Memory Cards

Samsung’s Plus range of memory cards is a bit different from the rest.  We know that flash memory is quite tough and resilient, particularly when compared to the likes of magnetic forms of storage. Samsung had wanted to prove the point a bit further when its SDHC Plus memory cards went through some innovative quality and durability tests that included small bursts of flames, pounding magnetism, water spills and being licked by a dog’s tongue. Let us see what the 8GB Micro SDHC PLUS Class 6 Memory card from Samsung has in store for all of us in this review.

Product features:

First, kudos to Samsung for ensuring that you have everything you may ever need with the card for you will find protection you cannot do without. Measuring 15 mm (W) x 11 mm (H) x 11 mm (D), the Samsung 8GB Micro SDHC PLUS High Speed Class 6 Memory card (product code: MB-MP8G026) with a sleek metallic finish is a tiny card, just the size of a fingernail, which can fit directly into several devices such as Mobile phone, PDA, cameras etc. Weighing about 0.5g, the Samsung’s SDHC card is rated Class 6 and is incredibly spacious for media files etc. Not surprisingly, it is fast and works well with today’s advanced compact micro SDHC compliant devices. Though the 8GB capacity card in the picture looks completely white, it is still more greyish than white. The card is ultra-portable with a very small footprint design. Small knocks and drops do not affect most cards, but the part-metallic casing of this memory card indicates great build quality.

Performance:

Most cheap SD/SDHC cards suffer from sluggish transfer speeds (both read & write) and half of them would probably break on removing or reinserting many times. But certainly not this Samsung’s SDHC card as it excels both in transfer speed and toughness though it may cost a tad extra. Our guess is that the only way you could incur damage to the card is if you do it deliberately. There is none of the fragility of lesser cards. The transfer speed is quite superb for faster photos and uploading. This Samsung MB-MP8G026 Micro SDHC PLUS Memory card can read twice and write 4 – 6 times as fast as any other memory card.  Transferring pictures onto your computer will be 15% quicker with the card. Now, this seems to be perfect for those who are always on the go and do not have a moment to spare. As for its speed rating, the speed (read) is 17MB / sec and speed (write) is 12 ~ 13MB / sec. With mechanical write protection switch, the data transfer to/from the card is not bad either with a 1 GB file being copied across in and about 20-25 seconds. The card features data retention of 10 years under normal use.

For a more powerful mobile life:

Once you take an image of something using the Samsung 8GB Micro SDHC PLUS High Speed memory card Class 6, you could achieve speed twice that of the regular micro SD memory card. And supposing when you have to transfer the mobile content and data to the PC, the card can read the data at nearly 15% faster transfer speed. We were pretty happy with its class 6 speed and read/write times particularly in demanding applications that involve HD video recording. This card did not let us down and video played smoothly too. When it came to upgrading one of our HTC Android phone memory cards, it installed quickly and the increase in speed was very noticeable when using the memory card directly. We have also used it with the desktop PC and again no issues with slowdown in speed unlike other cards. It works quite fine in the laptop and we had no problems using it to transport and backup large files.

SD adapter:

The Samsung 8GB Micro SDHC Plus Memory Card (Class 6) comes with a standard size SD adapter to turn it into a full-size SD/SDHC card and can happily work with other SDHC cards without any problems. You will have no trouble inserting it into your mobile phone when it is connected to the PC. This means you can easily transfer music files and archive photos & videos from the mobile to the PC, no matter what type of card you use. The card fits nicely into the adapters with SD slot to form a more USB/memory stick style device. Luckily, we had such an adapter for this and were able to test the card through this. We found that it was detected right away by Windows 2000/ XP/Vista and instantly available as a drive. The adapter will let you use all sort of cards such as the USB and the CF adapter, besides the commonly used SD Adapter, thus allowing you to use it for any of your E-devices including the e-book reader.

Waterproof:

One thing you will be impressed with the memory card for sure is its claims of robustness. But let us have a closer look at it anyways. The manufacturer claims that water spills cannot damage the card and the data stored inside. Said that most standard memory cards will probably withstand when dropped in water because there are no moving parts to damage – so long as it has dried before it’s being used next, but this Samsung memory card can most likely last longer afterward. As for the testing, we haven’t done any like spilling water on the Samsung Micro SDHC Plus Card! However, thanks to its new epoxy moulding compound technology that helps over 24 hours in sea water. After all, nobody would want all his/her beach-holiday snaps to be spoiled by an accidental dip in the sea.

Anti-shock and magnetic proof:

The Samsung MB-MP8G026 memory card also features shock-proof technology that protects this small and sensitive card from accidental impacts like the card ending up on the bottom of your shoe. But more importantly, it can survive high pressure like the massive crush of a 1.6 ton vehicle. Interestingly enough, it is also magnet proof and you do not have to fret about losing data to magnetic exposure like the X-ray scanner at the airport or even if you leave it near the stereo speakers as it comes with the capability to resist over 13 times the magnetic force of a home theatre speaker!

Accessories:

A small, soft rubber carry case and strap offered by the manufacturer is what you all need to make sure you carry the card safely anywhere, thereby protecting your cherished memories. Simply push the micro SD card in and out to store it and that’s it. Given the option, we are not sure if one will ever use the silicon case, but we guess that it might be useful for those who have multiple cards and need to store them securely. The card does not include a case for the SD card adapter and that is a shame. There is a useful product information leaflet which you can read before using the product.

Box Contains:

• Samsung Micro SD PLUS 8GB memory card
• Soft case, strap
• Instruction manual

Manufacturer Warranty:

The product is covered under a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects from the original date of purchase.

Summary:

The memory card comes in very pale plastic than the more common black and we found the colouring irrelevant in most devices because it is often fully within an enclosure. The packaging is a blister pack, seems to be the same as the packaging to most other memory cards of this type. Coming to its size, it is rather restrictive in terms of storage and careful placement is a necessity. A few minor problems set in when trying to use the SD slots on the laptop and PC, however the inclusion of SD/USB adapter sets things right. So as long as you have a compatible device or a USB adapter around you, this is a robust, well priced little card! The card fully complies with SD card specification standards and the fact that the product is compliant with FCC, CE, GOST, BSMI, C-Tick standards is an indication of high quality performance. To sum up things, this is a brilliant memory card, one which you can trust with your data.

Samsung 8GB Micro SDHC PLUS Memory Card – Specification Table

Panasonic has unveiled the latest SDHC Memory Cards (Gold Series) integrated with the new Class 10 speed specification. Class 10 is the latest speed category specified and standardized by SD (Secure Digital) Card Association as part of SD Card Specification Version 3.0 to satisfy the needs and demands for high resolution consecutive shooting and large-sized HD (high definition) video shooting.

Features:

The Panasonic GOLD line series is the first memory card in the world to deploy the new speed class of class 10. The new series is available in the below mentioned 4 models including:

• RP-SDW04G (Capacity:4GB)
• RP-SDW08G (Capacity:8GB)
• RP-SDW16G (Capacity:16GB)
• RP-SDW32G (Capacity:32GB)

Higher storage capacity:

An SDHC memory card can only be used with SDHC compatible equipment and so you need to confirm that our device is compatible with cards of this capacity by reviewing our equipment operating instructions or manufacturer’s literature before purchase. Panasonic 8GB Class 10 SDHC flash memory card is compatible with all the devices with SD card reader. As its name implies, this card has a storage capacity of 8GB. Though the size of the card is approximately that of a standard postage stamp, Panasonic’s 8GB SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) Gold Series Memory Card 22MB/Sec (Class 10) can hold huge volumes of data. This card is generally made use of with devices like SDHC compatible digital cameras, camcorders and several others which need huge storage capacities.

Stores High-Definition video:

RP-SDW08G replaces the older RP-SDV08GU1K Class 6 card and most of the camcorders can use Class 10 cards. A firmware update may be required for older cameras. As SDHC Memory Cards are extremely tough and made for the professional user, Panasonic 8GB Class 10 SDHC card can be utilized to store High-Definition video, still images, music and large volume of data. The Class 10 rating makes it perfect for use in the AVCCAM cameras and each card features a write inhibit switch to prevent erasure and overwriting of footage.

Works in a wide range of temperature:

The Panasonic Pro High-Speed SDHC cards use a higher level of memory categorisation and offer transfer rates of up to 22MB/s. The Panasonic SDHC cards offer a guaranteed operating temperature range of -13 degrees to +185 degrees Fahrenheit, which means that the card will work well in wide temperature extremes. Though Panasonic cards may not work in all sorts of environments, they also stand up to rigorous twisting and bending tests. As each SDHC card is made of an ABS resin shell construction, it features an easy write label on the back of the card. This label can be used to keep track of our footage and the write inhibit switch to lock in your footage.

Performance:

The Panasonic 8GB Class 10 SDHC Memory Card (RP-SDW08G) enables you to write out huge volumes of data continually up until this memory card is completely written without losing some shots or writing stops. Nevertheless, this Panasonic Class 6 models are appreciated for its greater reliability and higher speed performance as well as easy to use features including its memo label. This latest GOLD line series has imbibed the unique benefits of the present Class 6 line with additional enhanced performance characteristics. Its Class 10 speed capacity and the maximum speed of 22MB/s in combo with an intelligent controller are perfect for huge volume of data recording & transmission in HD applications. This new category of cards also provides high-speed transfer of data from the card to your personal computer. You can transfer a huge amount of AVCHD Full High Definition video data completely written on a Gold card to a personal computer about 40% faster in comparison to the Class 4 card.

Warranty:

Panasonic offers a warranty period of ten years for its 8GB Class 10 SDHC Card.

Verdict:

The Panasonic 8GB Class 10 SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) Card is of great value for the money. The flash memory card comes with an intelligent controller to guard your data against accidental or sudden stoppage, transfer rates of 22MB/s and consistency even in higher or extreme temperatures. To conclude, the memory card is perfect for all devices with SD card reader.

Panasonic 8GB Class 10 SDHC Memory Card – Technical Specification Table

In order to satisfy the increasing consumer demand for storing loads of pictures, music and movies, a reliable high-speed and higher capacity memory card is absolutely necessary. Transcend has launched high capacity, and quality performance microSDHC Class 6 memory cards to compete with the other  SDHC memory cards. These cards are ideal for today’s superior compact microSDHC compliant device.

Features:

Transcend 16GB micro SDHC Class 6 card has the greatest capacity in the world. The Secure Digital High Capacity CL6 Memory card from Transcend provides stunning storage capability besides higher transfer rates. This card is completely compatible with the SD 2.0 standard. This card is SDHC Class 6 compliant and it is just 10 percent the size of a typical SD cards present in the market.

To ensure tough, lasting durability and outstanding performance, Transcend’s SDHC cards make use of NAND flash chips & superior quality components. This card is supplied with free USB SDHC Card Reader for easy data transfer to and from any PC or laptop with a USB2.0 port. MicroSD adapter enables it to be employed in regular SD Card slots. It is compatible with almost all SDHC-labelled host devices. The USB card reader operates just similar to a regular USB (Universal Serial Bus) flash drive, and offers support to the newest SDHC standard for higher end greater capacity memory cards. The Transcend Memory Card Reader also features a stylish design with rounded edges for easy handling and with industry-leading slimmest size making it very portable and compact. For our mobile lifestyle Transcend’s SDHC plus SD/MMC Card Reader S5 is the most ideal combination.

Transcend 16GB micro SDHC is RoHS standard compliant. It comes with Mechanical write-protection switch and also supports auto-standby, power-off and sleep modes.

Performance:

Transcend SDHC cards are rated Class 6, which means performance is guaranteed and write speeds of no less than 6Mbps. This card is very simple to use, plug-and-play mechanism. It has an integrated Error Correcting Code (ECC) for identifying and rectifying transfer errors. It is also compatible with SDMI- Secure Digital Music Initiative portable device needs. This card also provides support for CPRM- Content Protection for Recordable Media. For updating firmware, it takes in In System Programming (ISP).

Warranty:

Transcend 16GB micro SDHC Class 6 card (TS16GUSDHC6-P3) comes with a lifetime limited warranty and support.

Verdict:

Transcend TS16GUSDHC6 16GB micro SDHC Class 6 card is a high speed and high capacity memory card suitable for most group of people. Extensive features are added advantage for this card to shine in the market. This card can prove very helpful in storing pictures, movies, music etc, and to cherish our memories.

Transcend 16GB micro SDHC Class 6 card  – Technical specification Table

Integral Multi Media Card plus is designed specifically for mobile phones to increase our phones capability in both storage and photo capacity. They have a high speed data transfer and are fully compatible with all phones that take standard MMC.

Features:

MMC plus is the latest advancement in Multimedia Card format, which is now the future. The storage capacity of this fascinating, high speed multimedia card is 2GB. This card weighs 2 grams. It is fully backward compatible with stand Multimedia Card (MMC). Integral MMC plus is supplied in multi-lingual packaging along with a protective case to protect the memory card. When we take a picture using MMC plus, data is saved faster. Therefore, this takes very less time to wait before taking the next picture. This feature is perfect for professional and high mega pixel cameras. Integrals latest addition to the multimedia card family is the MMC plus card, which can handle a large amount of data storage and remains fully compatible with standard Multimedia cards. These cards have fast read and write speed to transfer data to and from other digital devices. Integral provides some of the most reliable cards in the market. These multimedia cards are available in 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb and 1Gb also. Above all, the most important point to be noted is that integral multimedia card plus comes with five years warranty and support.

Performance:

Integral Multi Media Card plus 2GB Phone Memory Card operates at 52 MHz in x8bit mode. Data transfer can happen up to 52MB/sec, (or 416 bits/sec) making it faster than any SD card available today. Along with its sister format MMCmobile; this is the highest data transfer rate of all existing memory card standards available today in the market. Until the 600x speed Compact Flash card was introduced in summer 2009, MMCplus (equivalent to 346x speed), was the highest theoretical data transfer speed in the whole memory card industry. To add to that, SD card was developed from the MMC format. The only difference is that the SD card is slightly thicker and has a write protection switch. As the MMC is thinner than SD, it can be used in all SD slots, but cannot be used vice versa, which makes MMC the most compatible memory card in the market today.

Warranty:

Integral 2GB MMC Plus (INTEGRAL-0166) comes with five years warranty and support.

Verdict:

Integral 2GB MMC Plus would be apt for those people who are looking for a fast, high performing SD card. With help of this 2GB MMC plus card we can store approximately 800 photographs using a 5 megapixel digital camera.

Integral 2GB MMC Plus Memory Card – Technical Specification Table

SanDisk being a well known brand for manufacturing quality memory cards has introduced SanDisk 16GB Video HD SDHC Memory Card. It is an ultimate memory card optimised for video which can capture the whole story with high definition.

Features:

SanDisk SDSDHV-016G-E15 16GB Video HD SDHC Card is well produced in such a way as to cater the need of new generation, high definition video and high performance photography. SanDisk claims that we can experience faster shot-to-shot performance for our advanced camera. High definition video can be captured on Class 6 camcorders and video-enabled DSLRs. It can store up to 4 hours of H.264 high-def video at 9Mbps on 16GB cards. Now downloading of photos and videos to PC can happen very quickly and easily with the help of this memory card with a read speed up to 20MB/sec. Basically, the read and write is speed is specified as 20MB/sec, but based on SanDisk internal testing, performance may vary depending upon host device. This SDHC card helps us to shoot high-definition video with no compromise on quality of the picture.

Performance:

High-definition camcorders claims for fast speed and high capacities, and we can be sure that we get the right flash memory for our camcorder with this card. SanDisk Video HD SDHC cards exceed the performance required by high definition camcorders, which makes them ideal for 1080 High Definition recording. With 16GB capacity, we can capture and store up to 4 hours of high-definition video in brilliant detail-and start a digital video library by labelling each card for easy reference. With more and more high-definition TVs, computers and cameras entering the mainstream, we should also be going high-definition. With the help of SanDisk Extreme HD Video SDHC cards, the perfect balance of speed and reliability for HD video and faster shot-to-shot performance can be achieved. Class 6 video performances with up to 20MB/sec read/write speeds can be experienced with the help of this card.

Warranty:

SanDisk 16GB Video HD SDHC Class 6 Card (SDSDHV-016G-E15) comes with a lifetime limited warranty and support.

Verdict:

The SanDisk Video HD memory card is a high-capacity, high quality, high-performance solution we can trust for capturing and storing beautiful, detailed video content. With the flexibility to record at multiple levels of quality, up to and including HD, and the capacity to let us keep recording memories, SanDisk Video HD is the card we can trust to capture all your precious moments in high quality video. Jewel case and labels has been included for storage options to let us easily label and organize all our video content so that we can create our very own digital video library.

SanDisk 16GB Video HD SDHC Memory Card – Technical Specification Table