Your data. Your choice.

If you select «Essential cookies only», we’ll use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your device and how you use our website. We need this information to allow you to log in securely and use basic functions such as the shopping cart.

By accepting all cookies, you’re allowing us to use this data to show you personalised offers, improve our website, and display targeted adverts on our website and on other websites or apps. Some data may also be shared with third parties and advertising partners as part of this process.

Guide

Buying advice: Suitable memory cards for smartphone, camera or drone

Jan Johannsen
23.12.2019
Translation: machine translated

The card slot of the device determines which memory card goes into your smartphone, camera or drone. However, there are different standards that you should be aware of.

Not all memory cards are the same. Even the same form factor does not automatically mean that the cards are equally good. SD or microSD cards, for example, always have the same format, but the additional designation "HC" or "XC" means a big difference in quality. You should also keep an eye on the read and write speed.

SD cards for everything

The most common memory cards at the moment are SD and microSD cards, which differ mainly in terms of their size. The microSD cards are smaller - 11 × 15 × 1 mm compared to 32 × 24 × 2.1 mm - and can also be inserted into card slots for SD cards using an adapter, which is usually included in the scope of delivery.

Transfer speeds

There are three different speed classes for categorisation, each of which guarantees a different minimum write speed: C, U and V. Where "C10", "U1" and "V10" are equivalent and mean that the memory card manages at least 10 MB/s and is therefore suitable for full HD video recording. For newer, faster cards, only the specifications according to the V class are used. You therefore need V30 for 4K videos and V60 or V90 for 8K videos.

For comparison: For our videos in Full HD resolution, we use SD cards in the V30 class with a minimum write rate of 30 MB/s in the editorial team. The manufacturer even promises 90 MB/s and a read speed of 170 MB/s. So far, we've been getting by just fine. If we were to switch to UHD resolution, we could continue to use the cards, but would probably replace them with faster models.

In addition to transfer speeds, "IOPS" are also important for smartphones. You can find out what this abbreviation is all about below in the section on memory cards for smartphones.

Compact flash and more

CF or compact flash cards are significantly larger than SD cards and were used in digital SLR cameras for a long time, but have now almost completely disappeared in favour of SD cards. With CFast and CFexpress, there are successor standards whose connections are not compatible with their predecessors, unlike SD cards, and which hardly play a role nowadays.

Sony's Memory Stick Duo and miniSD cards are also a relic of the past. They were only used in a few devices and were unable to establish themselves. XQD cards, on the other hand, are a current niche product. They are supported by the very latest Nikon cameras, for example.

Memory cards for smartphones

Many Android smartphones allow the storage space to be expanded with microSD cards. This is not possible with the iPhone and since the Mate 20 in October 2018, Huawei has relied on its own development, the "NM Card", which is otherwise only used by its subsidiary Honor.

If you take a lot of photos and videos with your smartphone, the writing speed is not unimportant. For full HD videos, V10 should be on the microSD card and V30 if you want to record in 4K.

With A1 and A2, there are currently two performance classes whose minimum write speed should be sufficient for full HD videos and which achieve 1500 or 4000 IOPS when reading and 500 or 2000 IOPS when writing.

Memory cards for drones

Every gram counts with drones. Be it to comply with legal requirements, but also to maximise flight time. That's why only microSD cards are actually used here. As you will most likely be taking photos and videos with your drone, you should keep an eye on the write speed. So for 4K videos, at least performance class V30 or U3.

128 gigabytes are also attractively priced here and offer enough storage space for the flight time of your drone. However, if you have several batteries in your luggage, a larger card or a second card may be worthwhile. Then you can read out the data from one of them while the drone takes to the air again.

Memory cards for cameras

SD cards have established themselves as a storage medium for cameras of all kinds. CF cards in their various versions only play a minor role and are the less attractive choice in terms of price, even for cameras with two memory card slots. XQD cards, which are a successor to CompactFlash cards and are identical in size to CFexpress cards, are also comparatively expensive. Nikon and Sony use this format in some current camera models.

SD cards

CF cards

XQD

40 people like this article


User Avatar
User Avatar

When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de. 


Guide

Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.

Show all

These articles might also interest you

  • Guide

    SD card guide: Help in the standard jungle

    by Kevin Hofer

  • Guide

    How to correctly interpret the continuous shooting speed information

    by David Lee

  • Guide

    Portable storage solutions for your business

    by Andreas Mielke