UHS class
UHS bus version supported by the memory card.
UHS is a data exchange technology used in SD/microSD cards of the (micro)SD HC and (micro)SD XC standards. It allows you to significantly increase the speed of data exchange compared to previous standards; at the same time, media supporting this technology are quite compatible with equipment that does not have UHS - except that the speeds in such cases will be limited by the capabilities of the card reader, and not the card itself.
As for the versions, their names consist of two parts: UHS generation (I or II) and class (1 or 3) - for example,
UHS-I Class 1. Actually, this is the most modest version of UHS found in modern memory cards; in addition to it,
UHS-I Class 3 and
UHS-II Class 3 are popular. The maximum data transfer speed (usually referring to read mode) depends on the UHS generation - it is 104 MB/s for version I and 312 MB/s for version 2. “Class”, in turn, determines the lowest (guaranteed) write speed : it is at least 10 MB/s for Class 1 and at least 30 MB/s for Class 3. Different versions of UHS are quite compatible with each other, except that the speed in such cases will be limited by the slower standard.
Note that for UHS cards, more advanced characteristics may be indicated in other paragraphs - for example, the video recording class (see below) V90 for a UHS-II Class 3 card. There
...is no contradiction here: the speed of 90 MB/s provided by such a card in recording mode, it fully satisfies the “not lower than 30 MB/s” condition provided for UHS Class 3.Video recording class
The video recording class supported by the memory card.
This parameter is indicated for SD/microSD cards and their variations, as well as CompactFlash (see “Type”). In the first case, the format designation V* is used, in the second - VPG*, but the idea is the same in both cases: the numbers indicated instead of an asterisk are the lowest write speed (in MB/s) that the card is guaranteed to provide. This speed is of key importance primarily in video recording, which is why this parameter is called “Video Recording Class”; the higher it is, the higher the resolution and frame rate at which you can record using this card.
The minimum video recording class found in modern SD/microSD family cards is
V6, which already allows you to work with HD and Full HD video. However, for Full HD it is advisable to have a card of at least
V10 level. And the
V30 class already allows you to comfortably work with Ultra HD 4K. Faster cards are also being released - V60 and even V90, suitable for resolutions of 8K and higher.
In turn, in CompactFlash cards you can find models of the
VPG20,
VPG65 and
VPG130 classes
Note that the video recording class may well be higher than the general speed class and/or UHS class (see above). However, there are no contradic
...tions here. UHS class requirements require write speeds of “not less than...”; Thus, for example, all cards with a video recording class of V30 and higher will comply with the UHS Class 3 standard (“not lower than 30 MB/s”). And the general speed class describes the capabilities of the card when working with equipment without UHS support (and such equipment is practically not used in video recording).Application class
Speed class when working with applications to which the memory card corresponds.
When working with applications that use a memory card (for example, mobile games), information is written and read not in a continuous stream, as when recording video or copying data, but in separate small fragments, and from random areas in the drive’s memory (the so-called random write/read). So a high-class video recording (see above) does not always mean good flow Rate when working with demanding games and other resource-intensive programs. Therefore, the characteristics of memory cards began to separately indicate the speed class for applications.
The key indicator for assigning a particular class is the minimum number of IOPS (input/output operations per second) that the media can provide in random write and read mode. Nowadays, the following classes are relevant:
—
A1 — at least 1500 IOPS for reading and 500 IOPS for writing;
—
A2 — at least 4000 IOPS and 2000 IOPS, respectively.
The continuous recording speed (for example, when recording video) in both cases must be at least 10 MB/s (often it is higher - see “Speed class”, “Video recording class”).
In the future, we can expect the emergence of new, more productive classes for applications. We also note that this parameter significantly affects the price of the card.
Endurance (loop recording)
Extended-life memory cards - in other words, such media is able to endure more rewrite cycles than regular media. Such durability is achieved, in particular, through the use of special controllers that provide the most even distribution of the load over the memory cells.
Endurance memory cards are positioned primarily as the best choice for video cameras operating in adverse conditions - DVRs (including motorcycle and bicycle cameras), action cameras, outdoor surveillance cameras, etc. In such video equipment, the so-called cyclic shooting mode is often used: when the drive is full, new material starts automatically overwriting older ones, thus avoiding breaks in recording. This type of memory card, due to its increased durability, is excellent for working in this mode. In addition, media marked with Endurance usually also have an increased degree of overall protection - from dust, moisture, temperature extremes, shock / shock, and even X-rays. This increases the likelihood that the contents of the card will remain intact even in the event of an accident or other emergency.
Working life
A measure of the lifespan of a storage device, expressed in thousands of hours. The parameter determines the approximate working life of the memory card with constant cycles of writing and erasing data. It is indicated, frankly, infrequently, but it is by this indicator that it is most preferable to select a drive for devices operating in the cyclic recording mode of information (for example, video recorders, cameras and video surveillance kits).
Adapter included
An additional
adapter is included with the memory card.
The adapter is a device with which the card can be installed in a non-native format card reader. Nowadays, microSD cards are mainly equipped with such a device — adapters are designed to install such media in a slot for a full-size SD card. This is convenient primarily for exchanging data between portable gadgets like a smartphone / tablet and larger equipment like PCs and laptops — for example, to copy pictures from a smartphone camera to a computer or music from a computer to a smartphone.
Manufacturer's warranty
Manufacturer's warranty provided for this model.
In fact, this is the minimum service life promised by the manufacturer, provided that the operating rules are followed. Most often, the actual service life of the device turns out to be significantly longer than the guaranteed one. But an indicator of 5 years suggests that the memory card is more likely to be lost or become irrelevant. You can also find
a lifetime warranty, but in this case it is better to clarify the details of what it covers. And in any case, it implies a certain period of time, although measured in decades. In addition to confirmation of reliability, such a guarantee allows you to contact the supplier after a while to eliminate possible problems (not mechanical, of course). But the difficulties in carrying out this procedure (representative offices are located only in large cities) and the rare cases of need for this (after all, it is easier to buy a new flash drive, with the exception of vital information on the old media) make the lifetime warranty more of a marketing ploy than a cool feature.
