Over the past twenty years, the market for external drives has undergone tremendous changes. And here we are talking not only about increasing the amount of memory for storing data, but also about reducing the design itself. Modern classes of microSD memory cards can fit on your fingertip.
Of course, it is too early to refuse comparatively massive flash drives, but progress is evident, and very soon they will sink into oblivion. The modern computer equipment market offers a ton of options for MicroSD memory cards on Gb (gigabytes), and sometimes even Tb (terabytes) of information. And getting lost in all this heap is pretty easy. And if professional users can at least somehow decide on a purchase, then newcomers simply shrug their hands and rely entirely on consultants in the store.
We will try to understand this topic and designate the most popular microSD memory cards, which have distinguished themselves by their quality component and a lot of positive feedback from users. To begin with, we’ll deal with manufacturers, and continue with specific drive models.
Manufacturers
Many companies are engaged in the production of microSD memory cards, but not all of them get really worthwhile and high-quality products in many ways. As such, the backbone of manufacturers has been formed for a long time, and they do not favor arrogant beginners on pedestals, and they are not allowed. The competition here is very fierce, and brands understand that any, even uncritical oversight can lead to loss of a client, as well as to loss of money with a reputation.
The best manufacturers of microSD memory cards:
- Transcend (Taiwan).
- SanDisk (USA).
- Samsung (South Korea).
- Sony (Japan).
- Kingston (USA).
- ADATA (Taiwan).
Choosing external drives from these brands, you can be sure of the quality and reliability of products. Reviews about the above manufacturers are mostly positive, and users do not track any critical flaws in their products. MicroSD memory cards from famous brands find their application in all related areas: mobile gadgets, desktop computers, laptops, cameras and other cameras.
Next, we consider specific models that are enviable in both professional and amateur environments.
Kingston SDC 4/8 Gb
If you don’t download your smartphone or tablet with high-resolution video and clips, but prefer to work with photos and music, then the Kingston budget memory card will be the best and most reliable option for storing information.
The drive does not have a high data transfer rate - only 4 Mb / s (class 4), but the cost of the card does not contribute to this, in general. For ordinary needs - this is an excellent solution: high-quality, reliable and with a long operational period.
The average cost in stores is about 300 rubles.
SanDisk Ultra MicroSD / HC Class 10 UHS-I
This class 10 microSD memory card (10-48 Mb / s) will come in handy on board a smartphone with Full HD screen resolution. The format of 1920 by 1080 pixels has already become the standard, and to cope with the video sequence in such a layout, you will need a full 10 class.
This MicroSD UHS-I memory card runs quietly at speeds of 10 Mb / s, so the video in Full HD resolution will go without delay and in the way the creator intended. Also in the advantages of the drive you can add a decent amount of 32 GB and a convenient adapter for connecting to a PC and fastidious cameras.
The average cost in stores is about 600 rubles.
Samsung MicroSD / HC EVO Plus
Samsung's microSD memory cards are among the best in this segment. In addition, unlike other “Samsung” gadgets for storage devices, the brand does not break the price, which sensitive consumers could not help but notice.
Made extremely high quality and with a decent volume, the 32 GB MicroSD memory card from Samsung costs significantly cheaper than competing counterparts, and offers users more attractive features. In the mode of reading from the medium, the speed reaches 95 Mb / s, which is very, very good. A parallel indicator during data transmission showed more modest characteristics - only 20 Mb / s, but this is considered more than an acceptable norm.
The card finds its application in mobile gadgets, registrars, as well as in advanced and professional photo and video equipment.
The average cost at points of sale is about 800 rubles.
Transcend Premium 300X
If you need a drive that works on the principle of "set and forget", then this model will be the very option. The card was distinguished by an increased margin of safety and a high data transfer rate, fully meeting grade 10.
The drive comes in versions of 16, 32 and 64 GB, which means that it can be used to store video files, and not just photo and audio content. The manufacturer prudently put in the kit with a memory card an excellent adapter for connecting to personal computers and working in tandem with cameras or DVRs.
The average cost in stores is about 900 rubles.
Kingston SD / XC 10 / 64Gb
A 64 GB microSD memory card from a famous brand has a lot to offer its owner. The manufacturer was able to fit in this kid with a thimble and a solid volume, and excellent speed, fully consistent with grade 10. It is also worth noting the extremely low heating of the drive even under the most intense loads and long-term operation.
The average write speed on the medium varies within 45 Mb / s, and the read speed is about 90 Mb / s. Characteristics inspire respect, and the card has found its application not only in the amateur, but also in the professional environment. This drive is a frequent guest on board cool DSLRs and cameras from venerable brands "Nikon" and "Canon".
The average cost at points of sale is about 2300 rubles.
ADATA Premier MicroSD / XC Class 10 UHS-I U1
The drives of this manufacturer are distinguished by affordable price tags along with high quality. The brand managed to combine in this model both a relatively high speed of work corresponding to grade 10 and excellent performance.
The drive turned out to be reliable and in demand in both professional and amateur environments. It can often be seen on board mobile phones and DVRs. Users respond to the memory card very positively and do not note any critical flaws.
The average cost in stores is about 2500 rubles.
SanDisk Extreme MicroSD / XC V30 Class 10
This is one of the few drives optimized for intensive work that can work anywhere, from simple smartphones to advanced cameras. It is also worth noting that the manufacturer offers the consumer a lifetime warranty, and that says a lot. The drive fulfills all the scenarios with dignity and does not heat up even at the maximum possible loads.
The memory card easily copes with the storage of information up to 128 GB. Innovative technologies have significantly reduced the speed of the device. Writing to the media occurs at a speed of 60 Mb / s, and reading - 90 Mb / s. In addition, experienced users note that this is far from the limit for this card, and with an additional setting that is different from the standard setting, you can “disperse” it even more.
This is for the most part a professional solution, and using it in ordinary smartphones or mid-range recorders is not very practical. This model will look in place on board some advanced device such as a demanding photo or video camera.
Users leave positive feedback about the device. The drive completely and fully justifies financial investments and generates money.
The average cost at points of sale is about 3,000 rubles.
Samsung MicroSD / XC EVO Plus 80 Mb / s
Another representative of the EVO series, but with more attractive features. This is perhaps the best that this segment can offer. The card was distinguished by its reliability, a large number of rewriting cycles, high speed, but most importantly - a record memory capacity of 128 GB for this class.
Full compliance of the drive with Class 10 allows you to use it anywhere and for any purpose, be it a mobile gadget or a claim camera from Canon or Nikon. In addition, this memory card is calmly related to intense, as well as long-term loads without regard to overheating or malfunctions.
This is a purely professional solution, and for ordinary needs the drive is unlikely to fit. The appropriateness of buying this model for a mediocre smartphone or photo shooter is a big question.
The average cost in stores is about 6500 rubles.
Summarizing
Choosing drives of such a plan, it is necessary to take into account a number of critical characteristics. First you need to determine the amount of memory. Of course, the higher this figure, the better. But here it is important to know that, for example, the same photos can be stored in different formats. And if JPEG encodes the image at 3-4 MB, then the gluttonous RAW is already at 15-30 MB. The same goes for video codecs.
Professional technology uses more advanced formats that are designed for subsequent specific processing in powerful photo or video editors. So it’s worthwhile to clarify the working formats of the device for which you are buying a memory card.
The situation is similar with the write speed. If you are the owner of a modest smartphone with HD, rather than Full HD-resolution, then chasing class 10 is impractical. In this case, 6 or even 4 classes will be quite enough, which will calmly pull the HD-spread at 30 frames per second. Grade 10 is again a professional level, and on budget gadgets it simply will not reveal its potential and will work at half strength.
It will also be clearly out of place to focus your attention on the protection indicator of the memory card. Micro-SD is one of the most fragile form factors. Besides the fact that you may accidentally step on the drive, bend it or dip it in water, it is still afraid of x-rays (hi to airports and other security checkpoints) and temperature changes.
The above manufacturers are trying to provide their devices with the maximum level of protection. Of course, premium drives are higher than budget models. But if you use a memory card in only one device and don’t worry about it or not, then you should not pay extra for excessive protection.