Greatest microSD Playing cards for Raspberry Pi 2024

Not like many different trendy computing units (together with different single board computer systems such because the Khadas VIM4, LattePanda 3 Delta, LattePanda Sigma and the Orange Pi 800), most Raspberry Pis haven’t any inner storage, relying as an alternative on detachable microSD playing cards as their major boot drives. The exception to this rule is the Compute Module 4 and the Compute Module 4S which might characteristic onboard eMMC storage. For mainstream fashions of Raspberry Pi the shortage of inner storage retains the price of the Raspberry Pi traditionally low as there isn’t any have to supply onboard storage and controller chips. Whereas it’s true that you could boot a Raspberry Pi 4 by way of a USB SSD or Flash Drive (and it can be considerably sooner), more often than not, it’s simpler, extra inexpensive and an total higher thought to stay with a microSD card.

MicroSD playing cards are a price efficient storage means. On the time of writing, excessive efficiency 32GB micro SD playing cards will be picked up for $10! However which microSD card do you have to purchase to your Raspberry Pi? To assist discover the reply, we examined ten completely different 32GB playing cards on a Raspberry Pi 4, a Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and a Raspberry Pi Zero W to see which provides the very best efficiency for the cash.

We selected the 32GB capability as a result of it provides greater than sufficient room for many use circumstances whereas not being appreciably costlier than 8 or 16GB playing cards. Raspberry Pi OS can run on a card that’s as small as 8GB (see how one can arrange a Raspberry Pi) if used with the Lite model of the OS. However for the total Raspberry Pi expertise you will have the total set up and that leaves you little or no, if any, further area on an 8GB card. You may claw again some area in your SD card, however with micro SD card costs being so low, even for prime efficiency playing cards, now could be the time to increase your storage. With each replace and launch steadily utilizing an increasing number of of your card, 8GB will quickly develop into too small for a typical setup. If emulation is your purpose then 32GB ought to be the naked minimal as PlayStation 1 CDROM photographs weigh in at round 700MB, so ten video games can simply eat up round 25% of your micro SD storage.

Are the times of micro SD playing cards within the Raspberry Pi numbered? Not but, as the discharge of the Raspberry Pi 5 and its SDR104 compliant micro SD card reader supplies improved efficiency. Within the close to future will likely be testing the brand new Raspberry Pi branded A2 class micro SD playing cards, which ought to give you the very best SDR104 appropriate micro SD playing cards to your Raspberry Pi 5. In our checks we discovered that when utilizing appropriate SDR104 playing cards, the SD card speeds rival the USB 3 SSD speeds of the Raspberry Pi 4!

If you happen to want the final word velocity to your Raspberry Pi, then you definitely want the flagship Raspberry Pi 5 and an M.2 HAT such because the Editor’s Selection Pineboard HatDrive! Nano Pimoroni’s NVMe Base, and the official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT . We have got a information on how one can use an NVMe drive together with your Raspberry Pi 5.

Fast Listing

The Greatest microSD Playing cards for Raspberry Pi

Why you possibly can belief Tom’s {Hardware} Our professional reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services so you possibly can select the very best for you. Discover out extra about how we check.

Greatest microSD Card Total

(Picture credit score: Silicon Energy)

1. Silicon Energy 3D NAND

 

Greatest Total

Specs

Capability: 32GB

UHS Pace Class: 1

Pace Class: 10

Causes to purchase

+

Strongest Raspberry Pi 4 efficiency

+

Good efficiency total

+

Low value

+

White floor for labeling

 

Causes to keep away from

Sluggish boot instances

Lesser-known model

 

We’re actually shocked that the very best performing Raspberry Pi microSD card in our roundup can also be the most affordable one and comes from a lesser-known model. It’s additionally rated UHS Pace 1 quite than 3, though these scores are largely meaningless (at the very least for Pi homeowners).  In truth, we have been so shocked at this card’s efficiency that we examined a second unit to verify the primary one wasn’t a fluke.

For a value of simply $6.99 (£5.99) at publishing time, the Silicon Energy 3D NAND achieved the very best speeds on the Raspberry Pi 4 in nearly all of the IOzone checks, particularly with 4K random writes. It additionally, by a hair, loaded all of our apps quickest on the Pi 4, although its boot time was second slowest. The Silicon Energy NAND 3D card additionally carried out nicely on Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and Pi Zero W, although it didn’t lead in as many classes.

Throughout our testing we observed that this card has one large benefit over most of its opponents: the flexibility to bodily write on it. As a result of the floor is partially white, you possibly can scribble on it with a Sharpie marker. That helps immensely when you’ve got a number of playing cards in a drawer and don’t know which is which.

Nice Speeds, Greatest for Pi 3

(Picture credit score: SanDisk)

2. SanDisk Excessive Professional

 

Nice Speeds, Greatest for Pi 3

Specs

Capability: 32GB

UHS Pace Class: 3

Video Pace Class: V30

Software Pace Class: A1

Pace Class: Class 10

Causes to purchase

+

All-around nice efficiency

+

Quickest card for Raspberry Pi 3 B+

 

SanDisk claims that the Excessive Professional can learn at as much as 100 MBps and write at as much as 90 MBps and has labeled it with a UHS ranking of three, a Video Pace Score of 30 and an Software Pace ranking of A1. As we word under, these scores aren’t very helpful, however nonetheless, this card is certainly one of many quickest round.

On the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, the SanDisk Excessive Professional completed first in six out of eight IOzone checks, together with random 4K reads and writes. On Raspberry Pi 4, the cardboard was inside a couple of tenths of a second of the quickest utility open instances on the Raspberry Pi 4 and it was 0.5 MBps or much less behind the chief within the all-important 4K random learn and write speeds on IOzone.  It additionally had the quickest sequential write velocity on the Raspberry Pi Diagnostic check.

SanDisk backs the Excessive Professional with a restricted lifetime guarantee and claims that it’s waterproof, shockproof and X-ray-proof.

Quickest booting Raspberry Pi microSD

(Picture credit score: Kingston)

3. Kingston Canvas React

 

Quickest booting Raspberry Pi microSD

Specs

Capability: 32GB

UHS Pace Class: 3

Video Pace Class: V30

Software Pace Class: A1

Pace Class: Class 10

Causes to purchase

+

Speedy boot instances

+

Sturdy utility opens

+

Nice 4K reads and writes on Pi Zero

 

Causes to keep away from

Mediocre 4K reads and writes on Pi 4

 

The Kingston Canvas React was within the higher efficiency tier on almost all of our Raspberry Pi microSD card checks and it stood out by being the quickest booter on each the Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 3 B+. It additionally offered utility open instances that have been persistently among the many finest.

The cardboard’s solely actual draw back is modest (however not horrible) 4K reads and writes on the Raspberry Pi 4. On the Raspberry Pi 3 and Zero, which have a slower microSD card reader, its 4K scores have been higher relative to the competitors.

Kingston backs the Canvas React with a restricted lifetime guarantee, but it surely doesn’t declare that the cardboard is waterproof or shockproof in its market supplies.

Lengthy-lasting Raspberry Pi microSD Card

(Picture credit score: Samsung)

4. Samsung Professional Endurance

 

Lengthy-lasting Raspberry Pi microSD Card

Specs

Capability: 32GB

UHS Pace Class: 3

Causes to purchase

+

Claims lengthy lifespan

+

Sturdy app open, boot instances

+

Main 4K random reads

 

Whereas it doesn’t win each check, the Samsung Professional Endurance is a superb all-around Raspberry Pi microSD card that guarantees as much as 25 instances larger longevity than a typical card. Whereas we are able to’t show or disprove this declare, we do know that Samsung has a superb fame within the business and backs the cardboard with a restricted lifetime guarantee. The corporate additionally says that the cardboard is waterproof, temperature-proof and X-ray-proof.

The Samsung Professional Endurance comes near the leaders on utility open instances and boot instances whereas reaching quick switch speeds on each check on each Pi mannequin. On the Raspberry Pi 4, it achieved the quickest 4K random reads on IOzone and the speediest sequential switch price within the Raspberry Pi Diagnostics device. Although it’s labeled as UHS 1 velocity, it hangs with or outpaces playing cards which can be labeled UHS 3. At $10.99 at publish time, it’s not the most affordable card, but in addition not the costliest.

Good Raspberry Pi microSD efficiency for the value

(Picture credit score: Samsung)

5. Samsung Evo Plus

 

Good Raspberry Pi microSD efficiency for the value

Specs

Capability: 32GB

UHS Pace Class: 3

Causes to purchase

+

Good value

+

Quick utility open and boot instances

 

Promoting for a modest $8.51 (£7.29) at publication time, the Samsung Evo Plus provides stable efficiency from a highly-trusted model at a really affordable value. Samsung backs the Evo Plus with a ten yr guarantee and claims that the cardboard can survive X-rays, magnetic radiation and even 72 hours in seawater. Most of us most likely aren’t nervous about submerging a card in water, but it surely’s good to know that if you happen to waterproof your Raspberry Pi, the cardboard will likely be fantastic too.

In our checks on the Raspberry Pi 4, the Samsung Evo Plus provided persistently sturdy utility opens, coming inside 0.2 to 0.3 seconds of the chief. It additionally booted in a speedy 24.7 seconds, solely 0.7 seconds slower than the Kingston Canvas React. The cardboard had stable switch charges in IOzone, although its 4K random writes have been just a little disappointing (charges have been a lot larger within the Raspberry Pi Diagnostic check). On the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, the Evo Plus received actually good utility open instances and barely higher 4K writes.

Different Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards We Examined

Different Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards We Examined

Not each product deserves to be listed as the most effective Raspberry Pi microSD playing cards. Listed below are another playing cards we examined and our temporary tackle every.

  • SanDisk Excessive: This card actually was not dangerous, providing stable all-around efficiency for, at press time, just a little greater than $10 or £10.
  • PNY Efficiency Turbo: The costliest card we examined at $14.90 (UK value N/A), this card didn’t stay as much as its identify or its price ticket. The Raspberry Pi Diagnostic device gave the Efficiency Turbo a failing grade, because of an terrible 4K random write velocity of 0.8 MBps. Its sequential numbers have been additionally subpar.
  • Lexar 633x: The second least costly card we examined, the Lexar 633x isn’t all dangerous. Its app open and boot instances have been good, however its 4K random write velocity and its sequential write velocity have been poor sufficient for it to flunk the Raspberry Pi Diagnostic check.
  • Silicon Energy Elite: This card prices a couple of {dollars} greater than the Silicon Energy 3D NAND and but it performs a lot worse. It was the slowest card besides by far, taking greater than twice so long as the quickest booting card on each the Pi 4 and Pi 3 B+, the Kingston Canvas React. It had the slowest app open instances and likewise failed the Raspberry Pi Diagnostic Take a look at.
  • Fatty Dove: You wouldn’t count on a lot of a no-name model like Fatty Dove so that you received’t be dissatisfied. This card was rated UHS 3, proving how meaningless these velocity numbers are. It failed the Raspberry Pi Diagnostic check, thanks to essentially poor 4K random writes and total sequential writes.

MicroSD Pace Rankings and Varieties: What Do They Imply?

MicroSD Pace Rankings and Varieties: What Do They Imply?

While you’re purchasing for a microSD card, whether or not it’s for Raspberry Pi, a cellphone, a digital camera or a Nintendo Change, you’ll see as many as 4 various kinds of velocity scores listed, the primary three of which measure minimal sequential write velocity in MBps. The SD Affiliation supplies a detailed clarification by to maintain it easy, right here’s a short listing:

  • Pace Class: The oldest class system seems with a circle across the quantity. The very best class, class 10, is a mere 10 MBps so any new card will meet this customary.
  • UHS Pace Class: That is the commonest spec and seems as both a 1 or a 3 inside a U image. The 1 guarantees 10 MBps and the three provides 30 MBps. Nevertheless, in follow, we’ve examined playing cards rated as UHS 1 that have been simply as quick as 3s.
  • Video Pace Class: That is proven as a V with a quantity after it and is usually proven as V30 (30 MBps), V60 (60 MBps) or V90 (90 MBps).
  • Software Pace Class: This can be a newish metric that measures IOPS quite than sequential throughput. Playing cards will be rated both A1 (1,500 IOPS random learn / 500 IOPS random write) or A2 (4,000 IOPS random learn / 2,000 IOPS random write). Few of the playing cards we examined have been rated for A1 (and none for A2) as 32GB playing cards don’t are likely to have this classification. Nevertheless, a number of customers within the Pi neighborhood report that the A2 playing cards make no distinction in Pi efficiency. Jeff Greeling has a complete article evaluating A2 and A1 microSD card efficiency on Raspberry Pi the place he finds zero profit.

Nearly all playing cards are marked with the UHS ranking or 1 or 3, fewer have the Video Pace and just a few high-end playing cards are marked with the Software Pace. Along with labeling their playing cards with a few of these courses, distributors will provide their very own estimates which can be way more beneficiant. For instance, Samsung claims that its Professional Endurance card can rise up to 100 MBps reads and 30 MBps writes, despite the fact that it is just labeled as UHS class 1 (10 Mbps). In follow, these courses meant nothing, as a result of playing cards with UHS class 1 typically outperformed these with class 3.

You’ll additionally see that some playing cards are listed as microSDHC whereas others are specked as microSDXC. These requirements imply nothing for efficiency and solely inform you one thing in regards to the capability that you just already know from the variety of GB. microSDHC (excessive capability) playing cards are people who go as much as 32GB and microSDXC playing cards help larger capacities (however may be 32GB). Both kind works fantastic in a Raspberry Pi.

How We Examined Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards

How We Examined Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards

We used a mixture of artificial and timed checks to measure microSD card efficiency on Raspberry Pi. As a result of it has the very best doable switch speeds, we ran the total suite of checks on the Raspberry Pi 4, together with FIO (Versatile Enter / Output tester), which often took greater than 5 hours to finish. On the Pi 3 B+, we ran simply IOZone and the applying and boot time checks and, on the Pi Zero W, which is sluggish to open each app, we used IOZone alone.

IOZone Outcomes on Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards

IOzone is a well-liked Linux storage benchmark that measures learn and write speeds. We owe an enormous hat tip to Jeff Geerling whose wonderful article on microSD card benchmarks impressed us to make use of IOzone in our testing.  We configured it to check each random and sequential reads of 4K and 1,024K blocks with a complete file measurement of 100MB. We additionally enabled the direct I/O choice that bypasses the working system’s cache so we’re getting a greater thought of the cardboard’s efficiency by itself.

After we examined on the Raspberry Pi 4, the Silicon Energy 3D NAND card, which coincidentally is listed as UHS Pace 1,  comes out on high within the all-important 4K random write, 4K sequential write, 4K sequential learn, 1,024K random learn and 1,024K sequential learn checks. The SanDisk Excessive Professional, Samsung Professional Endurance and Kingston Canvas React all put in sturdy showings as nicely. The Silicon Energy Elite, whereas costlier than the corporate’s 3D NAND did very poorly as did the Lexar 633x, the PNY Efficiency Turbo  and the Fatty Dove 32GB card.

The SanDisk Excessive Professional dominated the IOzone checks on the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, inserting first in each class however 1,024K random writes and 4K sequential writes. The identical playing cards that did poorly on the Raspberry Pi 4 have been equally terrible on the Pi 3 B+.

IOZone efficiency on the Raspberry Pi Zero W was extra of a combined bag, with a extra even unfold of high performers in numerous rounds. Nevertheless, the SanDisk Excessive Professional received essentially the most rounds.

Software Open Instances of Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards

Some of the seen manifestations of Raspberry Pi microSD card efficiency is how shortly your favourite apps load. To measure, we timed 4 in style items of software program: Chromium Browser, GIMP, LibreOffice Calc and Scratch Desktop 3. For higher or worse, on each the Raspberry Pi 4 and three B+, there was little or no distinction between the very best and worst open instances, with variations of tenths of a second separating the opponents.

Regardless of the minor variations between playing cards, on the Pi 4, the Silicon Energy 3D NAND had the quickest instances on each app whereas completely different playing cards got here out on high for every utility on the Pi 3 B+.

Boot Instances on Raspberry Pi microSD Playing cards

Eight out of the ten playing cards booted Raspberry Pi 4 in between 24 and 26 seconds, with the Kingston Canvas React taking the crown at 24 seconds. Although the Silicon Energy 3D NAND card did so nicely on utility opens, it had a considerably slower boot time. And, at 49.3 seconds, the Silicon Energy Elite card was a catastrophe.

The boot instances on the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ informed an analogous story. The entire non-Silicon Energy playing cards have been inside two seconds of one another, with the Kingston Canvas React once more taking the booting crown. The Silicon Energy 3D NAND card wasn’t terrible at 28.9 seconds, however the Elite took a leisurely 50 seconds.

Raspberry Pi Diagnostics SD Card Pace Take a look at

The Raspberry Pi Basis has its personal velocity check, which measures 4K random reads and writes, together with sequential writes (of an undisclosed measurement). The check not solely supplies numbers, but in addition a go or fail ranking, primarily based on the outcomes.

(Picture credit score: Tom’s {Hardware})

We examined all of our playing cards on the Raspberry Pi 4, utilizing the Diagnostics check and 4 of them — the PNY Efficiency Turbo, Lexar 633x, Silicon Energy Elite and Fatty Dove outright failed — on account of horribly sluggish 4K random writes. Whereas the numbers have been typically larger than we noticed for a similar playing cards in IOzone, they informed an analogous story.

The quickest card for 4K random writes was the Silicon Energy 3D NAND whereas the chief in 4K random reads was the Samsung Evo Plus and the sequential winner was the SanDisk Excessive Professional.

Backside Line

The variations between the very best playing cards are sufficiently subtle that you could be not be capable to inform our best choice from one additional down the listing in each workload. Nevertheless, our testing exhibits that clearly not each Raspberry Pi microSD card is similar and there are a lot of poor performers it is best to keep away from. And simply because a card carries a selected velocity ranking, for instance UHS 3, that doesn’t imply that will probably be sooner than one other card that has a decrease ranking.

Discovering Reductions on the Greatest microSD Playing cards

Discovering Reductions on the Greatest microSD Playing cards

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