SD cards aren’t usually hot topics. But the new SanDisk 512GB SD card is an exception. The SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I memory card is the only SD card is the “world’s highest capacity SD card” available to consumers (according to the SanDisk press release).
The card was designed for professional photographers and videographers that are looking to shoot in 4K Ultra High definition - yep, that’s a niche market.
But, it’s also a market that will rejoice at the new SDXC card. Previously, Lexar had released a 256GB SD card, and that card once reigned at the biggest available. But where there’s a demand and a niche market, there’s also competition, and SanDisk has been working to make a bigger card ever since Lexar’s 256GB creation.
Pretty Impressive Numbers
SanDisk’s latest SD card is impressive all around. In some cases, the new SD has more capacity than a standard laptop. If you think about it, SanDisk has also come a very long way from the company’s first SD card release in 2003. SanDisk’s first SD card had 512MB of storage capacity, so a jump to 512GB is huge for the company (well, for any company, since this card now beats all other available to consumers). Plus, 512GB is an impressive amount of storage space.
In addition to the storage space news, SanDisk also included the following details in the company’s latest press release:
Lifetime limited warranty
Element proof (temperature, water, x-ray, and shock)
As you might imagine, though, the new SanDisk card is not cheap.
Paying for Space
SanDisk’s new card will sell for $799.99. So, yeah, this card might have more storage space than your laptop, but it will cost nearly as much as well. However, this price is to be expected with a card this impressive, and you never know, those prices may drop eventually (or when another company comes out with a bigger card). If you are a professional photographer or videographer, spending eight-hundred dollars on a SD card might make good sense.
For the average person, this card will be too pricey. Then again, if you read the SanDisk press release, this card was never developed for the average person, and SanDisk is clearly going after that pro market. The card will be available through the SanDisk website shortly, and you can contact the company for any additional questions that you may have.
This SD card might be obsolete in a few years, but right now it’s the best thing going if you need extra storage space. SanDisk states that the card is fast, too, so that’s another added bonus. The idea here is to let photographers and videographers shoot as much as needed without concern about how equipment will stack up, and that’s the goal that SanDisk has apparently met with the newest card in its lineup.
Does this card make sense to you? Would you buy it? So far, professional photographers and videographers seem to like what they are seeing, and the card promises to be something worth looking into if you have the budget.