Samsung Unveils 256GB SD Express and 1TB UHS-1 microSD Cards

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Alex Harrington | Last updated 3/1/24

Samsung has made headlines by announcing the start of sampling its 256GB SD Express microSD card, which promises speeds more than four times faster than the current interface. Alongside this, the company has also begun mass production of its 1TB UHS-1 microSD card, leveraging the latest V-NAND technology. These advancements mark a significant leap in memory solutions, catering to the increasing demands of mobile computing and on-device AI applications.

Key Takeaways:

Pioneering Speeds with SD Express microSD Cards: Samsung's 256GB SD Express microSD card sets a new industry standard with sequential read speeds of up to 800MB/s, significantly outpacing the current UHS-1 interface limited to 104MB/s. This card, thanks to its SSD-like performance, is designed to enhance the user experience across various applications, including PCs and mobile devices.
Massive Storage with the 1TB UHS-1 microSD Card: By stacking eight layers of its 8th generation 1-terabit V-NAND, Samsung introduces a 1TB microSD card that brings SSD-level capacity to the compact microSD format. This card offers robust features including water, temperature, drop, and X-ray protection, ensuring reliability in challenging environments.
Availability: The revolutionary 256GB SD Express microSD card is set to be available for purchase later this year, while the 1TB UHS-1 microSD card is expected to launch within the third quarter, promising to meet the growing needs for high-performance and high-capacity memory solutions.

"With our two new microSD cards, Samsung has provided effective solutions to address the growing demands of mobile computing and on-device AI," stated Hangu Sohn, Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “Despite their tiny size, these memory cards deliver powerful SSD-like performance and capacity to help users get more out of demanding modern and future applications.”

256GB SD Express microSD Card

Samsung's introduction of the 256GB SD Express microSD card marks a significant milestone, offering speeds that greatly exceed those of traditional memory cards. This advancement is made possible through the adoption of the SD Express interface, which propels the card's performance to rival that of solid-state drives. Enhanced by proprietary technology for optimal heat management and power efficiency, this card is designed to sustain high performance over long periods, making it ideal for intensive applications across various devices.

Capacity: 256GB
Interface: SD Express, leveraging PCIe Gen3x1 and NVMe v1.3 for blazing-fast data transfer rates.
Sequential Read Speed: Up to 800MB/s, significantly surpassing the traditional UHS-1 interface's maximum of 104MB/s.
Thermal Management: Incorporates Samsung's Dynamic Thermal Guard technology to maintain optimal performance temperatures, ensuring consistent high-speed operations without thermal throttling.

1TB UHS-1 microSD Card

The 1TB UHS-1 microSD card by Samsung is a marvel of engineering, packing unprecedented storage capacity into the microSD format. By layering eight strata of Samsung’s latest V-NAND technology, this card not only offers substantial storage but also ensures reliability and durability under extreme conditions. It is equipped with comprehensive protective measures against environmental stresses, ensuring data integrity and safety. This product underscores Samsung’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of storage technology, meeting the needs of users for high-capacity, dependable memory solutions.

Capacity: 1TB
Technology: 8th generation V-NAND with eight stacked layers of 1-terabit (Tb) chips.
Durability: Features comprehensive protection against water, extreme temperatures, drops, X-rays, and magnetic fields, ensuring data integrity under a wide range of environmental conditions.
Interface: UHS-1, optimized for high-capacity data storage and transfer with improved efficiency.

Samsung's introduction of the 256GB SD Express and 1TB UHS-1 microSD cards showcases a significant stride in memory technology, offering unprecedented speed and capacity in the realm of portable storage.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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