Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Transcend Micro SD review


Today we’re going to review Transcend Micro SD card, compare models and their speeds. You’re probably here because you consider buying this card from Transcend and you want additional information in order to make informed decision. I own this card for almost a year and I want to share my experience with you and help you make a best possible buy.

What card capacity suits me?


Probably the first question you asked yourself is what capacity of card you actually need. Memory consumption needs in today’s world grows every day and price of the memory falls at the same time. We came to the point where memory is extremely cheap, and unlike what Apple charges for additional capacity, 8GB micro SD card can be bought for $5 to $10. For just few bucks more, you can buy 16GB card and I would absolutely recommend buying a card of this capacity, since it is optimal and price is very affordable. Of course, you can buy 32 or 64GB versions but price for them is a little bit higher.

Below is a comparison table of how many songs, photos, videos or applications can fit on each card size.

Card Model Real capacity after FAT formatting Number of 4 minutes HQ MP3s Number of 8 MP photos Minutes of SD video Minutes of Full HD video (1080p) Applications Best Price
Transcend 4 GB Micro SD 3.7 GB 445 890 470 19 890 Check here
Transcend 8 GB Micro SD 7.4 GB 890 1780 940 36 1780 Check here
Transcend 16 GB Micro SD 14.8 GB 1780 3560 1880 72 3560 Check here
Transcend 32 GB Micro SD 29,6 GB 3560 7120 3760 144 7120 Check here
Transcend 64 GB Micro SD 59,2 GB 7120 14240 7520 288 14240 Check here


Every manufacturer of memory declares raw (unformatted) capacity. After formatting to a certain file system some capacity is lost and that is normal and applies to every single memory unit, not only Transcend Micro SD cards.


*Number of songs is calculated taking one that song has 10MB size, which is 320 kbps encoded song, about 4 minutes long. One 8 MP photo is assumed to have 5 MB file size, which also is a size of average application. When it comes to video, SD video is assumed to be in 320x240 pixels resolution at 24fps and it usually spends about 8 MB per minute and HD 1080p video occupies about 200MB per minute. If you’re intending to record in HD, you should buy a class 10 card. Continue reading below.


What are Transcend Micro SD card classes and what class card should I buy?



Every memory card has its class. Modern cards are usually class 4, 6 or 10. But what does this means?
This number represents the speed of writing data from and to the card. The higher card class is, the better. Why is this important? Not only it determinate how long you will wait for your files to be copied, but also is of crucial importance if you’re planning to shoot HD video. For recording 1080p with your camera or smartphone, generally class 10 cards are recommended. If you choose slow card (for example class 4), your camera won’t be able to write data to the card fast enough, and you might experience lags and be forced to lower recording quality settings. So why have you bought that expensive and powerful camera if you aren’t able to use it’s true power? This shouldn’t happen because even Class 10 Transcend Micro SD cards are extremely affordable! I personally wouldn’t consider buying a slow SD card and I neither recommend that to you.


Below is a screenshot of speed test of Transcend Micro SD Class 10 card:


What devices Transcend Micro SD card works with?


Transcend Micro SD card works with many devices, like phones, cameras, tablets, MP3 players and more. You should check with your device manufacturer if it supports for SDHC (high capacity) and what is the highest capacity you can use. Sometimes, there is a limit of card capacity that certain device can use, and if you buy card whose capacity is above that limit, it might not work. So, you can use this Transcend Micro SD cards only with cameras that supports for Micro SD? Wrong!
Transcend Micro SD cards also comes with Micro SD to SD adapter allowing you to use your card in any device that takes regular SD cards. A majority of cameras uses exactly SD cards so this adapter is absolutely handy! How can you be sure you’ll get adapter? If you buy online, it’s clearly stated that adapter is in the box!

Quality and Durability


Transcend guarantees that card will still be working after 10 thousands insertion and has limited lifetime warranty! What else you need to be convinced. After all, this card cost as coffee in Starbucks. What you have to lose? If you buy on amazon, all this is backed up with their customer support and return policy, so if you’re feeling like this isn’t for you can send it back and get full refund! Transcend Micro SD cards also compile with Secure Digital Music Initiative portable device requirements.

Conclusion


In my personal opinion this is a great card and I would recommend it to anyone looking for quality yet affordable product. Transcend Micro SD card has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars and that speaks for itself.