August 09, 2024 – Western Digital, a leading data storage solutions provider, is set to attend the “Future Memory and Storage Conference” in Santa Clara, California, where it will unveil the world’s first 4TB microSD and 8TB SD memory cards. These flagship storage solutions are designed to meet the demanding storage needs of smartphones, high-end gaming devices, professional drones, high-performance cameras, and even slim laptops.
Interestingly, both cards adopt the UHS-I interface standard, reflecting an industry-wide trend of compromising speed for larger capacity. However, details about the specific V-rating, a critical indicator of video recording performance, remain undisclosed. This has sparked curiosity and anticipation within the industry.
Currently, SanDisk’s existing UHS-I 1TB card offers a base transfer speed of 30MB/s, with a peak speed of 200MB/s, although this top speed is not sustainable. The 1.5TB microSD card faces a speed bottleneck, operating at a V10 rating with a maximum stable speed of only 10MB/s. This limitation is particularly relevant for drone and camera users who require efficient video recording.
In a related development, Western Digital has also introduced the SanDisk Desk Drive, a portable SSD with an astonishing 16TB capacity. This remarkable storage solution addresses the growing demand for data storage and transfer, offering unprecedented space and performance advantages for content creators and consumers.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that last year, SanDisk’s portable SSDs faced criticism due to frequent data issues such as unexpected data erasure and read/write failures. Despite subsequent measures, user concerns persist.
Therefore, while the new products are impressive, professional review institutions like PetaPixel remain cautious and advise users to exercise prudence while choosing SanDisk portable storage products until these issues are adequately addressed. The upcoming conference is eagerly awaited by the industry to learn more about these innovative storage solutions and their potential impact on the market.
