The development of technology is really amazing. We were using 128MB micro SD card for mobile phone storage 10 years ago. In the blink of an eye, the small micro SD card has been developed to carry 2TB of capacity. Micro SD is able to repeatedly break through the capacity limit due to its 3D V-NAND flash technology. Simply speaking, it is to pack more CELL units in a very small area by 3D stacking technology. The more advanced the packing technology, the higher the storage density, and the greater the flash memory capacity that can be achieved!
With the popularity of mobile phones, smart gadgets and portable digital products, bulk SD cards have become the most popular external storage; It turns to be the accessory of Android phones, smart toys, IOT devices, Dash cam, Gopro or Bluetooth audio, Raspberry Pi, and DJI drones etc.,
However, there are varies bulk Micro SD cards with many brands and different parameters in the market, few consumers can distinguish their real performance, especially for high performance-demanding products, such as 4K photography or Raspberry Pi system disk, how to choose the right one? It is headache to select the best or most cost-effective Micro SD, because there is no best one but the most suitable one.
We need to understand some basic knowledge of Micro SD Card prior to introduce how to purchase a MICRO SD card.
Actual capacity and format of the MICRO SD
The Micro SD manufacturer indicates that the capacity is based on decimal (1GB=1000MB), and our computer recognizes it according to binary (1GB=1024MB), so we find that the micro SD card 256G is actually only 238G.
The default format of Micro SD is by three types, which are FAT, FAT32, and exFAT. Usually FAT supports Micro SD ranging from 128mb to 4gb, FAT32 applies for Micro SDHC from 8GB to 32GB, and exFAT stands for all Micro SDXC from 64GB to 2TB.
Speed Grades of the MICRO SD card
The speed level of Micro SD card is defined by the SD Card Association, and the detailed speed is as the following table.
| Speed Level | Speed (MB/S) | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 | Mini 2MB/S by Write | Can watch normal MPEG 2 or 4 Movie, and videos |
| Class 4 | Mini 4MB/S by Write | Smooth playback of high-definition television (HDTV), digital camera continuous shooting |
| Class 6 | Mini 6MB/S by Write | SLR camera continuous shooting, and the use of professional equipment |
| Class 10 | Mini 10MB/S by Write | Recording and playback of full HD TV, support Dash cam video |
| U3 | Mini 30MB/S by Write | Recording 2K and 4K Video |
| U1 | Mini 10MB/S by Write | Full HD video recording for continuous shooting of high-definition images |
So now let's check below guides and find out the right MICRO SD used for different products.
Micro SD for Dash Cam (Car DVR)
Regarding the car users, the Dash Cam has become the standard accessory for cars. As the cars turn to be the main transportation tool for people, so the chance of accidents is increasing. In order to identify the Accident responsible party, the dash cam can provide believable proof.
Many users have a variety of driving recorders, but the Micro SD card as the core hardware directly guarantees the installation of video data and the quality of video. How should we choose right Micro SD?
First of all, the user will check the capacity of the card. At present, most of the dash cams in market are sold with 8gb or 16gb card. Such capacity is stretched for recording high-definition video, and the old data may be covered by the new contents after a few days. If you want to record a lot of videos or landscapes, it is recommended to use 32GB or 64GB. As many users who use the driving recorder to record the scenery along the way, it is easy and convenient to record enough data without exporting the video frequently.
Secondly we need to consider the speed of the card. According to the speed grades of Micro SD card, the dash cam is better to use c10 or U1. If it is 4K resolutions, it is recommended to use U3.
Micro SD for Game Device
Now one of the most popular game devices is Nintendo switch, the built-in storage space in its host is only 32GB. If you are used to buying games in digital download version, the space will not be enough sooner or later. Buying one Micro SD card becomes a must. Foreign media GameSpot tested a variety of Micro SD cards; let’s see which memory cards are worth buying.
The Nintendo Switch model can support up to 2TB cards. It recommends the UHS-I (Ultra High Speed) Micro SD card, which has a minimum write speed of 10MB/s. Although the UHS-3 has a faster card speed and the write speed is at least 30MB/s, the difference between the two cards when launching the game is basically negligible. Players do not need to pay extra fees for the UHS-3 card, because it basically does not bring any improvement.
Then the good choice for Nintendo switch is Micro SD 32gb or above in UHS-1, it is the most economic option.
Micro SD for Mobile phones
Micro SD cards used to be indispensable for mobile phones. Now the internal storage space of mobile phones or tablets is quite large. Some mobile phones even cancel the slots of micro SD cards. Some people may not need to insert micro SD cards. But no matter how many built-in spaces, it will run out sooner or later, then you will know how important to have external storage; especially those phones are with only 8GB ROM, then Micro SD cards are a must.
First of all, we need to confirm one issue, what is the main content for loading by the bulk memory card? The data is for picture, app, song, or video file? Currently, some Android phones can still use MICRO SD, and the resolution of these phones ranges from 1080p to 4k, so they will occupy much spaces when shooting videos or photos. If the user is a photography enthusiast, then we recommend using 64G to 256GB memory card, and the speed must reach U1. Because after testing, recording 10 minutes of images in 1080P mode takes about 2GB, and 4K in the same time requires about 4GB. Therefore, the capacity of the memory card needs to be determined by the content. If you just store songs and pictures, then wholesale 32GB memory card is enough.
Micro SD for Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi is one mini computer in a credit card size. It is pre-installed with Linux system and equipped with an ARM CPU processor, and its computing performance is similar to that of smartphone. Comparing to standard computer, the advantage of it is low energy consumption, mobile portability, GPIO, etc. Due to the size limit, the data storage is normally adopting Micro SD for Raspberry Pi Model A+, Raspberry Pi Model B+, Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, Raspberry Pi Zero, and Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.
Due to the function of Raspberry pi, it is unnecessary to take high capacity cards; the bulk Micro SD 8GB can be the nice choice. However, the speed of micro SD we must pay high attention. As the micro SD is the main storage for raspberry pi, it is like the hard disk of computer, so we need to choose class 10 as the startup.
The future for Micro SD Card
The current external memory card, which is mainly used for high-definition photography, sports video shooting and data sharing, then the Micro SD with large capacity and fast writing has become necessity, even for the camera, the increasingly blessing of high-definition images is calling for faster and larger storage solutions.
However, if we only promote the speed and capacity, memory cards can no longer meet the ever-changing needs. The development of new standards and features is the breakthrough of memory cards for latest devices and requirements, such as Wi-Fi transmission, TransferJet, and SIM function are all expect to be equipped.
The memory card will not disappear in short term, especially for professional cameras, it continues to exert its strength. One better memory card will also provide users with a faster and safer experience.