Multimedia content has become so prevalent that you will hardly see anything without it. The apps that our mobile phones used to run efficiently now require flagship phones to run data-intensive tasks.
Similarly, from a simple Floppy Disk to SD Cards, we have now taken a step further into SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) Cards, which is proving to be the next big powerhouse in the storage sector for modern gadgets and devices.
Let’s learn more about this new-age solution for compact storage expansion in modern devices:
The ‘Extended’ In SDXC Cards
There are different classifications in memory cards like SD Cards, microSD cards, and miniSD cards. SDXC isn’t different from these cards. It is a part of these cards. To put it in simple words, SDXC is the term given to the category of memory cards with a storage capacity of 64 Gigabytes or more. It can easily go up to 2 TB (Terabytes).
Before the SDXC cards, we had SDHC cards. SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) Cards are the predecessor to SDXC cards and offer around 32 GB (Gigabytes) of maximum storage. Their transfer speeds were slow and they had less efficient file systems.
The New-Age exFAT System
The previous-generation SDHC cards relied primarily on the FAT32 File System. It would compromise the total space in the card available for utilization. For example, it would show 32 GB, but 28-30 GB would be usable. This led to the customers feeling unsatisfied from the purchase, thinking that the companies were ripping them off for the money. All this changed in SDXC Cards.
The exFAT system, also known as the Extended File Allocation Table file system, made the cards more efficient. It helped keep up with the modern requirements of data loads, application prowess, and other similar tasks. This led to more accurate empty space in the cards. If it said 64 GBs, then at least 63.5 GB was available for use in the less efficient cards.
A Glance At SDXC Features
SDXC cards are basically an evolved version of older memory cards. You can easily find the best features for the SDXC Cards at RS. Here is a quick overview of different qualities of SDXC cards, compared to other cards:
- A higher Class 10 and UHS Speed Class 1 to 3 ensures fast data transfers. Minimum 100 MBPS (Megabytes per second) to 300 MBPS. It is a significant leap from 20-30 MBPS of SDHC.
- You can directly capture and store High Definition videos and images in the SDXC card without relying on a device’s internal memory. It doesn’t compromise performance.
- SDXC Cards are compatible with all new-age devices like laptops, smartphones, camcorders, digital cameras, and gaming consoles. The universal compatibility makes them a great investment.
The only drawback of buying an SDXC card would be the incompatibility with older devices, which isn’t a big deal. There are Card Readers and adapters available to bridge the gap between the legacy devices and modern storage options.
The Wide Use of SDXC Cards
Today’s memory cards with a storage capacity of 64 GB or above are known as SDXC Cards. It doesn’t matter which device you use, they all have SDXC Cards. Therefore, you can find their applications in:
- Professional videography and photography easily range from 4K to 8K without any storage issue.
- An extension for smartphones, tablets, and other devices to install, store and run data-intensive applications, including games.
- Flexible data storage without any need to rely upon cloud or other paid options. One-time investment and long-term functionality of SDXC cards make them a wise choice.
We might see other significant improvements and next level evolution in SDXC cards. Although, it is not necessary yet.