Best micro SDHC and SDXC cards in 2020

The history of improving flash drives has been going on for more than 10 years. During this time period, flash drives have changed several generations, increased capacity, increased cluster speed and became an everyday thing for an ordinary user.

This article has compiled a rating of the best microSDHC and SDXC memory cards, which will help you understand their capabilities and advise users on which card is best for a particular device.

How is micro SDHC different from SDXC?

MicroSDHC and SDXC are the most popular memory card formats among computer and other gadget users.

MicroSDHC

This storage memory standard is the result of the subsequent development of microSD. Flash drives of this format are similar in size, but equipped with a much larger volume (from 4 to 32 GB). In addition, their specificity lies in the higher speed of reading and writing information - from 50 to 150 Mb / s.

It should be noted that drives of this format, most often, are not identified by microSD readers. For its part, there are no difficulties with backward compatibility of flash drives and card readers. This is due to the fact that microSD technology supports file systems such as FAT12 and FAT16 (in different versions), and drives are formatted in FAT 32.

MicroSDXC

Another technical threshold for improving SD technology is microSDXC drives. Their key plus is the very large storage capacity of 32GB - 2TB. But the dimensions of the flash drive are similar to the previous drives, and are 11x15x1 mm. Devices of this format use the exFAT file system.

The speed of reading and writing information on drives of this format ranges from 50 to 312 Mb / s. The exact meaning lies in the version of the gadget. Flash drives version 3.0, which are equipped with support for the UHS-1 standard, write and read information at a speed of 104 Mb / s. Mod 4.0 gadgets that support UHS-2 technology are capable of guaranteeing a value of 312 Mb / s.

Readers of flash drives of this format can identify the standards of previous generations. It should be noted that card readers upgraded for microSD and SDHC do not support microSDXC format gadgets.

Similarities and differences

The difference between microSDHC and SDXC lies in elements such as:

• The volume of the flash drive;
• Maximum speed of reading and writing information;
• The applied file system;
• Mutual compatibility of card readers, which are adapted for certain types of flash drives.

It should be noted that the dimensions of all flash drives are the same. More indicatively, the similarities and differences between drives are shown in the following table.

Similarities

Similarities
Both types of drives are technical types made according to the SD standard
Card readers dedicated to microSDXC identify microSDHC flash drives
The drives have one purpose - to save information, which is accessed through computers, phones, tablets and cameras.
Both types of flash drives have identical dimensions: 11x15x1 mm

Differences

MicroSDHC	MicroSDXC
Support exclusively for MicroSDHC and MicroSDXC readers	Support exclusively for MicroSDXC readers
Volume from 4 to 32 GB	Volume from 32 to 2 TB
Speed ​​and reading class from 50 to 150 Mb / s	Speed ​​and reading class from 50 to 312 Mb / s
Formatting to FAT 32	ExFAT formatting

Which company is better?

There are tons of different brands in the electronics market. Below are the best flash card manufacturers.

Kingston

 

The organization from America was formed not so long ago - in 1987. In the first couples of its existence, the company was engaged in the design of reliable blocks of SIMM memory. After some time, the company became one of the most popular manufacturers of permanent and random access memory.

In general, today SSD-drives, USB-drives and high-performance flash drives can be easily found on the shop windows. All new items delight you with almost absolute compatibility with the established speed standard, as well as a long service life.

Samsung

It's hard to believe, but today it is this brand that is most actively involved in the design of ultra-fast flash drives. Most likely, in a few years, flash drives of this particular brand will become the highest-speed ones. This is proved by the fact that everything is fine in the company's advanced smartphones with memory characteristics. On the speed side, it overtakes all similar components that other manufacturers do.

It is worth noting that the innovative drives will be executed using a similar technology, which is why their speed parameters will remain at an excellent level. But do not forget that the products of this brand are not always budget-friendly in price.

Sandisk

Another company from the United States, which is engaged in the manufacture of solid-state memory. Its drives are considered the most durable. At the same time, the company does not forget about the unpopular formats of flash drives.

For example, they still make cards that are necessary for the PSP Portable and some other Sony brand products to function. It's worth noting that SanDisk is not a self-sustaining firm. Today it is under the wing of Western Digital (a popular hard drive company).

Sony

The brand from Japan is trying to stay at the forefront of innovative technology in the electronics industry. She immediately started making cameras as soon as the digital format appeared. Its game consoles were the first to abandon the usual cartridges at that time.

Regarding flash drives, the company is of good quality and compatibility with most electronic equipment. The company has only one drawback - the cost of manufactured products, which is why Sony drives are sold at a much higher price when compared with other specialized companies.

Transcend

Like the other manufacturers discussed above, Transcend was founded in the late 1980s. Its main department is located in the Chinese Republic of Taipei.

For some time, this brand was engaged in the production of digital players and other multimedia gadgets. But today he is engaged in the manufacture of flash drives and the devices that are necessary for reading them - card readers.

Products of this brand are inexpensive, have fairly good speed capabilities and durability.

Rating of quality memory cards microSDHC and SDXC

The quickness with which the industry of flash drives is improving is really incredible, since not so long ago, with a capacity of half a gigabyte, a flash drive was a favorite acquisition. But today the development is going so fast that now you will not surprise anyone with flash drives, which in terms of capacity exceed this value by a factor of thousands, while maintaining the same dimensions.

But, at this point in time, manufacturers have not agreed on a universal standard. Despite this, the most popular types are really to be noted - microSD, SDHC and SDXC.And all the same, specific manufacturers are trying to promote their corporate class by releasing gadgets with connectors for it. For example, the Sony trademark and its permanent Memory Stick.

By the way, even in the type itself there are a lot of differences, including price, capacity and speed capabilities. And here it makes sense to briefly recall the old days, when such a value as the read speed reached only 1 Mb / s, and this was an incredible parameter. But today, when content is already being done in 8K format, such speed is a fiasco.

So, which type of memory card is best for a smartphone, and which one is better to buy a flash drive for a tablet? The ranking of the best memory cards will help to sort out all these questions.

Best microSDHC memory cards

If a user needs to buy a storage device for a phone that is based on Android, then most likely there is a microSD type flash drive in it. The microSDHC category, for its part, is a "subtype" of micro SD flash drives. By design, it is unrealistic to find a difference between them. They have identical dimensions, and devices that support microSD functionally work similarly with microSDHC cards.

The reason for creating microSDHC is clear: some time before that, in the process of forming the microSD format, no one seriously thought that flash drives would cross the capacity parameter above 2 GB. Due to this, the file system had a similar limit. Hand in hand with flash drives larger than 2 GB, an innovative standard has emerged. SDHC has so called "classes". Simply put, if there is an inscription "SDHC class 10" on the flash drive, it means that the reading speed is 10 Mb / s.

Below is a top, consisting of five flash drives of this format, so that users can choose the one that suits them best.

"5th place: Transcend TS SDHC10"

Such a flash drive is not suitable for installation in professional DSLR cameras or 4K camcorders. Its limit is to be located in a practical cell or play the role of a backup storage device.

Since this flash drive does not support high speed, this played a significant role in its cost. It makes no sense for the user to worry about the longevity of the memory card, because this drive will function well for many years.

It should be noted that the media is used even in amateur camcorders that record images in FHD resolution. The fact is that the write speed reaches 13 Mb / s, which is quite enough. The information is read at a speed of 20-21 Mb / s, which is quite a decent parameter.

• Availability;
• Popularity of models;
• Stability of work.

• Speed ​​capabilities are not distinguished by high parameters.

The average price is 700 rubles.

"4th place: Kingston microSDHC Class 10 U3 UHS-I"

And this is a good solution for owners of innovative action cameras that can shoot video in 4K resolution. The high-speed capabilities here are such that there will be no problems even after 30 minutes of recording. If a person records videos very often and for a long time, then it will be logical to start looking for where it is profitable to buy such a drive with a volume of 128 GB, regardless of the price.

• The recording speed reaches 80 Mb / s;
• Reading speed reaches 90 Mb / s;
• There are flash drives on the market with a capacity of 16-128 GB;
• The package contains an SD adapter.

• Relatively high price.

The average price is 1,500 rubles.

"3rd place: SMARTBUY MICROSDHC CLASS 10"

A card for people who have made the decision to yield to the characteristics of stable performance at the expense of accessibility. This model will be a good purchase for a DVR, phone and tablet, rather than for specialized portable equipment due to the adapter included in the kit.

There is a wide range of capacities on the market - 4-32 GB. In addition, the card is equipped with a standard read / write speed of 10 Mb / s.

It is worth noting that the limited focus of the brand on microSDHC is explained by one understandable factor: the integrity of information during multiple rewriting cycles is not ensured in it.And if for ordinary users the loss of information does not always lead to serious difficulties, then for photographers, for example, the loss of photographs from shooting promises a serious blow to their reputation.

• Availability;
• Good quality;
• The set includes a plug adapter;
• Stability of work.

• Weak performance.

The average price is 500 rubles.

2nd Place: SanDisk Ultra microSDHC Class 10 UHS-I

Displays of innovative phones most often have FHD resolution. And the incredible popularity of high quality content plays a significant role in this. In that situation, if the user is a fan of watching videos, or his activities or hobbies are associated with the regular transfer of data to a PC and vice versa, this memory card will be an excellent purchase.

• The card capacity reaches 32 GB. This is enough to store ten hours of video with a resolution of 1920 px;
• The drive has a speed class 10, which means it is able to exchange information at a speed of 48 Mb / s;
• The package includes a specialized adapter for a full-size SD connector, which is needed when working with a PC or photographic electronics.

• Rapid wear.

The average price is 500 rubles.

1st Place: SanDisk Extreme SDHC UHS Class 3 60MB / s

Definitely the leader of this top. For a relatively budgetary cost, the device guarantees mind-blowing speed. Reading information here is carried out at 60 Mb / s speed.

Reviews of the model prove that the US brand has managed to release a high-quality device, because it "sucks" all the power from SDHC. This drive is put into cameras, video cameras, set-top boxes and other appropriate electronics.

The manufacturer claims that information on his flash drive is written at a speed of 40 Mb / s, but the owners say that most of the cards demonstrate even greater speed, in some cases it reaches 54 Mb / s.

• There are modifications for 16 and 32 GB;
• High speed performance;
• Users almost never experience interruptions;
• Availability.

• Not detected.

The average price is 4,000 rubles.

Best MicroSDXC Cards

Now even inexpensive phones write video with a resolution of 1080x1920 px. "Leaders" are capable of making videos in 4K format. Simply put, flagships shoot video, the frame width of which reaches more than 4,000 pixels. Such a video is then comfortable to process due to the excellent clarity of the picture, but it is completely uncomfortable to store it. The fact is that only after a couple of minutes, a user phone is able to shoot a video, the capacity of which will be from 3 to 4 GB.

Here the next difficulty also arises - to record such a video, a flash drive with high-speed characteristics is needed. Otherwise, capturing the unique moments of life simply will not work. The brand's media are made to overcome these challenges that SDHC cannot handle:

1. Improved file system, which made it possible to make drives with a capacity of up to 2 TB;
2. High-speed capabilities reach up to 300 Mb / s, and make it possible to record / open high-resolution videos.

If the user is going to constantly use the phone storage, work with videos and pictures in high resolution, then this type of card is a good buy. The selection criteria are easy to outline if you examine the following top of the best memory cards in this format.

"5th place: Transcend TS SDXC10U1"

This flash drive easily stands out from the crowd with its blue shell and colorful label. Ultimately, the manufacturer provides a flash drive with a capacity of 128 GB, which is quite enough. From the side of speed capabilities, the model is perfect for owners of camcorders that can shoot in 4K resolution.

Reviews of the model prove that the owners of full-frame "camera" of the mirror type cannot do without a more expensive flash drive.

The bottom line is that flash drives from this line can cause some difficulties during long-term shooting (we are talking specifically about SLR cameras). However, other users will in any case appreciate the availability of the product, as well as its durability.

• Optimal cost;
• Good quality;
• Durability;
• There are modifications for 64 and 128 GB;
• The recording speed is approximately 70 Mb / s.

• Difficulties in working with some DSLRs.

The average price is 1,800 rubles.

4th Place: SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC (SDSQXXG)

The ultimate flash drive for an innovative phone or tablet. Its support of the A1 class is guaranteed, and the speed of "small-block" recording of the model is actually higher than average. In addition, the media is read without prior caching, which is easily proven by performing a memory test on a mobile device. The flash drive does an excellent job of recording clips of good definition, including 4K format.

The assortment in this series of the company is so extensive that it would be appropriate to say that it is the UHS-I Class 3 V30 A1 card of the tenth class that is being considered. Although the U1 modification of this flash drive is also excellent, its speed characteristics are slightly lower.

• Incredible read / write speeds;
• Incredible durability
• Stability of work;
• The manufacturer guarantees great support.

• Counterfeits are not uncommon;
• Not the most affordable price.

The average price is 2 800 rubles.

"3rd Place: Kingston SDA10"

This series includes both SDHC and SDXC flash drives. It is worth noting that the former are most in demand, since they are cheaper. SDXC cards meet the stated standards, and some models can write information at a maximum speed of 40 to 45 Mb / s.

More capacitive models will delight you with a lower maximum speed - in the range from 30 to 35 Mb / s. Of course, the actual response is much less, but it is quite enough for camcorders that record images in FHD resolution.

Reading speed fluctuates within 60-80 Mb / s, it all depends on the capacity of the purchased flash drive. The brand has been making solid-state media for a long time, so there is no point in worrying about the flash drive breaking down in a couple of years. Interestingly, such media are sold at low cost.

• Gorgeous speed parameters;
• Stability of work;
• Availability;
• Popularity of models.

• Some of the models still do not fulfill the approved speed capabilities.

The average price is 2,500 rubles.

"2nd place: SAMSUNG MICROSDXC EVO PLUS 80MB / S"

The Samsung brand has a fairly solid experience in the manufacture of gadgets for information storage. Among the company's products, there are full-size hard disks and the most practical media. The model under consideration should be attributed to the latter. The colorful, red-and-white flash drive boasts both the leading capacity (128 GB), and excellent speed characteristics, and a gorgeous "reserve of durability".

• Fashionable appearance. Among the black and gray flash drives, the colorful red product from the brand looks very nice. In addition, this drive is hard to lose as it stands out among the things in the wallet / bag and so on;
• Good speed characteristics. Today, read / write speeds of 80-20 Mb / s are more than enough;
• Supports UHS Class 1 standard;
• Stability of work. In the reviews, buyers say the drive meets the approved capabilities, copes well with long write cycles, does not heat up or break.

• A fragile shell.

The average price is 6,500 rubles.

"1st place: ADATA Premier microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I U1 + SD adapter"

The bearers of this brand stand out for their affordability while maintaining impressive values.The model will become a good purchase in a situation when it is necessary to get a really high-quality product with high speed characteristics for a symbolic cost. The drive supports the SDA 3.0 data exchange standard, so the flash drive functions smartly.

• Supports UHS-I standard while meeting the directivity of SDA 3.0;
• Reading speed reaches 50 Mb / s;
• Despite the fact that the media is classified as an innovative SDXC format, its cost is commensurate with SDHC cards.

• The recording speed is comparatively low (10 Mb / s).

The average price is 2,500 rubles.

How to choose?

If the user believes that in the process of purchasing a flash drive for his own device, it is necessary to pay due attention solely to supporting the format and capacity, it will be advisable to upset him. The point is that you need to look at at least 3 factors.

Factor 1- Compatibility

For many users, microSD is only a form factor, but in reality it is not. The user can easily install any flash drive into the proper slot, but not every one of them will function, because the media differ in a lot of features.

Format

There are 3 different SD formats in total, which are divided into 2 form factors (SD and microSD):

1. MicroSD - media with a capacity of no more than 2 GB. They function on any electronics.
2. MicroSDHC - media with a capacity of 3-32 GB. They function on any electronics.
3. MicroSDXC - media with a capacity of 32-2TB (currently the limit is 512 MB). They function exclusively on devices that support SDXC.

It is worth noting that there is no reverse type compatibility. Flash drives of an innovative format on gadgets of the previous generation will not be able to function.

Capacity

The manufacturer-approved microSDXC support does not ensure compatibility of this type of media with any capacity, since everything is in a specific device. For example, HTC One M9 works with this format, but formally it only supports flash drives with a capacity of no more than 128 GB.

Another important factor is related to the storage capacity. All microSDXC drives use the exFAT file system as standard. Windows OS has been supporting it for about 10 years, in Apple's OS it was formed only from version 10.6.5. In Linux, this file system is supported, but it does not always function "from the factory".

Factor 2 - Performance

Variety of drive speeds are as difficult as their types and compatibility. Classifications divide the speed capabilities of media into 4 types, and since manufacturers use all of them, there is complete confusion.

Speed ​​class

The lowest writing speed to the flash drive in MB / s is tied to the speed class. There are 4 such classes in total:

1. Class 2 - from 2 Mb / s.
2. Class 4 - from 4 Mb / s.
3. Class 6 - from 6 Mb / s.
4. Class 10 - from 10 Mb / s.

At the moment, flash drives that operate on the UHS bus at high speed have only 2 speed classes:

1. U1 - from 10 Mb / s.
2. U3 - from 30 Mb / s.

Since the lowest record value is taken in the speed class parameter, theoretically speaking, a 2nd class medium can be faster than a fourth flash drive. But, if this turns out to be true, the manufacturer will most likely say about it in as much detail as possible.

Limiting speed

The speed class is quite enough to distinguish flash drives at the time of purchase, however, some manufacturers, in addition to it, write in the description the maximum speed in Mb / s, and not write (which, by the way, is always less), but read.

Often this is the result of synthetic-type tests in excellent conditions, which are unrealistic to achieve during normal use. In reality, the speed lies in many factors, which is why it makes no sense to choose a flash drive only by this parameter.

Speed ​​multiplier

Another category by which performance is classified is a speed multiplier similar to that used to denote read and write for optical discs. There are more than 10 of them (6x-633x). 1x multiplier = 150 Kb / s.Simply put, ordinary drives have a speed of approximately 900 Kb / s. The fastest carriers have a multiplier of 633x, which is comparable to 95 MB / s.

Factor 3 - Non-original products

No matter how stereotyped it may be, it is a common thing to acquire an unoriginal product under the guise of a branded one today. Recently, the SanDisk brand claimed that as many as a third of its brand's flash drives on the market were counterfeit. The situation has not changed since that time.

So that the purchase does not become a disappointment, it is enough to give yourself "into the hands" of common sense. Don't buy from managers who are not credible. In addition, it is worth avoiding the offer of "branded flash drives", the price of which is significantly less than the formal one.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that this is the most current rating of the best memory cards at the moment. Which one is better to buy is, of course, up to users to decide, because it all depends on their needs, tasks and available budget.