Micro SD cards are external memory cards that are commonly used in smartphones, digital cameras and music equipment, enabling users to store large amounts of data and take it with them wherever they do. With professional applications in a wide variety of fields, and plenty of scope for everyday phone owners to benefit from their extra capacity, Micro SDs are a popular digital product, and buyers will find no shortage of options.
This guide explains what these tiny cards are all about, the various forms on offer, and how to find the best possible Micro SD deals.
SD cards emerged in the late 1990s as a development of Solid State Storage technology. Solid State drives had been around for decades but began to challenge standard magnetic drives in the 90s, as mobile devices like laptops and cameras grew more commonplace. Seeing the demand for compact external storage exploding, tech manufacturers Toshiba, SanDisk and Panasonic teamed together to push the tech available forward, unveiling the first SD card in 1999.
Beginning with relatively large cards, SD technology has gradually become smaller and smaller. The Mini SD standard appeared in 2003, while the first Micro SDs were announced in 2005. Designed to keep up with the miniaturisation of phones and cameras, these tiny SD cards started out with a 2GB capacity. Since then, their capacity and speed has only got faster, with Micro SD cards with 512 GB of storage now being possible.
These days, Micro SD cards are predominantly used to increase the storage capacity of smartphones. However, Micro SD cards can only be used with phones that have an SD slot as part of their design. This excludes all Apple devices, including iPhones and iPads, but includes the majority of modern Android based phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy.
What are the reasons for using a Micro SD card with your smartphone? Most people use them so they can get more apps, photographs, music files, videos or anything else that can't be stored by the phone's native capacity. This is becoming particularly relevant for apps – the default capacity of a modern smartphone can often only be enough to download the most basic of apps before maximum capacity is reached. Of course, extra storage isn’t the only reason. Some people like to keep their phones free of clutter, moving all of the media files they create onto external SD cards. Others like to make backups of their key files so they minimise the chances of loss (vital if use your phone a lot for work or university).
Micro SD cards can also be used in other devices such as laptops and desktop PCs, or digital cameras. This adds an extra level of functionality, making them appealing for professional videographers, designers and ordinary camera users alike. A 256 or even 512 GB might be a worthwhile purchase if you’re using your camera professionally, particularly if you need to have a constant backup of your clients’ video files.
Finally, some gaming systems like the Nintendo Switch feature SD compatibility, allowing players to save games and share them between friends. The default SD cards delivered with gaming systems tend to be small, leaving you with multiple cards for all your various files. A larger SD card means you can have all your save game and other files in one place.
Overall storage size is going to be the most important thing to consider when buying a new Micro SD card. Sizes vary considerably, from tiny 2GB right up to massive 512 GB options. How much you go for depends on several factors, but there are two consideration that are the most important when it comes to choosing a card:
File Type – When it comes to determining the amount of storage you need, the size of the files you’ll be storing should be your number one consideration. As an example, the average Micro SD card of around 64 GB can store around 15,000 songs. So, if you just want to increase the amount of music you have on your smartphone this might be overkill. However, if you’re going to be storing HD or even 4K videos on the card, then a large card is your best bet. An hour of 4K content requires roughly 110 GB, so even a 512 GB card is reasonable.
Device Type – A second consideration is the kind of device you have. Not all phones can handle larger Micro SD cards, so check that your device can manage the capacity of your card before you make a purchase. This can be done easily by going to the website of the device’s manufacturer.
Different SD cards have what are known as “speed ratings”, which govern how quickly devices can access their memory. Choosing the fastest possible SD card may seem like the obvious choice, but you won't notice the difference if you’re just going to use it with your smartphone. Find out your card's speed rating is easy. Directly beside the card’s storage rating, you should see a number enclosed within a ‘C’ symbol (for ‘Class). This number tells you what kind of card you’re purchasing.
It’s users like professional photographers who will definitely appreciate faster speeds. When they are taking rapid-fire photos and uploading huge volumes of data, media creators need SD cards that can keep up. There are four general speed classes to choose from (classes 2, 4, 6 & 10), with the class number referring to the minimum write speed (i.e. class 10 has a minimum write speed of 10 MB/s). There are also 2 Ultra-High Speed (UHS) classes but these will usually be very pricey, so normal phone or console users don’t need to fork out for them. However, having a Class 3 card is essential for anyone who wants to use their Micro SD card to record 4K video.
You might also come across Micro SD cards on hotukdeals that have codes like SDHC and SDXC. SDHC cards are older and have a lower capacity, with an upper limit of around 32GB. Certain devices, like dash cams, are only compatible with these kinds of card, so be careful if you’re buying for this kind of device. SDXC cards are becoming standard for digital cameras and phones and have much higher capacities (with some even reaching a total of 2 TB storage). They’re not universally compatible though, so make sure it works with your device before buying.
In the world of digital technology, it's usually advisable to go for products from leading brands, as there's no shortage of poorly made SD tech on the market, leading to slower than advertised performance and even damage to your devices. Here's a quick list of the leading manufacturers that you can trust:
Samsung – If you own a Samsung phone, something like the Samsung Evo will be the perfect card to go for. There won't be any worries about compatibility and it will slot seamlessly into your Galaxy setup.
Toshiba – The laptop giant also manufactures a range of SD cards, including the Exceria collection of Micro SDs. Affordable and fast, they are optimised for HD recording and range up to 128GB in capacity, so they’re perfect for people who work with video professionally.
Sandisk – One of the world's most famous hard disk manufacturers, Sandisk are also SD specialists, manufacturing a range of tiny Micro SD cards for phone and camera users. Models like the Extreme Plus are incredibly quick and offer high memory capacities, while their entry-level Ultra cards are a bargain alternative for smartphone users to consider.
Lexar – Lexar is a lesser-known but well-respected SD manufacturer who offer cards with a handy extra feature: their Professional SD cards come with USB 2.0 dongles as well, allowing you to attach them to any device with a USB 2.0 port.
Verbatim – The superfast Verbatim Pro+ will be perfect for those who need to record high quality video footage. It may be slightly more expensive than competitors, but Verbatim's drives are always among the fastest around in industry benchmarking tests.
These brands will always deliver what they promise on the packaging and you'll pay a small premium for that level of reliability. You’ll find deals from all these merchants on our hotukdeals listings page. There may well be cheaper SD products listed for sale, particularly on exchanges like eBay or Amazon, but beware: not only are these inferior products a dime a dozen, reputable brands are often faked and sold at lower prices.
Micro SD card readers are a vital accessory for those who own a laptop or desktop that doesn't have an SD slot. These customers need an intermediary device to allow the computer to communicate with the card. This is where an SD card reader comes in handy.
When picking a card reader, speed is a major consideration. You'll find this measured in ‘read’ and ‘write’ speeds. The read speed will always be faster than the write. Both can vary from as low as 60 MB/s to 256 MB/s – so be sure to check this when making a purchase. Fast read and write speeds are particularly vital for professional users and a poor SD card reader can be a really frustrating data bottleneck for those who want to transfer video quickly to their laptop or desktop.
Aside from speed, another considering should is the reader’s overall shape and design. If you plan to bring the card reader around with you, you’ll want a compact reader than can comfortably packed away in your camera bag. Be sure to read reviews of the card reader you want to buy, as some can be prone to the card reader falling out while in use due to a shallow design. This might not bother the average user, but will drive professional videographers and photographers mad.
There may be less important features that will make a difference for some users, such as LED indicators that let you know when the reader is transferring data. More fundamentally, check that your chosen reader has full compatibility with both SD and Micro SD cards. Some of your clients and friends may be using older, larger SD cards, which specialist Micro SD readers won't work with.
Buyers may also come across cards marked UFS, instead of Micro SD. Made by the Korean giant Samsung, UFS is a relatively new technology which is seeking to displace SD engineering. Standing for Universal Flash Storage, UFS delivers much faster data transfer speeds and vastly improved energy efficiency too.
Announced in 2016, Samsung's UFS cards are yet to hit the market for general consumer use. However, all of the company's latest Galaxy devices should be compatible with them upon launch. With its better performance and specs, it’s only a matter of time before UFS become the standard. For now, Micro SD remains the norm, so don’t worry about missing out on increased performance when you buy.
Whether you need a Micro SD card for your professional photography gig or you just want to store your holiday pics, finding the perfect product at the right price is essential. The price of SD storage in general has never been lower, but there are still bargains to be had. There are also many ways to pay far more than you need to for a card.
The best way to get ripped off is to buy far more storage space than you really need. If you just want to store a few small files or pictures, even a 128 GB card is overkill, let alone a 512 GB card. Be careful about how much capacity you need, as the price jump between the different card sizes can be dramatic. It’s also unnecessary to go overboard on the various specs if you aren't a professional. Most manufacturers like SanDisk offer high-end and entry-level Micro SD cards, and most users will do just fine with the basic options. It may even be possible to save money by purchasing a Micro SD card and reader in a single transaction, so be sure to keep an eye out for these combo deals.
Now that you've decided how much space you need and selected a brand to hunt for, the next step is finding cheap Micro SD cards, which shouldn't be too hard. Just head over to the hotukdeals Micro SD card listings and type in the storage size you want to buy. You'll immediately be presented with a comprehensive list of the latest deals for Sandisk, Samsung, Toshiba or Verbatim cards. All of the UK's leading merchants are included, including Amazon, Currys, Argos, Base and GearBest, as well as numerous online speciality sellers like Mymemory or ZoomBits. With all of the best deals around listed, it won't be hard to shop around and find the best deal.
As with all tech products, Micro SD prices tend to fall at certain times of the year. Most importantly, you'll almost certainly find cheap Micro SD cards around the Black Friday retail event in mid-November. Amazon Prime Day in August is another good time to look, as are the New Year sales. Deals tend to be over quickly during these times, so act fast when you see a discount listed.
Micro SD cards are a vital everyday tool for all sorts of professionals, whether its professional photographers, directors, graphic designers or musicians. They’re even useful for regular users looking to store more apps, photos or videos on their phone Whatever your needs, you'll find the lowest possible prices at the hotukdeals Micro SD listings.
