Samsung has refreshed its PRO Plus memory cards, the line aimed at photographers, videographers and content creators who work with heavy files every day. The upgrade promises quicker moves for large footage, but the real question is how much faster your workflow can get, and what the company leaves out of the picture.
Samsung Electronics America has upgraded its PRO Plus memory cards, which are aimed at professional and enthusiast photographers, videographers, and content creators. The new Samsung PRO Plus microSD and full-size SD cards reach read speeds of up to 180 MB/s and write speeds of up to 130 MB/s. Those figures are increases of 12 percent (read) and 8 percent (write) over their predecessors.
Samsung says the cards are built for professional use, letting users capture 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) and Full HD (FHD) video and photos. They also carry a V30 video speed class rating, which Samsung positions as a way for professionals to move large video files quickly while editing.
The cards come in capacities up to 512GB. Samsung says a 512GB card can hold up to 207,159 4K UHD photos or 30 hours of 4K UHD video. The release also points to the Samsung Card Reader, which supports USB 3.0 and is backward compatible with USB 2.0, so the cards can be used with any device that has a USB port.
Key Features at a Glance
Read speed: Up to 180 MB/s, a 12 percent increase over predecessors. Faster reads help when pulling large files off the card.
Write speed: Up to 130 MB/s, an 8 percent increase over predecessors. Faster writes help when recording and saving footage.
Video speed class: V30 rating, which supports quick movement of large video files during editing.
4K and FHD capture: Designed for 4K UHD and Full HD video and photos.
Capacity: Up to 512GB, which Samsung says can hold up to 207,159 4K UHD photos or 30 hours of 4K UHD video.
Card Reader: USB 3.0 support with backward compatibility with USB 2.0, so the cards work with any USB-equipped device.
Availability
Samsung’s enhanced PRO Plus microSD and full-size SD cards raised sequential read speeds to up to 180 MB/s and write speeds to up to 130 MB/s—improvements of 12% and 8%, respectively, over the previous generation. The lineup retained the UHS-I interface and expanded capacity options, with the enhanced microSD range reaching 1TB in 2024.
