Whats the fastest 8 or 16 gig SD card I can buy from Amazon right now?

[shortylickens]

Something that will take full advantage of my USB 3 reader.

 

[shortylickens]

Based on what I've seen on the interwebs, UHS II is supposed to be the fastest available anywhere, but Amazons search is meh.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Only 16GB?

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-microS.../dp/B009QZH6JS

Edit: Wait, micro or regular? I assumed micro because this is mobile forum but you could be using a camera or something.

 

[paperwastage]

Sandisk Extreme Pro (UHS-2) is the fastest

microSD (UHS-1), 16GB, up to 95MB/s read 90MB/s write
http://www.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/microsd/

SD (UHS-2), 64GB, up to 280MB/s read 250MB/s write
SD (UHS-1), 64GB, up to 95MB/s read 90MB/s write
http://www.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/sd/

probably a question if your USB3 reader can go up to 250MB/s UHS-II speeds

otherwise, save money and go for the UHS-1 model (which does hit the 90/95 MB/s speeds)
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/54...c-and-microsdhc-memory-card-review/index.html

amazon has the UHS-1 cards available
micro - 16GB, $38, http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-microSDHC-Frustration-Packaging-SDSDQXP-016G-AFFP/dp/B008RJU3T4/
SD - 16, $36, http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-Class-Memory-SDSDXPA-016G-AFFP/dp/B007NDL56U/ref

 

[code65536]

Actual data throughput speed is classified by the C rating, e.g., C6, C10 or U rating, e.g., U1, U3.

UHS is the bus speed. UHS-I and UHS-II is like the difference between SATA-I and SATA-II. Just because a device supports SATA-III and can do "up to" the 6Gbps, doesn't mean that it actually gets anywhere close, and just as there is a wide range of performance among SSDs that support SATA-III, there's a wide range of performance between cards that support UHS-I (same with UHS-II, when, down the road, more products start to support that bus speed).

The problem with SD speeds is that there is little granularity in those speed ratings. C10 (and U1) means minimum read and write speeds of 10MB/s. You can have some junk card from Patriot that barely meets those minimums get the C10 label, and you can have a high-end SanDisk that comfortably exceeds those speeds also get slapped with the same label.

So you have to look at the specs the manufacturer provides. SanDisk, for example, is pretty good about listing those speeds. Ultra is 30MB/s, Extreme is 45, Extreme Pro is 95, and there are probably a few others (I hate the naming, though, because it's all a bunch of superlatives and I could never remember which one is higher-end than the other.)

 

[razel]

They have spec'd something above class 10. They just don't call it class 10 anymore. It's now U1 (minimum 10MB/s read/write) and U3 30MBs.

For the OP. Keep in mind to not spend too much on SD cards for performance reasons. SD cards are far more portable and in my opinion versatile than SSDs for external storage, but price per GB wise with the crazy nasty sales on SSDs lately $90 for ~240GB and $190 for 480GB, those are better choices for high performance external storage... shoot.. VERY high performance.

 

[paperwastage]

UHS-I and UHS-II is like the difference between SATA-I and SATA-II.

and like SATA-II, manufacturers are pushing against the standard limit already/soon

(SSD memory controller limited by SATA II)

sandisk just released their UHS-II card recently in feb. standard is up to 312MB/s, sandisk's card is up to 280MB/s

the first UHS-II card came out in July 2013, toshiba EXCERIA, up to 260MB/s

 

[shortylickens]

its for my camera, so full size is ideal. Micro is good assuming the little adapters dont have speed limits.

Do they?

 

[code65536]

its for my camera, so full size is ideal. Micro is good assuming the little adapters dont have speed limits.

Do they?

The adapters don't introduce any speed penalties, but achieving high speed in such a small form is difficult. The fastest full-sized SD card is going to be faster than the fastest micro, and a micro that performs at the same speed as a full-sized card will almost always cost more.

 

[shortylickens]

The adapters don't introduce any speed penalties, but achieving high speed in such a small form is difficult. The fastest full-sized SD card is going to be faster than the fastest micro, and a micro that performs at the same speed as a full-sized card will almost always cost more.

Well then, full size it is. And since I got some suggestions I think I may order tonight.

 

[Brian Stirling]

I have 64GB SDXC cards from Sandisk (Extreme Pro) that's listed at 95MB/s U1 for my Nikon D800E's and have had no problems with them. I sometimes use a USB3 reader if I have a lot on it, but if only 10GB or so I'll generally just plug the card into the SD slot of my laptop and even though the laptop slot is older/slower it doesn't make too much difference and transfers just fine so...

My Sandisk cards are 1-1.5 years old so there may be something better and/or cheaper by now. The U3 cards appear to be a crap ton more expensive and I see no need to go there as the camera is unlikely to write at the full U1 speeds let alone U3 speeds.

I wouldn't recommend 16GB cards and if 64GB is too much $$$ then 32GB might be more of the GB/price sweet spot.


Brian