This table provides summary of comparison of various flash memory cards, .
Unless otherwise indicated, all images are to scale.
Card family | Standards organizations | Varieties | Entry date | Maximum commercially available capacity | Picture[1] | Main features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CompactFlash | SanDisk | I | 1994 | 512 GB (CF5 | < | -- 134 px = 43 mm --> | Thinner (3.3 mm), flash only, now up to 512 GB, although standard goes up to 128 PB since CF 5.0[2] |
II | Thicker (5.0 mm), older flash, but usually Microdrives, up to 128 PiB | ||||||
CFexpress | CompactFlash Association | 1.0 | 2017 | 1 TB | CFexpress Type B: XQD form factor (38.5 mm × 29.8 mm × 3.8 mm), PCIe 3.0 x2 (1.97 GB/s), NVMe | ||
2.0 | 2019 | ? | CFexpress Type A: 20 mm × 28 mm × 2.8 mm, PCIe 3.0 x1 (1.0 GB/s), NVMeCFexpress Type C: 54 mm × 74 mm × 4.8 mm, PCIe 3.0 x4 (4.0 GB/s), NVMe | ||||
- | - | - | - | PCIe 3.0 x8 (8,0 GB/s), NVMe | |||
SmartMedia | Toshiba | 3.3/5 V | 1995 | 128 MB | < | -- 115 px = 37 mm --> | Very slim (45.0 mm × 37.0 mm × 0.76 mm), no wear leveling controller, up to 128 MB. This particular example shows the write protect sticker (the silver disc). |
MultiMediaCard | Siemens AG, SanDisk | MMC | 1997 | 16 GB | < | -- 75 px = 24 mm --> | Slim and small (24 mm × 32 mm × 1.4 mm), up to 16 GB |
RS-MMC/MMC Mobile | 2003/2005 | 16 GB | < | -- 75 px = 24 mm --> | Compact (24 mm × 18 mm × 1.4 mm), up to 16 GB | ||
MMCplus | 2005 | 16 GB | < | -- This is bigger, because there is border on the image -- 75 px = 24 mm --> | Compact (24 mm × 32 mm × 1.4 mm), swifter, optional DRM, up to 16 GB | ||
MMCmicro | 2005 | 4 GB | < | -- 42 px = 14 mm --> | Subcompact (14 mm × 12 mm × 1.1 mm), optional DRM, 16 MB to 4 GB | ||
Secure Digital | SanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD Association | SD | 1999 | 2 GB[3] | < | -- 75 px = 24 mm --> | Small (32 mm × 24 mm × 2.1 mm), DRM, up to 2 GB. (2 GB cards use larger block sizes and may not be compatible with some host devices. See Article) |
miniSD | 2003 | 2 GB | < | -- 62 px = 20 mm --> | Compact (15 mm × 11 mm × 1 mm), DRM, up to 2 GB. (2 GB cards use larger block sizes and may not be compatible with some host devices. See Article) | ||
microSD | 2005 | 2 GB | < | -- 47 px = 15 mm --> | Subcompact (15 mm × 11 mm × 1 mm), DRM, up to 2 GB. (2 GB cards use larger block sizes and may not be compatible with some host devices. See Article) | ||
SDHC | 2006 | 32 GB | < | -- 75 px = 24 mm --> | Same build as SD but greater capacity and transfer speed, 4 GB to 32 GB (not compatible with older host devices). | ||
miniSDHC | 2008 | 32 GB | < | -- 62 px = 20 mm --> | Same build as miniSD but greater capacity and transfer speed, 4 GB to 32 GB. 8 GB is largest in early-2011 (not compatible with older host devices). | ||
microSDHC | 2007 | 32 GB | < | -- 47 px = 15 mm --> | Same build as microSD but greater capacity and transfer speed, 4 GB to 32 GB.[4] (not compatible with older host devices) | ||
SDXC | 2009 | 1 TB | < | -- = mm --> | Same build as SD/SDHC, but greater capacity and transfer speed, 32 GB and higher. Standard goes up to 2 TB (not compatible with older host devices). | ||
microSDXC | 2009 | 2 TB[5] | < | -- = mm --> | Same build as microSD/microSDHC, but greater capacity and transfer speed, 32 GB and higher. Standard goes up to 2 TB (not compatible with older host devices). | ||
SDUC | 2018 | not yet available | < | -- = mm --> | Same build as SD/SDHC/SDXC, but greater capacity and transfer speed. Standard goes up to 128 TB (not compatible with older host devices). | ||
Memory Stick | Sony, SanDisk | Standard | 1998 | 128 MB | < | -- 67 px = 21.5 mm --> | Slim and narrow (50 mm × 21.5 mm × 2.8 mm), optional DRM, up to 128 MB |
PRO | 2003 | 4 GB | (not to scale) | Slim and narrow (50 mm × 21.5 mm × 2.8 mm), swifter, optional DRM, up to 4 GB | |||
Duo | 2003 | 128 MB | Compact (31 mm × 20 mm × 1.6 mm), optional DRM, up to 128 MB | ||||
PRO Duo | 2002-2006 | 32 GB | < | -- 62 px = 20 mm --> | Compact (31 mm × 20 mm × 1.6 mm), optional DRM, up to 32 GB | ||
PRO-HG Duo | 2007-2008 | 32 GB | Compact (31 mm × 20 mm × 1.6 mm), swifter, optional DRM, up to 32 GB | ||||
Micro (M2) | 2006 | 16 GB | < | -- 39 px = 12.5 mm --> | Subcompact (15 mm × 12.5 mm × 1.2 mm), optional DRM, up to 16 GB | ||
Sony | PS Vita Memory Card | 2012 | 64 GB | < | -- 39 px = 12.5 mm --> | Subcompact (15 mm × 12.5 mm × 1.6 mm[6]), compulsory DRM, up to 64 GB, proprietary (can be used on PS Vita only) | |
P2 (storage media) | Panasonic | MicroP2 | 2012 | 64 GB | MicroP2 is a SDXC/SDHC card conforming to UHS-II (Ultra High Speed bus), and can be read by common SDHC/SDXC card readers. | ||
xD | Olympus, Fujifilm, Sony | Standard | 2002-2007 | 512 MB | < | -- 78 px = 25 mm --> | Slim and small (20 mm × 25 mm × 1.78 mm), electrically identical to SmartMedia, no wear-leveling controller, up to 512 MB[7] |
Type M | 2005 | 2 GB | < | -- 78 px = 25 mm --> | Slim and small (20 mm × 25 mm × 1.78 mm) but slower read/write, no wear-leveling controller, up to 2 GB | ||
Type H | 2005 | 2 GB | < | -- 78 px = 25 mm --> | Slim and small (20 mm × 25 mm × 1.78 mm) and swifter, no wear-leveling controller, up to 2 GB | ||
XQD card | Sony & Nikon | Standard | 2011-2012 | >2 TB | < | -- 38.5 mm × 29.8 mm, the card in the image is 909 pixels wide --> | High-capacity, high-speed standard using PCIe as interface |
Universal Flash Storage Card Extensions | Samsung | UFS Card | 2016 | >256 GB | Packages the flash memory, currently soldered in shipping smartphones, into a removable card form factor. Uses the SCSI command set including queuing. The electrical interface makes use of differential signaling, which enables high bus speeds and robustness under noisy conditions and reduced pin count (compared to parallel bus alternatives such as UHS-I). | ||
USB flash drive | Various | USB 1.1/2.0/3.0/3.1 | 2000/2001 | 1 TB+ | (not to scale) | Universally compatible across most non-mobile computer platforms, their greater size suits them better to file transfer/storage instead of use in portable devices |
Note that a memory card's dimensions are determined while holding the card with contact pins upwards. The length of cards is often greater than their width. Most cards show a directional arrow to aid insertion; such an arrow should be upward.
Card | Width (mm) | Length (mm) | Thickness (mm) | Volume (mm³) | Mass (g)[8] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CompactFlash, Type I | 43.0 | 36.0 | 3.3 | 5,108 | 3.3 | |
CompactFlash, Type II | 43.0 | 36.0 | 5.0 | 7,740 | ||
SmartMedia | 37.0 | 45.0 | 0.76 | 1,265 | 2.0 | |
MMC, MMCplus | 24.0 | 32.0 | 1.4 | 1,075 | 1.3[9] | |
RS-MMC, MMCmobile | 24.0 | 18.0 | 1.4 | 605 | 1.3 | |
MMCmicro | 14.0 | 12.0 | 1.1 | 185 | ||
SD, SDHC, SDXC, SDIO, MicroP2 | 24.0 | 32.0 | 2.1 | 1,613 | 2.0 | |
miniSD, miniSDHC, miniSDIO | 20.0 | 21.5 | 1.4 | 602 | 1.0 | |
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC | 11.0 | 15.0 | 1.0 | 165 | 0.27 | |
Memory Stick Standard, PRO | 21.5 | 50.0 | 2.8 | 3,010 | 4.0 | |
Memory Stick Duo, PRO Duo, PRO-HG, XC | 20.0 | 31.0 | 1.6 | 992 | 2.0 | |
Memory Stick Micro (M2), XC | 12.5 | 15.0 | 1.2 | 225 | 2.0 | |
Nano Memory | 12.3[10] | 8.8 | 0.7 | 76 | ||
PS Vita Memory Card | 15 | 12.5 | 1.6 | 300 | 0.6 | |
XQD card | 38.5 | 29.8 | 3.8 | 4,360 | ||
xD | 25.0 | 20.0 | 1.78 | 890 | 2.8 | |
USB | varies | varies | varies | varies | varies |
Standard | SD | UFS Card | CFast | XQD | CFexpress | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Version | 3.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 7.0[11] | 1.0/1.1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | ? | |
Launched | 2010 Q2 | 2011 Q1 | 2017 Q1 | ? | 2016 Q2 / 2018 Q1 | 2020 Q4 | 2008 Q3 | 2012 Q3 | 2011 Q4 | 2014 Q1 | 2017 Q2 | ? | |
Bus | UHS-I | UHS-II | UHS-III | PCIe | UFS 2.0 | UFS 3.0 | SATA-300 | SATA-600 | PCIe 2.0 x1 | PCIe 2.0 x2 | PCIe 3.0 x2 | PCIe 3.0 x8 | |
Speed(full-duplex) | 104 MB/s | 156 MB/s | 624 MB/s | 1970 MB/s (?) | 600 MB/s | 1200 MB/s | 300 MB/s | 600 MB/s | 500 MB/s | 1000 MB/s | 1970 MB/s | 7880 MB/s |
Card | Varieties | data-sort-type="number" | Max storage capacity (nom. in GiB) | data-sort-type="number" | Theoretical max. capacity (nom. in GiB) | data-sort-type="number" | Max read speed (MB/s) | data-sort-type="number" | Max write speed (MB/s) | Read-write cycles | Low-level access | Operating voltage (V)[12] | Controller chip[13] |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CompactFlash | I | 512 | data-sort-value="134217728" | 128 PiB (134,217,728 GiB) | 167[14] | 167 | NOR/NAND | 3.3 and 5 | 50 | |||||
II | 12 | data-sort-value="134217728" | 128 PiB (134,217,728 GiB) | 167 | 167 | |||||||||
SmartMedia | data-sort-value="0.125" | 128 MiB (0.125 GiB) | 2 | 1,000,000 | NAND | 3.3 or 5 | 22 | |||||||
MMC | MMC | 8 | 128 | 2 | 2 | 1,000,000[15] | 3.3 | 7 | ||||||
RS-MMC | 2 | 2[16] | 2 | 3.3 | 7 | |||||||||
MMCmobile | 2 | 15[17] | 8 | 1.8 and 3.3 | 13 | |||||||||
MMCplus | 4[18] | 52[19] | 52 | 3.3 | 13 | |||||||||
MMCmicro | 2 | 1.8 and 3.3 | 10[20] | |||||||||||
eMMC | data-sort-value="2048" | 2 TiB (2048 GiB) | 104 | 104 | 1.8 and 3.3 | Varies | ||||||||
Secure Digital[21] | SD (SDSC) | 512 | 4 | 25[22] | 25 | 3.3 | 9 | |||||||
miniSD | 8 | 25 | 25 | 11 | ||||||||||
microSD | 4 | 25 | 25 | 8 | ||||||||||
SDHC | 32[23] | 32 | 104 (UHS-I) | 104 (UHS-I) | 1.8 and 3.3 | 9 | ||||||||
miniSDHC | 4[24] | 104 (UHS-I) | 104 (UHS-I) | 11 | ||||||||||
microSDHC | 32 | 104 (UHS-I) | 104 (UHS-I) | 8 | ||||||||||
SDXC | 512[25] | 2 TiB (2048 GiB) | 104 (UHS-I) | 104 | 2.7–3.6[26] | 9 | ||||||||
microSDXC | 1 TiB [27] | 104 (UHS-I) | 104 (UHS-I) | 8 | ||||||||||
Memory Stick | Standard | data-sort-value="0.125" | 128 MiB (0.125 GiB) | data-sort-value="0.125" | 128 MiB (0.125 GiB) | 2.5 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 10 | |||||
PRO | 4 | 2 TiB (2048 GiB) | 20 | 20 | 3.3 | |||||||||
PRO Duo | 32[28] | 20 | 20 | 3.3 | ||||||||||
PRO-HG Duo | 32[29] | 30 (actual;[30] theoretical: 60[31]) | 30 (actual; theoretical: 60) | 3.3 | ||||||||||
Micro (M2) | 16[32] | 32 | 20 | 20 | 1.8 and 3.3 | |||||||||
xC | data-sort-value="2048" | 2 TiB (2048 GiB) | 60 | 60 | 3.3 | |||||||||
xD | data-sort-value="0.5" | 512 MiB (0.5 GiB) | data-sort-value="0.5" | 512 MiB (0.5 GiB) | 5 | 3 | 3.3 | 18 | ||||||
Type M | 2 | 8 | 4 | 2.5 | ||||||||||
Type H | 2 | 8 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||||
Type M+ | 2 | 8 | 6 | 3.75 | ||||||||||
XQD | 64 | data-sort-value="2.001" | 2+ TiB (2+ GiB) | 168 | 168 | 5 | ||||||||
USB | Full speed (USB 1) | 2048[33] (2 TiB) | No hardware limit | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | |||||||
High speed (USB 2.0) | 40 | 40 | ||||||||||||
Super speed (USB 3.0) | 240 | 160 |
Card | Write protection switch[34] | DRM | |
---|---|---|---|
CompactFlash | |||
SmartMedia | , sticker | (optional) | |
MMC, RS-MMC | |||
MMCMobile | , secureMMC | ||
SD | [35] [36] | rowspan="3", CPRM | |
miniSD | |||
microSD | |||
Memory Stick Standard, PRO | , MagicGate | ||
Memory Stick Duo, PRO Duo | , MagicGate | ||
Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo | , MagicGate | ||
Memory Stick Micro (M2) | , MagicGate | ||
PS Vita Memory Card | , Proprietary | ||
xD | [37] | ||
USB | Sometimes |
The following chart gives details on availability of adapters to put a given card (horizontal) in a given slot or device (vertical). This table does not take into account protocol issues in communicating with the device.
Following labels are used:
CF | CFast | SM | MMC | Memory Stick | SDSC | SDHC | SDXC | xD | XQD | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I | II | MMC | RS-MMC, MMCmobile | Std | PRO | PRO Duo | Micro | SDSC | miniSD | microSD | SDHC | miniSDHC | microSDHC | SDXC | microSDXC | Std | M | H | |||||
ExpressCard | E[38] | E | E[39] | E[40] | E | E | E | E | E[41] | E | E | E | EM | ||||||||||
PCI Express Mini Card | EM | ||||||||||||||||||||||
mSATA | XM | ||||||||||||||||||||||
PC Card | EM[42] | EM | E[43] < | -- also 3.5 in floppy --> | E[44] | E | E | E | |||||||||||||||
PCMCIA | EM | EM | E < | -- also 3.5 in floppy --> | E | E | E | E | |||||||||||||||
CF I | + | + | E | E[45] | E[46] | E | E[47] | E | E[48] | E | E | ||||||||||||
CF II | + | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | ||||||||||||||
CFast | + | ||||||||||||||||||||||
SM | + | X[49] | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||
xD | E[50] | + | + | + | |||||||||||||||||||
XQD | + | ||||||||||||||||||||||
MMC | + | M | D[51] | ||||||||||||||||||||
MS | X[52] | + | + | M | M | X | X | E[53] | |||||||||||||||
SDSC | D | M | + | EM | EM | ||||||||||||||||||
miniSD | + | EM | |||||||||||||||||||||
microSD | + | ||||||||||||||||||||||
SDHC | D[54] | EM | EM | + | EM | EM | |||||||||||||||||
miniSDHC | D | EM | + | EM | |||||||||||||||||||
microSDHC | D | + | |||||||||||||||||||||
SDXC | uscb | D[55] | EM | EM | D | EM | EM | + | EM | ||||||||||||||
microSDXC | D | D | + | ||||||||||||||||||||
IDE PATA | EM[56] | EM | E[57] [58] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Serial ATA | E[59] | E | EM | ||||||||||||||||||||
PCI Express | EM | ||||||||||||||||||||||
USB | X[60] | X | X | X | X | X | E[61] | E | E[62] | E[63] | X | X | X | X< | -- USB 3.0 SuperSpeed --> | ||||||||
Floppy | E[64] | E< | -- JVC Flashpath CUVFM40U --> | E + M | E< | -- Sony MSAC-FD1A/MSAC-FD1B and MSAC-FD2M/MSAC-FD2MA --> | E | ||||||||||||||||
Nintendo DS Slot-1 | E[65] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Nintendo DS Slot-2 | E[66] | E | E |