1TB microSD Memory Cards For 2019

It seems like we just finished reviewing the 400GB microSD Flash Memory Cards, and now both Sandisk and Micron are bringing out 1TB microSD cards.

The 512GB microSD cards that Sandisk released in 2018 will soon no longer be the highest capacity commercially available cards.

The Sandisk 1TB microSD cards should be available in the June to September 2019 time frame, and selling for around $400 to $500. Preliminary data puts transfer speeds around 160MB/s for Read, 90MB/s for Write. The Flash technology is rumored to be a 96-layer quad-level cell (QLC) NAND.

Also, Micron has also announced a 1TB with similar cost, performance.

Here’s what I think:

• For professional photographers and film-makers, the price premium for early adoption will be worth it.
• These cards have the speed capabilities for video up to 4K, and can run applications. They handle it all.
• For the typical consumer, the 1TB cards are expensive relative to the readily available 400GB cards at around $80 to $100.

(FYI – for more info on these, please see Highest Capacity 400GB MicroSD Cards – 2019 )

I also think that the 1TB should come down in price as the production volumes (and chip yields) increase, and these will become very consumer friendly.

For those interested in the technology driving these densities, here is what Micron announced:

“Micron’s technology leadership in 3D NAND with CMOS under the array and 96-layer QLC has been instrumental in developing and launching the world’s first 1TB microSD card,” said Aravind Ramamoorthy, senior director of NAND solutions for Micron’s Embedded Business Unit. “The new c200 1TB microSD card gives consumers the freedom to capture, share, store and enjoy more content while supporting their mobile-centric lifestyles.”

Data Transfer rates are very good on these cards: The new 1TB card from SanDisk will support reads at 160MB per second and writes at 90MB per second. Meanwhile, Micron will manage 100MB per second reads and 95MB per second writes.

These new microSD cards are rated for the following specifications:

• UHS-I Speed Class 3
• Video Speed Class 30
• A2 App Performance Class

These performance metrics are optimal for video recording of 4K content, game consoles and burst-mode still photography.

With this amount of memory, you can store up to 40 hours of 4K HDR video, thousands of 40MP+ photos and multiple mobile apps.

For more details, please refer to the respective product announcements from Sandisk and Micron .

Question for readers to answer in the comments below:

What’s the largest memory card you are using now?