Lexar Professional DIAMOND CFexpress Card Review (512GB)

The Lexar Professional CFexpress DIAMOND Type B Series is a premium memory card designed for capturing high-resolution video and images in high-end cameras without any lag or stutter. While the GOLD and DIAMOND lines offer high-speed performance and reliability, the DIAMOND line is meant for power users who demand the highest performance and durability possible.

The Lexar Professional CFexpress DIAMOND Type B Series is a premium memory card designed for capturing high-resolution video and images in high-end cameras without any lag or stutter. While the GOLD and DIAMOND lines offer high-speed performance and reliability, the DIAMOND line is meant for power users who demand the highest performance and durability possible.

This makes it ideal for use in the film industry and high-end content creation, where speed and reliability are essential. Last year we reviewed the 256GB model and found it to be an ultimate performer and a great addition to a niche market. This time around, we are looking at the new 512GB capacity.

While the CFast cards leverage the SATA interface (SanDisk Extreme PRO and Acer CF100), the CFexpress Type B form factor uses the PCIe Gen 3×2 and NVMe high-speed protocols. This means they can easily handle the data transfer rates required for smooth RAW 8K video capture with sustained performance.

The Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series is a rugged card built to withstand even the harshest conditions, featuring shock and vibration-proof certifications and resistance to extreme temperatures. This means it can handle whatever the elements throw at it, making it an essential storage solution for outdoor shoots and other challenging environments.

Regarding performance, the 512GB model offers the same profile as the 128GB and 256GB capacities: sequential reads and writes up to 1,900MB/s and 1,700MB/s, respectively. It also has an impressive minimum sustained write speed of 1,600MB/s. In addition, the DIAMOND series memory cards are backward-compatible with select XQD cameras. And with its VPG400 video class compliance, it promises to capture video streams at a minimum write speed of 400MB/s when used with compatible host devices and recording media.

The Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series is also backed by a generous lifetime limited warranty, giving users peace of mind for the life of the product. This makes it an attractive option for professionals looking to invest in a reliable and long-lasting storage solution.

The Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series 512GB model is priced at $529.99 and is finding its way into retail now.

Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series Specifications

Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series Design and Build

Measuring just over an inch in width and one and a half inches in height, these cards are incredibly compact for the power they output.

Featuring a sleek black and silver/white design, the front of the DIAMOND card prominently displays the product name, form factor, capacity, potential speed, Lexar branding, and a unique diamond at the top-right corner. Having this information clearly visible on the card is crucial for professionals who often work with many different memory cards, as it helps improve their workflow.

On the back of the card, you’ll find the usual information, including product, manufacturing country, serial numbers, and certifications.

Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Performance

We tested the Lexar DIAMOND card via a Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Reader.

Our testing starts with the popular Blackmagic Disk Speed Test. While it didn’t quite reach the quoted speeds from Lexar, it did post solid numbers for its class: 1,470MB/s write and 1,441.1MB/s read. This was a bit slower than the 256GB model, which posted 1,500.7MB/s write and 1,549.5MB/s read.

Other comparables include the SanDisk Professional PRO-CINEMA, which leveled out at 515.5MB/s write and 1,213.3MB/s read, and the SanDisk Extreme Pro CFExpress, which posted 1,060.1MB/s write and 1,425MB/s read.

Our second test is IOMeter, where we tested the Lexar DIAMOND 512GB card in both single-thread and four-thread workloads.

As is often the case, the Lexar Professional DIAMOND (512GB) card performed better in the heavier 4-thread workload and was overall the best CFexpress card (especially in 2MB random writes).

Conclusion

The CFexpress form factor is designed for serious professionals who need the fastest transfer speeds possible. The DIAMOND Series proved (once again) that it is the best-of-class option for this form factor. And now that Lexar has added the 512GB model, this makes it a no-brainer for those with larger storage needs.

Like the smaller capacity model, it didn’t quite reach its quoted potential speeds of 1.9GB/s read, and 1.7GB/s write; however, it was still easily the best performer among its competition.  As for the specifics, it was able to hit top speeds of 1,470MB/s write and 1,441.1MB/s read in our Blackmagic test while reaching 1,355.1MB/s read and 1,189MB/s write in IOMeter (1-Thread). We also tested its random 2MB performance, which showed 1,148.3MB/s read and 1,204.1MB/s write. Overall, these results were slightly slower than the 256GB model.

We also put it through a 4-thread test designed to push the memory cards further. Here, the Lexar DIAMOND 512GB saw slightly better results than the 128GB capacity, posting 1,783.3MB/s read and 1,663MB/s write. In random 2MB performance, while the 512GB DIAMOND fell a bit behind the smaller capacity version in reads (1,440.1MB/s), it showed a massive improvement in write performance with a best-in-class 1,577.8MB/s (vs. 759MB/s).

The Lexar DIAMOND Professional Series is easily the best available CFexpress Type-B line on the market (with a limited lifetime warranty to boot). Although the new capacity only shows a performance improvement in the random 2MB transfer speed category (and is sometimes slower compared to the 128GB model), it is undoubtedly a welcome addition, as the 512GB model was conspicuously absent during the initial release. This makes the DIAMOND memory cards an even more impressive line of CFexpress cards–especially for those with larger storage needs.

It’s important to note that the Lexar Professional DIAMOND CFexpress cards come at a premium price. The 512GB, 256GB, and 128GB models cost approximately $200, $330, and $530, respectively, which is significantly higher than the SanDisk Extreme Pro, which is currently on sale for $120, $230, and $350 at most online retailers like Amazon and B&H. That said, this 512GB capacity is brand new, so we expect pricing to drop as the card makes it into retail.

If you require top-of-the-line performance, the extra expense is justifiable; it only makes sense to want the best memory card inside a camera that costs anywhere from $2K to over $50K. With the new 512GB capacity (coupled with its impressive performance, reliability, and lifetime warranty), the Lexar Professional DIAMOND CFexpress is better than ever.

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