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Recently, I released a video discussing why memory cards are becoming obsolete as a format. The video uses the example of microSD support on smartphones, specifically the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra, though this is not the case in the budget sector. That being said, I still stand by my point: microSD is indeed fading out of smartphones. However, SD and microSD cards – like the Kingston Canvas Go! Plus SDG4/SDCG4 – are not disappearing in other devices. In fact, they are evolving and will continue to develop.
Specifications
- Article no: SDG4/SDCG4
- Capacity: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
- Speed classes: UHS-I, U3, V30, A2, Class 10
- Peak speed: up to 200MB/s (in Kingston MobileLight Plus card reader)
- File system: exFAT
- Operating temperature: -25 to +85 °C
- Storage temperature: -40 to +85 °C
- Power supply voltage: 3,3 В
- Warranty and technical support: lifetime
Terminology
Let’s dive straight into decoding what’s written on the packaging. 1TB – that’s clear. If it’s not clear to you, you’re probably reading the wrong review. Speed – up to 200MB/s. Pay attention to the word “up to.”
This is important because in small print, there’s a note stating that these speeds are only guaranteed for reading and only when using the proprietary Kingston MobileLight Plus card reader, or MLP.
The reader isn’t universal, BUT it is compact and fast. Additionally, the microSD cards come with an SD adapter, which also supports the promised speeds.
The “10” in the letter “C” refers to Class 10, meaning a minimum speed of 10MB/s. It’s an outdated standard but still widely recognized. The Roman numeral “I” refers to the UHS-1 class, with a theoretical maximum speed of up to 104MB/s. However, Kingston’s direct response is that this also depends on the host device. So, achieving 200MB/s is possible.
Next, V30 indicates a minimum sustained write speed of 30MB/s. This means the speed can be higher, but it is guaranteed to not drop below that value, which is great if you need, for example, stable write speeds in a camera where any drop in performance could result in footage corruption.
Finally, the A2 rating refers to performance for Android devices. It guarantees a minimum of 4000 IOPS for random read and 2000 IOPS for random write operations.
Main tasks
In other words, both of the new cards – the Kingston Canvas Go! Plus SDG4 1TB and Kingston Canvas Go! Plus SDG4 1TB – can write data at speeds starting from 30MB/s for all devices and read up to 200MB/s through the proprietary card reader. Their IOPS performance is a minimum of 4000 IOPS for reading and 2000 IOPS for writing, respectively.
The official price for these memory cards in this capacity is around €130, or just under $150. Yes, these cards are fast. Yes, they are modern. And yes, they are objectively useful.
Secondary tasks (games, shooting, etc.)
As for SD cards… they are primarily used in a) cameras and b) portable consoles. Right now, I’m using a combination of a USB SSD and two SD cards with my Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX paired with a Meike 35mm F2 LM lens. The reason is that my camera can, first, duplicate data to two storage devices simultaneously, specifically to two memory cards. Second, it can write the full file to the SSD and the proxy file to the memory card.
So, if I need to edit on a less powerful laptop, not the flagship ASUS ROG Scar 15 GC533QS, proxies will allow me to process footage in DaVinci Resolve in no time.
As for gaming consoles like the Steam Deck, if you have the option to get an SSD for your Steam Deck, go for it. They’re faster and more reliable. With memory cards, it’s tough to find the TBW (Total Bytes Written) rating, which indicates the number of terabytes a card can endure before wearing out. On Kingston’s website, the TBW value isn’t listed even in the datasheets for the SDG4, SDCG4, or the SDCE model, which is marketed as a more durable card.
On the other hand, the random speed benchmarks for the Kingston Canvas Go! Plus, SDG4, and SDCG4 – even when used with a 5-year-old SD reader – show sequential data transfer speeds of up to 185MB/s and random speeds ranging from 6 to 8MB/s. This roughly simulates how the card would perform in a Steam Deck, where there are no specific optimizations for Kingston cards.
Conclusions
Memory cards still have their place in the market. They remain popular and in demand – it’s just that their niche has shifted. At least, it has changed since the last time you probably looked into them. The Kingston Canvas Go! Plus will still be right at home in drones, cameras, tablets, and even gaming consoles. So yes, I do recommend them!
Read also:
- What Makes Enterprise SSDs Stand Out: Look at the Samsung PM963 and Artline Prebuilt Systems
- THREE Reasons Why the IRDM Black DDR5 6400 MHz 64GB is RAM for Work
- Prologix DDR5 6000MHz 32GB RAM Review
