More Storage Space on a Flake of Plastic
Written: Jan 05 '08 (Updated Jan 27 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 4GB of space, fast read, awesome price, works with SD slots as well.
Cons: Slow writes (not a Class 6)
The Bottom Line: It performs like a Class 2 SDHC card, but it's very cheap, and has fast reads. It's up to you if you want to take it up with ADATA.
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| nad_masters's Full Review: A-Data Technology A-DATA microSDHC class 6, Turbo ... |
Update-01/27/2008
I just got a new SDHC card reader, and my read/write results are different from when I originally reviewed it. Check out the end for the results!
Review
The need for more storage space seem to be on the rise. Not only that, but having multiple devices will mean you need multiple SD cards. SD cards is fast become the most popular flash cards, and there are now 2 smaller versions based on the SD protocol. With Mini and Micro SD cards, they are interchangeable as long as you have the right adapter.
The A-Data Turbo microSDHC 4GB card comes with a SD Card adapter, but no Mini adapter. It's still a nice package if all you need is a Micro and standard SD compatiblity. It comes with a small plastic carry case that holds the SD card adapter along with the microSDHC chip itself.
SDHC Class Levels
With SDHC cards, the SD Association created 3 classes to help customers find out how fast their SDHC card can write just by the class rating on the package. Here are the classes:
Class 2 - 2 MB/s
Class 4 - 4 MB/s
Class 6 - 6 MB/s
Performance (Note: New results below.)
With the class well defined, the A-Data Turbo microSDHC with Adapter (rated as a Class 6), I wanted to see if their microSDHC card performed as advertised.
With a 700 MB avi file, I copied the file onto the card, and then read off it. I used a timer to time how long it takes to finish, and then calculate the speed.
When I copied the file onto the card, it took an abysmal 5:40 minutes. This calculates out to 2.06 MB/sec! The performance was more like a Class 2 SDHC card! I would not use it on a digital camera, where write speed is paramount to how fast you can take your next snapshot.
Read speed is much better at 28 seconds. This translate to exactly 25 MB/sec. This card seems to be more suited for displaying pictures, playing music, or streaming video.
Conclusion
Based on the false advertisement on the write speed, this card is a no-win. However, if you just need the space, and if most of your activity requires reading more than writing, than for the right price, it's still worth getting.
I bought mine at Fry's Electronics for $35.99 with a $6 mail in rebate. This brings a 4 GB microSD card (with a SD card adapter) down to only $29.99! Even with the bad write speed, it's worth it just for the 4 GB space. I was planning on using it for my camera or my Palm Centro (used for taking pictures, videos, and playing MP3s), but now, I think I'm just going to use it on my GPS, which allows for me to add maps, custom routes, and the ability to play MP3s.
While I personally will not take an issue with the write speed (because of the price) with ADATA, for those who bought this microSDHC card because they advertised it as a Class 6 SDHC card, they may want to contact ADATA to complain about the false statements.
Update-Performance Test
After buying a new SDHC-specific card reader, I was able to copy a 504 MB file in 44 seconds, giving me a staggering 11.45 MB/sec! That's much better than the nearly 2 MB/sec reported earlier. Reading the same file, however, took 27 seconds, giving me a read speed of only 18.67 MB/sec (compared to 25 MB/sec before). Card readers seem to affect speeds, so be aware!
Recommended:
Yes
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