SanDisk’s Extreme Pro microSD cards are ideal for high-speed data transfer. SanDisk claims world-first sequential read speeds of 200MB/s and write speeds up to 140MB/s, with a Video Speed Class 30 rating. Read on for our real-world testing results of their latest microSD card.
SanDisk’s Extreme Pro microSD cards are ideal for high-speed data transfer. SanDisk claims world-first sequential read speeds of 200MB/s and write speeds up to 140MB/s, with a Video Speed Class 30 rating. Read on for our real-world testing results of their latest microSD card.
SanDisk Extreme Pro microSD Specifications
The SanDisk Extreme Pro microSD cards are intended for 4K video and other high-speed data scenarios, such as Android phones, action cameras, and drones. The smallest capacity card in the lineup is the microSDHC 32GB card rated for sequential performance of 100MB/s read and 90MB/s write. The 64GB-128GB microSDXC cards up the read to 200MB/s, and for maximum performance, the 256GB/400GB/512GB/1TB cards are 200MB/s read and 140MB/s write.
The SanDisk Extreme Pro microSD cards are recognizable by their red and black color scheme and V30 badge (Video Speed Class 30). Pricing at review time was ~$95 for our 512MB review unit, though they start as low as $13. (Amazon link.) The pricing is largely in-line with that of Samsung’s PRO Plus microSD cards.
Like the Samsung PRO Plus, the Extreme Pro microSD cards are also shock-, temperature-, water- and X-ray proof. SanDisk doesn’t list the number of insertion cycles though it does cover these cards with a lifetime warranty.
The SanDisk Extreme Pro microSD card has the following specifications:
| Form Factor | microSDHC, microSDXC |
| Capacity | microSDHC: 32GB
microSDXC: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 400GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Performance/Speed | 256GB-1TB:
64GB-128GB
32GB:
|
| Dimensions (LWH) | 0.43″ x 0.59″ x 0.04″ |
| Operating Temperature | -13 deg F to 185 deg F (-25 deg C to 85 deg C) |
| Storage Temperature | -40 deg F to 185 deg F (-40 deg C to 85 deg C) |
| Compatibility | Compatible with microSDHC, microSDXC, microSDHC UHS-I, and microSDXC UHS-I supporting host devices |
| Warranty | Lifetime limited warranty |
SanDisk Extreme Pro microSD Performance
We tested a 512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC card in a SanDisk Professional PRO-READER SD and microSD card reader. (See our review of the CF version.) This reader ought to showcase the Extreme Pro microSD card’s performance since it’s designed to work with them, using SanDisk’s QuickFlow technology. The reader includes a USB-C cable and retails for $55 on WesternDigital.com.
Our first test is the popular Blackmagic Design Disk Speed Test. The Extreme Pro microSDXC card bested SanDisk’s write rating, at 133.2MB/s, though its 191.1MB/s read is just under the rated 200MB/s. These numbers are much better than we saw from the Samsung PRO Plus, which scored 119.4MB/s write and 152.8MB/s read. (And that is already a very fast card.)
Next and last is the synthetic IOMeter benchmark where I also included numbers for the Samsung PRO Plus.
| IOMeter | ||
| Test | SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC | Samsung PRO Plus microSDXC |
| 2MB sequential write | 135MB/s | 117MB/s |
| 2MB sequential read | 191MB/s | 151MB/s |
| 2MB random write | 96MB/s | 90MB/s |
| 2MB random read | 167MB/s | 136MB/s |
| 4K random write | 601 IOPS | 834 IOPS |
| 4K random read | 1,349 IOPS | 2,505 IOPS |
The Extreme Pro microSD posted very impressive 2MB sequential and random numbers, again exceeding what we saw from Samsung. Samsung did noticeably better in the 4K random tests, though those numbers are less important if your needs are based around large files. That said, both cards deliver stellar performance; only recently have we seen microSD cards surpass 100MB/s large block data-transfer performance.
Conclusion
The SanDisk Extreme Pro microSD card performed extremely well in our testing, hitting at or very close to its rated numbers; we saw 133MB/s write and 191MB/s read in Blackmagic Design’s Disk Speed Test as compared to its 130MB/s and 200MB/s ratings. Its large-block performance edged out what we saw from the previous fastest microSD card to come through our lab, the Samsung PRO Plus, though the Samsung showed better 4K random performance.
The Extreme Pro microSD cards should stand up to daily use well, being water-, temperature-, and shock-proof, and to back all that up, SanDisk covers these cards with a lifetime warranty. Overall, the Extreme Pro microSD is easy to recommend for high-performance needs.
SanDisk Product Link (WesternDigital.com)
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