Storing your data on microSD is an inexpensive solution, provided you know how to choose your card correctly. For this, we have carried out a comparison and a selection of the best on the market
By Mathilde Vicente, Editor
Go directly to our selection
In recent years, microSD cards have been used on many devices. There are different models, compatible with smartphones, computers, dashcams or even on-board cameras. Indeed, some are optimized for recording high-resolution videos, others for running applications and accessing small files.
To understand their dissimilarities, we explain their technical characteristics, what their acronyms stand for and how to choose the microSD that meets your needs.
This will make it easier for you to select one of those present in our test bench.
Choosing a microSD card
The first criterion you should consider is the storage capacity. It is important to check the card size compatible with your device. For example, action cameras only accept 32 GB, because of the limit of the SDHC standard, against up to 2 TB for smartphones thanks to the SDXC format.
In other cases, some cards are both capable of recording 4K video on GoPro and delivering superb performance on your iOS or Android.
Best microSD card for video recording
Basically, if you're buying a microSD card for video recording, then it should have a V10 certification or higher. The number after the V is the guaranteed write speed in megabytes per second (MB/s), or more.
For the 4K format, we advise you to aim for at least V30 speed. The SD Association has recommendations for the speed needed for different video resolutions:
If you can't find a "V" number, then check its package or specs for the write speed. Note that the highest is usually read, not write.
Best microSD card for smartphones and tablets
When it comes to increasing the storage capacity of your phone or tablet, you will need good performance to read and write small files.
This is why the rating system is that of "application performance", indicated by an A followed by a number, like A1 or A2. It works the same way as for video.
The A1 card supports both storage and faster data usage, including games and apps. The newer A2 offers better read/write speeds and impressive power, which is more suited to flagships.
Comparison of the best microSD cards
The 4KB read and write speeds indicate how fast the card can retrieve small random chunks of data.
Although it may seem strange to measure, this process is standard in the operation of storage drives. This makes it a useful indicator in benchmarks to understand the overall performance of a card.
Which microSD card to buy?
Prefer well-known brands offering a guarantee, we are thinking of Samsung, SanDisk, Lexar, Kingston, Integral, among others.
Counterfeit and counterfeit microSD cards are on the rise, so be sure to use trusted sites and avoid second-hand platforms like eBay and Le Boncoin.
We have selected the best brands and models for you below.
1
PNY Pro Elite – The best in all areas
The PNY Pro Elite microSD is versatile with a read speed of 100 MB/s and a write of 60 MB/s. It is available in 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 GB and 1 To, and its characteristics vary.
However, regardless of your choice, each version is rated 10/U3 for speed, which means fast transfer and sharing of your content. This allows you to make beautiful videos with top resolution.
In detail, the 128 GB showed very good results with 12.4 MB/s in reading and 5.3 MB/s in writing.
If you need a microSD card for your smartphone, GoPro or dashcam then the PNY Pro Elite is a great value product.
Storage sizes and prices: 32 GB (€13.99) | 64 GB (€17.52) | 128 GB (€25.53) | 256 GB (58.32 €)
2
SanDisk Extreme PRO – Fastest
The fastest microSD card in the SanDisk catalog is the Extreme PRO. Rated A2, it loads apps and processes your data at lightning speed. With maximum readings of 170MB/s and 90MB/s read and write respectively, it's ideal for capturing uninterrupted 4K UHD video.
One of its advantages is its RescuePRO Deluxe data recovery software. It helps you recover your files, accidentally deleted.
Storage sizes and prices: 32 GB (€17.99) | 64GB (€39.99) | 128 GB (€79.99) | 256 GB (€99.99) | 400 GB (€129.99) | 512 GB (€159.99) | 1TB (€349.99)
3
Manfrotto Pro Rugged - The most versatile
Manfrotto is a brand best known for its tripods, and camera storage is now part of its product line. In addition to CF (Compact Flash) and SD cards, you will also find microSD, available in 64 and 128 GB.
Like other backup types, they carry the Rugged brand and the company claims they are built to be the toughest on the market. They would be able to survive immersion in water for 72 hours and temperatures ranging from -25°C to 85°C. Their warranty is two years, protecting you against any manufacturing defect.
Although the Manfrotto Pro is rated V30, which is a minimum sequential write speed of 30 Mb/s, it actually reads and writes at 90 Mb/s, according to our tests.
Intended for drones, action cameras and cameras, it is also compatible with your Android or tablet, for a reading of 4 KB of 8.5 MB/s and 3.75 MB/s in writing .
4
Samsung Evo Plus microSD card - The best smartphone speed
Own a Samsung phone? So let yourself be tempted by the microSD Evo Plus. We tried its 128 GB version, however it is also available in higher capacities.
It boasts a sequential write speed of 84.3MB/s and a read of 88.3MB/s.
For smartphones and tablets, 4KB performance matters more, and that's where the Evo shines. Indeed, even if it is not classified A1 or A2, it obtained 10.5 MB/s in reading and 4.7 MB/s in writing.
This score exceeds that of the A2-certified SanDisk Extreme Pro, making it an excellent choice for mobiles, even capable of recording 4K video.
Storage sizes and prices: 32 GB (€16.99) | 64 GB (€19.99) | 128 GB (€49.99) | 256 GB (€129.99) | 512 GB (€149.99).
5
SanDisk Extreme Plus – Best for 4K Video
The SanDisk Extreme Plus type UHS-1 microSD card, and class 10, promises speeds of 80 MB/s in reading and 50 MB/s in writing.
In our tests, it reached read and write speeds of 87MB/s and 85MB/s, even surpassing the PNY Pro Elite, especially in random tests with 92MB/s read and almost 88 MB/s write.
So it's perfect for burst photography, or action video. In addition, it is very effective with smartphones thanks to its excellent performance on 4 KB, with 9.3 MB/s in reading and 4 MB/s in writing.
6
Exceria High Endurance microSDXC - Best suited for security cameras
The Exceria High Endurance microSDXC promises read speeds of up to 100Mb/s and write speeds of up to 65Mb/s out of the box. While it didn't hit those speeds in our benchmarks, it came very close with results of 94.79MB/s and 64.17MB/s.
The 4KB test clocked in at 5.71MB/s and 2.07MB/s for reading and writing, respectively. Despite its A1 rating and its compatibility with Android, the Exceria High Endurance is better suited to surveillance cameras and dashcams.
Indeed, its high endurance capacity (hence its name) is more suitable for continuous writing and rewriting.
It offers a host of protective features, such as impact resistance up to 5 meters high and temperature tolerance ranging from -25 to 85 degrees. Not to mention its waterproofness, thanks to its IPX standard.
Finally, with Kioxia, you will benefit from a 3-year warranty in the event of a problem.
7
SanDisk Ultra - Best Value
If you don't feel like going for SanDisk's high-end cards, its Ultra line offers solid performance for a more accessible price per GB, with the option to upgrade to 1TB.
It reaches sequential read speeds of 89 Mb/s, which is great for recording Full HD video. However, this is a bit tight for quality 4K videos.
If you want to use the card with your smartphone, tablet, or even your Nintendo Switch, then you'll probably be more concerned with 4KB speeds. 9.4 MB/s and write at 2.4 MB/s.
8
MicroSD XC Integral - One of the most affordable
The Integral card is not just for smartphone or tablet users. It is ideal for Nintendo Switch, especially if you want to install a library of games.
Similarly, for recording HD video on a dash cam or drone, it will handle this task with ease.
It does not have the capacity to handle 4K recordings, however its write speed is 19.3MB/s, which is sufficient for Full HD 1920x1080 resolution. As for reading, it's much faster, at 83.6MB/s.
As for its 4 KB format, the Integral obtained a score of 7.3 MB/s in reading and 1.7 MB/s in writing. That's below scores from SanDisk, Samsung, and PNY, but for day-to-day storage, Integral has excellent value for money.
SD, SDHC, SDXC, what are they?
When buying a MicroSD card, you probably noticed a number of symbols on the packaging, they indicate the storage capacity and the category.
2 GB SD cards are pretty much obsolete these days. Thus, you will often see the following patterns:
There is the rarer SDUC or SD Ultra Capacity, which was introduced in 2018 and can save up to 128TB of data. Still, you're unlikely to find any at retailers like Amazon.
What are UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III?
Besides HC or XC, you will often see UHS markings in Roman numerals on SD and microSD cards. There are three specifications: UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
This is the speed of the UHS or "Ultra High Speed" bus, namely a part of the board that communicates data between components. Its speed therefore indicates the maximum data transfer, or read and write rates.
They emerged in response to the growing demand for faster speeds, especially for high resolution video and RAW format photography.
The higher the number, the faster the transfer speed:
UHS-I cards are the most common of the three, while UHS-III microSD cards are the least common and may be incompatible with your device.
What are the speed classes?
Speed class C2, C4, C6 and C10
The numbers 2, 4, 6 or 10 circled refer to the speed of sustained write in MB/s. A microSD card marked Class 10 therefore means 10 MB/s at least.
Sustained speed is important for video recording which itself requires writing data in a continuous stream. The slower it is, the more you risk losing your data.
The C classes tend to disappear even if it is still possible to find C10 models.
UHS speed
The UHS class, more common today, is a step above the standard. One refers to the minimum sustained write speeds, the other indicates the maximum transfer rate.
How to tell them apart?
Unlike UHS-1, UHS-II and UHS-III ratings, characterized by Roman numerals, the UHS speed class is indicated by a U with a number in sound interior, like the U1 or U3.
Video class speed
Finally, there is also a new Video Class or Class V, which promises even faster sustained write speeds for video recording.
When it comes to 4K and 8K video, we get continuous write rates of 10MB/s, 30MB/s, 60MB/s, and 90MB/s. You will see this by the presence of a letter V next to the corresponding bit rate.
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Mathilde Vicente, Editor
Mathilde is a jack-of-all-trades 2.0. His preference? Apple. She enjoys covering new releases from the Apple brand and revealing the secret capabilities of iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
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