Samsung MicroSD PRO Plus / EVO Plus Joshua Waller
tests some tiny and reliable microSD memory cards
From £11 www.samsung.com/uk/memory-storage
I REMEMBER once paying £60 for a second-hand 1GB hard drive for my PC. It was roughly the size of a book, and could hardly store anything by today’s standards. Now you can get 128GB of storage in a microSD card that’s smaller than a pea at a fraction of the price. Talk about progress!
Using the provided adapter, you can use these in any camera that supports SD cards. You’ll also find they’re perfect for smartphones, tablets, security cameras, dashcams, audio recorders, and even the Nintendo Switch. Here we’re looking at Samsung’s PRO Plus microSD cards, available in 128, 256 and 512GB sizes for £22, £46 and £94 respectively. The EVO Plus range is available in 64, 128, 256, and 512GB capacities for £11, £16, £38 and £77, which is cheaper than most branded SD cards.
The PRO Plus cards claim quicker performance, with up to 160MB/s read and 120MB/s write speeds. Samsung says the firm uses a ‘proprietary technology’ to reach speeds beyond the UHS-I speed limit of 104MB/s. However, you’ll also need to be using a device that can support this. With the PRO Plus and a USB 3.0 microSD card reader,
I was able to get read speeds up to 95MB/s and write speeds up to 84MB/s. The EVO Plus cards promise read speeds up to 130MB/s, and are said to be up to 1.3x faster than the previous version. I was able to get read speeds up to 95MB/s and write speeds up to 66MB/s.
In comparison to SD cards, there are no fiddly plastic bits to break off, no outer shell that can come away, and the cards are surprisingly tough for their size. These new cards now offer ‘six-proof’ protection, meaning they can withstand water, extreme temperatures, X-rays, drops, magnetic impact, and ‘wear out’ – meaning they should withstand up to 10,000 wipes. You also get a ten-year limited warranty, which you know you can rely on, as Samsung has been around for years, and isn’t likely to be going anywhere soon!
Verdict
The only drawback you may face with these cards is that they are just so small, physically. Drop one down the back of the sofa, and you may never be able to find it again. But other than that, they are great value for money, offer good speeds, and can be used in a wide variety of devices. They also offer a ten-year warranty, and ‘six-proof’ technology making them likely to survive much longer.