What memory card do I need to buy?

Names can be confusing - Memory cards, flash drives, USB sticks, SD cards, external hard drives. What do they all mean, and which device is right for your particular needs? In this article we will try to give you the information that you need in order to make an informed purchase.

SD Cards 

SD cards are ultra lightweight stamp-sized storage devices which are mainly used to save pictures or video to. They are most commonly found in digital cameras, but they are also used in many mobile phones and tablet computers. They come in Standard-Capacity (SDSC), High-Capacity (SDHC) and eXtended-Capacity (SDXC). These relate to storage capacity, with an SDSC only capable of holding up to 4GB, whereas an SDXC can be as large as 2TB.

If your digital camera comes with an SD card, they are very easy to remove and replace if you want to buy one with a bigger capacity. All the leading digital camera manufacturers support SD cards in their products, so there is no reason to worry whether or not certain brands will have compatibility issues. The main manufacturer of SD cards are Sandisk, but there are plenty of other reputable brands making them.

Click here to see the best-selling SD cards

USB Flash Drives 

Unlike SD cards, USB flash drives are not specifically designed for mobile devices. USB flash drives are commonly used for storage, backup and transfer of computer files. They are the modern day floppy disk. Small and easy to plug in and use, USB flash drives are extremely useful for carrying information between places or computers so that you always have your important files to hand. They have no mechanical moving parts, and are very robust.

USB flash drives are really useful for people who use multiple computers, maybe at home and at work. The drives come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with lots of cool colourful designs. They don’t have the storage capacities of external hard drives, but are much more flexible and truly portable.

Click here to see the best-selling USB Flash Drives

External Hard Drives 

If you need to store lots of electronic data, then you need an external hard drive. These are the kings of portable storage, and are available with capacities of up to 2 terabytes. They are typically wallet-sized or slightly larger, and they normally connect to your computer via USB. An external hard drive is an excellent way to backup all your important files, in case you have problems with your computer or its built-in hard drive.

Robust and built to last, external hard drives are a great way to ensure that you can take everything you need on the move with you. We live in a time where most of us have a ton of digital files which are important to us. Family photos and videos, your music library, your documents, all of this can be lost if it is not properly backed up. An external hard drive is an affordable way to ensure that you keep all of your files safe.

Click here to see the best-selling External Hard Drives

How big is an SD Card?

How big is an SD Card?

Secure Digital or SD is a memory card format made specifically for portable devices. While they do come in Micro and Mini sizes, the most common SD Card is the SDHC. These cards are the same size as SDSC and SDXC cards. As seen in the picture above, SD Cards are not much larger than a postage stamp, in fact they are only 32mm x 24mm x 2.1mm. This means that they are lightweight, easy to manage and easy to store. SD Cards are also very robust in their design, meaning that users can carry them without having to worry too much about damage or corruption.

The above SD Card is made by SanDisk, but there are hundreds of brands out there. To maintain compatibility however, you will find that all SD Cards are made to exactly the same dimensions. Regardless of the brand, SD Cards only come in Standard size, Mini size or Micro size.

In terms of storage capacity, typical SDSC cards range from 1MB to 2GB, while SDHC cards can store between 4GB and 32GB. SDXC cards are the newest SD Cards on the market, and can store between 32GB and 2TB.

What are SD Cards?

Secure Digital Cards are the most popular and common type of memory card out there. They are used lots of electronic devices such as digital cameras, camcorders, MP3 players and certain video game consoles. SD cards are small in size, but very robust. They have large capacities and are easily moved between devices, making transferring files very straightforward. They are known for their relative high-speed data transfer and for security they include a mechanical write protect switch.

SD cards come with different storage capacities and a range of write speeds. Having a larger capacity means that you can store more photographs or video footage. A faster write speed, in conjunction with a more advanced camera, can mean that you are able to take pictures more quickly, or film higher quality video footage. The three most common SD cards you will encounter are:

SDSC – Secure Digital Standard Capacity (simply called an SD Card)
SDHC – Secure Digital High Capacity
SDXC – Secure Digital Extended Capacity

Deciding on which SD card to buy depends on the device that you are buying it for. Newer cameras are normally compatible with SDHC cards, while SDXC cards are typically used with high-end digital cameras and camcorders which require the highest write speeds.

Host devices that use SDHC cards are required to also accept standard SD cards, but the opposite is not true. If you have an older camera which uses SDSC cards, it may not be compatible with newer cards such as the SDHC.

SD cards also come in smaller sizes. The miniSD and microSD cards are mainly used in mobile phones and MP3 players. They work in the same way as normal SD cards, but are often sold with an adapter, which enables you to use them in a normal SD slot or USB port.

It is important to check when buying an electronic device which uses SD technology, which cards the device will accept. Buying an SDXC card for your 4 year old digital camera would be a mistake as it would lead to compatibilty issues. Also make sure that you know what you want from your device. Your digital camera may be capable of shooting 1080p video, but if you only want to take the occasional picture, an 8GB SDHC card may be sufficient for your needs. Always check the products' description or read user reviews which could include helpful information. Most online retailers also show what other items customers bought with their purchase. Being informed will give you the confidence to purchase the right SD card for your device.

SanDisk SDHC Card Extreme Video HD 16GB

If you're looking for a high performance memory card to go with your high performance camera, then the SanDisk Extreme SDHC 16GB is ideal. With 16GB capacity and up to 30MB/s speed (200X Read/Write), this SDHC card will allow you to capture and share more photos and more full HD video.

Built for durability, the SanDisk Extreme SDHC card is temperature proof, water proof, shock proof, and x-ray proof. This card's excellent performance allows you to get the most from your DSLR or HD camcorder, storing up to 4 hours H.264 high-def video.

If you have a high performance camera, you must remember to buy a memory card that is capable of dealing with its high demands. The SanDisk Extreme Video HD 16GB SDHC Card is currently available through Amazon for £15.99.