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Samsung unveils new micro SD cards (and your Galaxy flagship can't even use them)

By Doroteya Borisova

Published: Sep 08, 2021, 6:57 AM

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Samsung unveils new micro SD cards (and your Galaxy flagship can't even use them)

Among its plethora of electronics on the market, Samsung is known for making some of the highest quality SSDs, SD cards and micro SD cards on the market, as well as other data storage devices.

Thanks to SamMobile, we now know that the Korean giant will be launching two new SD card series next month: the 2021 Pro Plus and Evo Plus lineup, available in both micro SD and full-size SD card variants.

Samsung Pro Plus Micro SD Card

The new Pro Plus micro SD cards are rated at class V30, which makes them perfect for both everyday power users and videography hobbyists or professionals, who require high write speeds for certain enthusiast-level cameras or various video shooting gadgets: GoPro's, DJI drones, and the like.

The Pro Plus comes in three sizes: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, featuring blazing read and write speeds of up to 160MB/s and 120MB/s, respectively.

For the record, a video speed class rating of Class V30 means that the card is capable of recording 4K UHD footage. Here's a chart for reference:

Image credit - SD Association

Samsung Evo Plus Micro SD Card

The Evo Plus lineup is directed more at everyday users who want a truly durable SD card that will last. These come in the same sizes as the Pro Plus with one extra option for 64GB. They sport read and write speeds of up to 130MB/s, which is 1.3x of what last year's non-Plus series offered.

The durability claim doesn't come from nowhere, either; Samsung promises that both the Pro Plus and Evo Plus card series feature 6 layers of protection, topping out last year's 4 layers.

They can apparently withstand wear-and-tear (including fall damage), X-ray, magnetic damage, contact with water, and even extreme temperatures. They also all come with a 10-year limited warranty, as well as with an SD adapter for all-around compatibility.

Both micro SD card series will become available for purchase next month.

Samsung Pro Plus, Evo Plus Full-Size SD Card

The Samsung Pro Plus and Evo Plus full-size SD cards are usually fitted on apparatus such as DSLR and other cameras, camcorders, computers, and other larger devices. Their read and write speeds are similar to the respective read/write speeds of the micro SD cards, detailed above.

They all feature a V30 video speed class rating (allowing 4K UHD recording), and come in two size options for each. The Pro Plus comes in 32GB or 512GB, while the Evo Plus SD cards come in 32GB or 256GB.

Great cards, but where have the SD card slots gone?

When Samsung announced the launch of its Plus series of high-speed SD cards, the overarching thread of discussion on the users' side seemed to be expressing annoyance at Samsung for getting rid of the SD card slot on its smartphones, and then having the audacity to come out with such alluring accessories that seem so perfectly designed to go with the newest Galaxy flagships.

Wasted potential, in other words.

Of the Galaxy S21 series, for example, even the base model is capable of recording 8K footage at 24fps, or 4K at 60fps. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, can record 4K at 60fps from all five of its cameras: the quad-camera setup on the back as well as the selfie snapper.

Despite these novel offerings in the way of camera tech, Samsung offers two of the three Galaxy S21 series with only two storage options: 128GB and 256GB (and no SD card slot). This could get filled up in a matter of days for smartphone photography and videography enthusiasts, who only wish they had the option to slide in a 256GB micro SD card and get rolling.

Recording 8K footage at 24fps, for example, takes up a whopping 600MB per minute of shooting on the S21. That's less than three hours of footage for a 128GB device, and that's assuming you store nothing else on that phone.

This micro SD card series could have been perfect to use for the Galaxy flagships (for 4K shooting, at least). Maybe Samsung shouldn't have gotten rid of their SD card slot after all? Please let us know what you think in the comments below, as we'd love to hear your opinion as well.