Worried that your SD card cannot capture the high-definition photos and videos you want? Our selection offers a range of sizes, read speeds, and other protective qualities such as proofing from water, x-ray, magnets, dust, shock, and more. Read on to know more about our favorite SD cards for hobbyists and professionals alike, followed by some advice on what to look for when shopping for one.
SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Card
Best Overall
The SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Card is one of the brand’s most powerful SD cards, with shot speeds of up to 90 MB/s and transfer rates of up to 170 MB/s when paired with a compatible device. With such speeds, it’s perfect for shooting videos in 4K quality or taking photos in continuous mode. In addition to the impressive speed, it’s shock-proof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and X-ray-proof.
Why we love it:
- Lets you shoot continuous RAW photographs and 4K video with ease
- Its weather resistance makes it a great companion for traveling
- Compatible with most microSDHC and microSDXC cameras and devices
SanDisk Ultra 64GB Class 10 SDXC UHS-I Memory Card
Best Value
If extreme speed isn’t necessarily a priority and you would instead invest that extra cash somewhere else, look no further than the SanDisk Ultra 64GB Class 10 SDXC UHS-I Memory Card. With write speeds up to 80 MB/s, it is more than fast enough to record a 1080p video and promptly transfer files to your laptop. Not to mention, it’s a Class 10 card, meaning it’s equipped for use in cameras.
Why we love it:
- Underwent extensive testing to help ensure lasting quality and resilience
- Can withstand shocks, strong temperature, and water
- Still faster than some SDHC cards
Lexar Professional 633x 256GB SDXC Card
Best for Speed
If you need reliable speed, the Lexar Professional 633x 256GB SDXC Card has your back with its read speed of up to 95MB/s. Partner it with a USB 3.0 powered card reader, and you’ll even have more than enough to move your files seamlessly to your computer, making your tasks more efficient and productive.
Why we love it:
- Comes in large storage capacities so you can store longer videos and tons of photos
- Great for professional use thanks to its speed
- The Class 10 rating ensures stable results regardless of the camera model you use
Sony Tough High-Performance Flash Memory Card
Most Durable
With the Sony Tough High-Performance Flash Memory Card, you can get durability like no other with its use of rigid materials surviving water, dust, and even bending. Besides its tough construction, this SD card series is also speedy with 300 MB/s read and write rates that are almost just as fast, earning a V90 and U3 class designation.
Why we love it:
- Offers the highest waterproof rating of IPX8 and a dustproof rating of IP6X
- Has a ribless design to reduce the chances of losing smaller parts
- Perfect for adventurous photographers who go on shoots rain or shine
Lexar Professional SD Card
Best for Video
If you are shooting and working on high-resolution videos, you will need the fastest possible read and write speed for a smooth workflow. That is why the Lexar Professional SD Card is our best pick for this because it features read speeds up to 250MB/s and write speeds up to 120 MB/s. In addition to quick speeds, it’s also backward-compatible, so it works with UHS-I devices and older cameras and readers, allowing you to work with various camera models to achieve your desired results.
Why we love it:
- Has a built-in write-protect switch to help prevent accidental file deletion
- Owning an outdated camera model won’t be an issue
- Offers different storage capacity options to cater to your needs
How to choose an SD card
When looking at the hundreds of choices out there for SD cards, there are a few things you should keep in mind. For casual photographers, the most important two are card capacity and price. For some applications, however, the speed of the card is actually more important than the capacity — but judging SD card speed can be rather confusing. Here’s what you need to know about the different capacity and speed classes.
SDHC versus SDXC
When browsing through SD cards, there are two main types you will come across: SDHC and SDXC. SDHC stands for secure digital high capacity, and SDXC stands for secure digital extended capacity. The difference between the two types lies only in the amount of data they store. SDHC cards start at 2GB and top out at 32GB, whereas SDXC cards start at 32GB and theoretically max out at around 2TB of storage.
Class and UHS ratings
When talking about the speed of SD cards, there are four terms you will come across: Speed class, UHS (ultra high speed) class, video speed class, and rated speed. While each of these terms is related in some sense, they are each their standards, with some taking precedence over another, even when seen on the same SD card.
The speed class of a card is denoted by a “C” with a number inside of it. These classes are based on the following minimum speed of a card (average speed may be higher).
| Class | Minimum Speed |
|---|---|
| 2 | 2 MB/s |
| 4 | 4 MB/s |
| 6 | 6 MB/s |
| 8 | 8 MB/s |
| 10 | 10 MB/s |
In 2009, the SD Association introduced a new class called the UHS speed class. This new class supersedes the standard class mentioned above, but only if your device supports it (most everything made in or after 2009 does). If you’re using the SD card in an older device, it will default to the aforementioned speed class rating. Looking at the front of the SD card, this class is designated by a “U” with the speed class number inside.
| UHS Speed Class | Minimum Speed |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10 MB/s |
| 3 | 30 MB/s |
Since 2009, the SD Association has introduced another class — video speed class, also referred to as “V Class.” SD cards labeled V60 or V90 are designed specifically with high-bitrate video in mind, with an emphasis on 4K, 360, and larger professional filetypes. The various classes and speeds are as follows:
| V Class | Minimum Speed |
|---|---|
| 6 | 6 MB/s |
| 10 | 10 MB/s |
| 30 | 30 MB/s |
| 60 | 60 MB/s |
| 90 | 90 MB/s |
Although the SD Association standardizes the above classes, manufacturers still put their rated speed on SD cards. These rated speeds, almost always seen in terms of megabytes per second, are usually the theoretical maximum transfer speeds you can expect from the card. As you would expect, these vary from card to card and manufacturer to manufacturer. And again, these speeds may not be achievable if the device you’re putting the SD card into isn’t capable of these speeds in the first place.
Speed classes refer to the write speed of a card; that is, how quickly it can record data coming from the camera. Most often, if a card lists its actual megabytes-per-second speed, it is listing the read speed, which is how quickly data can be copied from the card to your computer. Read speeds and write speeds are completely independent of each other, which is why you may see a card advertise something like 150MB/s and yet not have a V90 rating. So pay attention to those class ratings, even if you see an indicated speed that looks to be well above it.
There are many different options for those looking for an SD card. If you’re looking for something for a brand new cutting edge device, or an older digital camera that you still love using, there’s an SD card on this list for you, whether you’re a photographer or a videographer in the thick of the action, following a snowboarder with a camera. With various speeds and capacities, these are the best SD cards available.
