10 Best Memory Cards on the Market

Memory cards, commonly in the form of SD and MicroSD formats, are essential parts of a photographer or videographer’s arsenal. Not only that, but they have a myriad of other uses, including smartphones, video game consoles, and more.

What to Consider

The specifications of memory cards can be pretty technical for the uninitiated. When you’re shopping for one, here are some important things you can keep in mind to help make the process easier:

Type of Card — First, and most importantly, you need to see what kind of card your device uses. An SD card slot is bigger and is typical of high-end cameras. However, MicroSD cards often come with adaptors for SD slots, so you can usually find something that works in any format. It’s best to check the manual for your device and see what kind of memory card is required.

Capacity — Depending on what you’re using your card for, you’ll want a good amount of memory. 4k videos and photos can quickly eat up space, so 64 GB and up is a fairly common choice. However, if you’re not needing a ton of space, less can sometimes suffice.

Speed — If you’re shooting HD video or using burst mode on a high-end camera, you’ll want your card to be able to keep up without lag. That’s where the speed comes in. This is measured in megabytes per second. Make sure the speed of your card is up to the task of what you need it for. Also, keep in mind, there are two speeds: read and write speed. Read speed determines how quickly your card can transfer data, and write speed is how quickly it can capture data.

How We Selected

For this roundup, we made sure to select a broad range of categories to fit the different needs you’d want a memory card for. We’ve selected a broad range of capacities, speed, card types, and budgets so there’s something for everyone. Once we narrowed down the categories, we made sure to check with reputable resources like TechRadar, Wirecutter by The New York Times, Digital Camera World, and more. We also made sure that each of the products listed has at least 4 stars or more on Amazon. With all of that already taken into consideration, all you have to do is select your category and you’ll get a great product! Scroll through to find the right flash memory card for you.