Samsung has announced a new microSD that does something unheard of for the company: contains 1TB of storage.
While its rivals have long offered 1TB microSD cards, Samsung has not, and the Pro Plus and Evo Select are now looking to compete among the best microSD cards.
The company says the cards use its eighth-generation Samsung V-NAND (V8) tech, and that helps boost the performance and capacity of the cards. Given these are squarely aimed at professionals, like photographers and other creators, those features matter.
Samsung 1TB SSDs
Samsung did previously have 1TB products, but those were SSDs and portable SSDs. The company estimates 1TB is enough for 400,000 4K UHD images or more than 45 console games, both of which are likely to fill your needs.
On the technical side of things, the Pro Plus and Evo Select seem well-suited. The former of the two has transfer speeds of up to 180 MB/s, and features UHS Speed Grade 3 for high quality 4K UHD video capture. A V30 video class rating also means file transfers are lightning fast.
The Evo Select can transfer files at up to 160MB/s, and seems aimed more at everyday use rather than strictly professional work.
Samsung says there is a new controller in both microSD cards, too, built using its 28-nanometer process tech, down from 55nm in the previous Samsung lineup.
Durability is a concern for anyone carrying memory storage around – given that damage can easily be catastrophic to a project – and Samsung has tested the cards to pretty extreme lengths, including water, high temperatures, X-rays, and (dreaded) magnetic fields.
Get your game on
Besides professional photographers, one of the best uses for a microSD is games consoles, like the Nintendo Switch. We mentioned before that a 1TB microSD card can store up to 45 games (if they are around 20GB each), and that means you could store a lot of the best Switch games.
The Pro Plus and Evo Select are also compatible with Android smartphones, other games consoles, tablets, laptops, and many of devices.
Both models come with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB options alongside 1TB, and the Evo Select has a 64GB option at the bottom end. Prices range from $24.99 to $153.99 for the Pro Plus, and $12.99 to $131.99 for the Evo Select.
Those higher price points for the 1TB model do put the Evo Select and Pro Plus above competitors like the Silicon Power A1, which retails for around $62 for the 1TB card, and the Lexar Play microSD card, which costs around $73 for the same.
Still, Samsung is a very reliable brand and there are some tech innovations that might be worth paying for. Plus, you get a five year warranty.