The right SD card is the one your device supports and that meets its capacity and recording-speed requirements. Check the camera, phone, or other host’s manual or manufacturer information before buying: an SD, SDHC, SDXC, or SDUC label identifies a capacity family, while UHS and SD Express identify bus interfaces and C, U, V, or E labels identify speed classes. Those markings describe different things.
How to choose an SD card that works with your device
Start with the device, not the card’s advertised speed or capacity. Find the manufacturer’s supported card family, maximum capacity, and required speed class for the mode you plan to use. The SD Association advises checking for an SD logo and other symbols on the device or consulting its manual or manufacturer information: SD Association compatibility guidance.
- Confirm the card family and capacity ceiling. Check whether the host supports SD, SDHC, SDXC, or SDUC, and the capacities it accepts.
- Check the required speed class. For video or continuous capture, look up the class specified for the exact recording mode, not just the device’s general maximum resolution.
- Check the bus interface. A faster interface is useful only when both the card and host support it.
- Choose a capacity within the supported range. The standards’ maximums do not mean every capacity is available or supported by a particular device.
What SD, SDHC, SDXC and SDUC mean
These names divide SD cards into capacity families and are associated with different file systems. The limits below are standards limits, not a promise that a device supports every card in a family. The SD Association’s capacity overview gives these ranges:
| Card family | Standard capacity range | File system |
|---|---|---|
| SD | Up to 2GB | FAT12/16 |
| SDHC | More than 2GB through 32GB | FAT32 |
| SDXC | More than 32GB through 2TB | exFAT |
| SDUC | More than 2TB through 128TB | exFAT |
Backward compatibility follows the family hierarchy, but it is not universal across all devices. According to the SD Association’s host compatibility guidance, SD cards work in SD, SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC hosts; SDHC cards work in SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC hosts; SDXC cards work in SDXC and SDUC hosts; and SDUC cards work only in SDUC hosts. A newer host may accept older-family cards, but an older host does not thereby gain support for a newer family. Check the exact device documentation before inserting a card.
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#1 Best Overall
- CAPTURE LARGER THAN LIFE. Unlock 4K UHD(3) brilliance and pristine high res stills with video speed class ratings of U3 and V30(4).
- SPEED BARRIERS SHATTERED. Save precious moments with blazing read speeds up to 250MB/s(2) and write speeds up to 170MB/s(2) [256GB-1TB capacities(1)].
- MAXIMIZE WITH MASSIVE CAPACITY. Capture for longer and store more with up to 2TB(1) of storage that can hold up to 2,808 minutes of 4K UHD video recorded at 30 fps (641MB/minute)(9).
- DEFY THE ELEMENTS. Unrelentingly resilient, Sandisk SD memory cards are engineered to perform in extreme conditions, despite rough handling and constant use.(6)
- CONTENT MANAGEMENT, SIMPLIFIED. Back up, organize, and transfer everything easily with the Sandisk Memory Zone desktop app,(7) whether you use an SD card slot or a card reader.
What UHS-I, UHS-II and SD Express mean
UHS-I, UHS-II, UHS-III, and SD Express identify bus interfaces: how the card communicates with a compatible host. They are not the same as U1 or U3, which are speed-class markings. The SD Association lists these interface rates in its bus-speed overview:
| Bus interface | SD Association maximum interface rate |
|---|---|
| UHS-I | Up to 104MB/s |
| UHS-II | Up to 312MB/s, half duplex |
| UHS-III | Up to 624MB/s |
| SD Express | Up to 3940MB/s |
These are interface maxima, not guaranteed card write speeds or a promise of real-world transfer performance. The Association says average write performance varies with the card, device, operation, and stored data. A card’s advertised read speed also does not establish its sustained write performance. For a faster interface to help, the host must support it too.
Rank #2
How to read C, U, V and E speed classes
Speed-class markings indicate minimum performance under defined conditions; the bus label describes the interface. The SD Association lists SD Speed Class C2/C4/C6/C10, UHS Speed Class U1/U3, Video Speed Class V6/V10/V30/V60/V90, and SD Express Speed Class E150/E300/E450/E600. Use the class required by the host for the particular recording mode, or a higher class within the matching class system. The device’s manual or product information is the authority for its requirement. See the Association’s speed-class overview.
- C10, U1, or V10: The Association associates these with HD through Full HD examples.
- U3 or V30: Its examples associate these with Full HD through 4K.
- V60: Its examples associate this class with 4K through 8K.
- V90: Its example is 8K.
- E150 through E600: The Association describes SD Express classes for high-resolution multi-stream or intra-frame video use cases.
These are standards-body examples, not universal recommendations for every camera or recording setting. A camera maker may set a different requirement for a particular mode.
Rank #3
- CAPTURE LARGER THAN LIFE. Unlock 4K UHD(3) brilliance and pristine high res stills with video speed class ratings of U3 and V30(4).
- SPEED BARRIERS SHATTERED. Save precious moments with blazing read speeds up to 250MB/s(2) and write speeds up to 170MB/s(2) [256GB-1TB capacities(1)].
- MAXIMIZE WITH MASSIVE CAPACITY. Capture for longer and store more with up to 2TB(1) of storage that can hold up to 2,808 minutes of 4K UHD video recorded at 30 fps (641MB/minute)(9).
- DEFY THE ELEMENTS. Unrelentingly resilient, Sandisk SD memory cards are engineered to perform in extreme conditions, despite rough handling and constant use.(6)
- CONTENT MANAGEMENT, SIMPLIFIED. Back up, organize, and transfer everything easily with the Sandisk Memory Zone desktop app,(7) whether you use an SD card slot or a card reader.
Which SD card should you get for a camera?
Choose by the camera’s documented compatibility and the recording mode you intend to use. For still photos, check the supported card family and capacity, then consider the speed class if you shoot bursts or need the camera to clear its buffer quickly. For video, find the camera maker’s required class for the specific resolution, frame rate, and recording format; do not infer it from resolution alone. The SD Association’s examples can help interpret the markings, but the camera’s specification determines what it supports.
If a computer has no suitable card slot, an SD card reader may be useful for transferring files. It is an optional accessory, and its compatibility with the card and computer should also be checked.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Save time with card offload speeds of up to 200MB/s powered by SanDisk QuickFlow Technology (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. 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. SanDisk QuickFlow Technology is only available for 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities. 1GB=1,000,000,000 bytes. 1TB=1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Actual user storage less.)
- Pair with the SanDisk Professional PRO-READER SD and microSD to achieve maximum speeds (sold separately)
- Shot speeds up to 140MB/s (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.)
- Perfect for shooting 4K UHD video and sequential burst mode photography (Full HD (1920x1080) and 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) video support may vary based upon host device, file attributes and other factors. See HD page on SanDisk site.)
- UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) and Video Speed Class 30 (V30) (UHS Speed Class 3 designates a performance option designed to support 4K UHD video recording with enabled UHS host devices. UHS Video Speed Class 30 (V30), sustained video capture rate of 30MB/s, designates a performance option designed to support real-time video recording with UHS enabled host devices. See the SD Association’s official website.)
Rank #4
- EXPAND YOUR STORAGE. Insert your card to add massive storage up to 1.5TB[1] to your Android smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, and laptops.
- SPACE FOR MORE. With expansive capacities up to 1.5TB[1], capture and store hours of Full HD video[4], movies, music, games, photos, and podcasts.
- MOVE FILES FAST. Use your card with the SANDISK QuickFlow microSD UHS-I Card USB-A Reader[6] to achieve up to 195MB/s[2] read speeds [128GB-1.5TB models] and offload your content fast.
- LOAD APPS IN A SNAP. Rated A1[3], the SANDISK Ultra microSD card is optimized for faster app launch and overall app performance.
- EASY CONTENT MANAGEMENT. Easily back up, organize, and transfer your photos and videos with the SANDISK Memory Zone desktop or Android mobile app[5].
Common SD card selection mistakes
- Buying by capacity alone: A card may exceed the host’s supported family or capacity ceiling.
- Treating U1 as UHS-I: UHS-I is a bus interface; U1 is a speed class. The similar lettering does not make them equivalent.
- Assuming an interface maximum is a card’s write speed: The interface rate is not a real-world performance guarantee.
- Using read speed to judge video recording: Read speed does not prove sustained write performance.
- Assuming a new card works in any SD slot: SDUC, for example, requires an SDUC host; verify the device’s documentation.
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