for money considering relative cost and speed rating.

Which is the best microSD card for you?

The cards are different colors depending on the capacity - so red with a Nintendo Mushroom icon for 128GB, yellow with a Super Star for the 256GB, and teal green for the 512GB card. You don't need these customized cards, as any microSD card will work in your Switch – but you will earn kudos points for brand loyalty. The most important factor to consider when buying an SD card is storage capacity. Of course, this depends on what you'll be using the card for. For example, photographers, videographers, and avid gamers usually require larger-capacity cards. Rated UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) and Video Speed Class 30 (V30) 2, the SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-I card lets you capture sequential burst mode shots without missing a beat. While the higher capacity cards increase in price exponentially, the 633x appears in sizes as small as 16GB, making it suitable for a wide range of photographers and videographers alike who require all kinds of capacities for casual or professional use. We found its write speed to be a little slow compared to other UHS-I cards in this class range, but it’s good value for money and the V30/U3 class listing means it’s still suitable for up to 4K UHD video recording.

While CFast cards look similar in size and shape to CompactFlash cards, they're not compatible (so don't try to jam one in your old DSLR!). This new-generation high-speed memory card format will be found in professional stills and video cameras. This SD card's write speeds can reach 260MB/s, which should handle sequential burst mode and RAW shooting effortlessly. If you like to capture some footage alongside photos, the card's got you covered, too. It boasts a U3 rating, allowing you to shoot 4K video. SD cards have been around for a long time and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to be outdated soon. Even modern devices like drones and handheld gimbal cameras still use SD cards, mostly because of how wonderfully compact and lightweight they are. They’re also hot-swappable, which means you don’t need to be limited by some built-in storage system. Nikon was the first camera company to introduce XQD cards in digital cameras and a lot of people thought it would be short-lived, and since XQD has now evolved into CFexpress Type B, in some sense they were right. CFexpress cards are considerably faster than XQD cards (though that's not to say XQD is slow - far from it), and there are more manufacturers producing CFexpress cards than XQD, leading to more competitive pricing. One thing to be wary of is buying an SD card rated for read and write speeds that are not supported by your device. For instance, mid-range DSLR cameras typically have write speeds in the range of 100 to 110 MB/s. If you had this type of camera, then getting a UHS-II SD card that supports write speeds of up to 150 MB/s would be unnecessary and ultimately a waste of money. Final thoughtsJust from this table alone, it’s easy to glean the difference between the three SD card types. Based on read and write speeds alone, the Extreme Pro is the most appropriate for highly demanding use. Photography and filmmaking are two of the most obvious examples of these, especially if you tend to capture 4K videos or use the burst photography feature of your camera. There are three main types of SD card: SD, SDHC (high capacity) or SDXC (extended capacity). SD cards typically offer 128MB to 2GB in storage capacity, too small for today’s modern cameras with higher resolutions. SDHC bumps this up from 4GB to 32GB, useful for most photographers and videographers. SDXC cards, meanwhile, range from 64GB to 2TB and are aimed at professional-level users who require more memory.