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Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

Summary: Lexar Media begins shipping 128GB high-capacity, high-speed SDXC memory cards.

Janice Chen

By Janice Chen for Digital Cameras & Camcorders |

Lexar media announced yesterday that it has begun shipping the first 128GB SD-format memory card. Originally introduced at CES 2011, the Lexar Professional 133x SDXC memory card is the largest-capacity SD-format memory card currently on the market and though pricing was originally announced at a whopping $699.99 back in January (or $399.99 for a 64GB version), Lexar has come to its senses and put it on the market for a more realistic $329.99 ($199.99 for the 64GB card).

The new cards are labeled "professional" for a reason: With a Class 10 speed rating guaranteed for a minimum of 20MB/second (133x), the capacity and speed are overkill for the average snapshooter, but as higher-end cameras get smaller, serious photographers are looking to migrate from the larger CompactFlash memory format that currently maxes out at 128GB of capacity (but are capable of much faster transfer speeds). Add ubiquitous HD video recording capabilities to the mix and higher transfer speeds and capacity become even more attractive.

Both CompactFlash supporters and SD format proponents continue to ratchet up speeds and capacities, of course. In November of last year, SanDisk, Nikon, and Sony proposed a new set of specifications to the CompactFlash Association that would bring speeds up to 500MB/second and capacity to 6TB, while the SD Association announced the new UHS-II specification in January, which brings SD card speeds up to 312MB/sec.

Topics: Hardware, Processors

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  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    I would love to have 64GB or 128GB but 32GB has worked out well so far. I will wait for it to become more ubiquitous before adopting, I expect the price will drop even more, though the 64GB version is tempting...
    geoff.schardein@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

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      three-shao
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    • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

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      linyin
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      mintinglove
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  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    I'm thinking if these cards are really fast enough and the Mac Mini supports it, you get a 64GB card as your "boot drive" and a pair of 1TB drives in a RAIDO for a cheap and easy office server that fits next to the printer.
    Champ_Kind
    Reply Vote

  • Not sure why memory card standards are so mixed up

    Compact Flash is a subset of the IDE specification. Theoretically, using the full EIDE with 48bit addressing (almost pin compatible with Compact Flash would allow drives up to 2 terabytes on a 32 bit firmware/operating system.

    On the SD card side, switching to a SATA structure would make more sense and keep the pin count low.

    I suspect that there is an obsession to allow multi-purpose I/O operations as witnessed by the incorporation of SDIO early in the SD card spec. That beingthe case, USB 3.0 would have been the logical compromise as a method for allowing device memory and hardware expansion.
    croberts
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

      @croberts: It's partly the SDIO standard that got inserted early on, but it's also the fact that with the SD(HC/XC) standards, even processors running very slow clocks can still access the cards by bit banging on a few port pins <i>without</i> the need to mess with complex and chip intensive USB 2.0/3.0 ports.

      Most chips in the embedded world have a native SDIO port(s) built right in from Microchip RISC processors that clock from 1MHz to 20MHz to ARM9 processors running at 1GHz. Since that covers virtually the entire market of gadgets from cameras/VCRs to cell phones and MP3 players, the standard will be around for decades to come.

      Now, for memory sticks that plug into USB ports, you'll see them use the chip in those bad boys to expand to upwards of 2TB or higher in the next few years.

      For instance, I have an old workhorse Palm T|X and the manual tells you you can't go over 4GB. Of course, I'm using 32GB cards and will be able to use 128GB cards with no problems because the T|X operating system has been updated to use those standards via the SDIO port on the 333MHz Intel PX280 processor.
      RyuDarragh
      Reply Vote

      • Palm T|X operating system has been updated?

        @RyuDarragh so can I get some help on where to find these updates the T/X?
        sligloth
        Reply Vote

      • T|X operating system has been updated

        @RyuDarragh reported as spam? anyway where do I find these system updates for the T/X?
        sligloth
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    Outstanding. I was looking into getting a solid state drive for my laptop, but this seems the way to go. It plugs right in, no self-standing hardware.
    ErnieLane
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

      @ErnieLane Your laptop has to have an SDXC card reader though- a lot of them (like mine) are only SDHC or SD. =\
      DJThuht
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    will be available at B&H Photo very soon.
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/756124-REG/Lexar_LSD128CRBNA133_PRO_SDXC_133x_.html
    josephedebh
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    It certainly would be a drag to lose that much info. That's the main reason why I prefer to use smaller capacity cards. They are also less expensive.
    Roc Riz
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    Why cant we develop cheaper digitized versions of the venerable slide projectors ?? With digital cameras boasting 10 mps or more so commonplace, we need something to display far better than HD (1080). There is a few LCD monitors with 1600 lines but where is 3000 lines or more. I can understand the difficulties with LCD dsplays but not any kind of projector which I doubt so. Lets bring back slide projectors!!
    brettze
    Reply Vote

    • Projectors use LCD

      @brettze

      Inside most projectors (if not all) is an LCD that makes the image. It is subject to the same limitations as any other LCD screen (namely a balance between cost effective yields and resolution parameters).
      croberts
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

        @croberts I disagree becausae we can shrink pixels even further only if we can safely put it inside the slide projector without any concern about poking at it like we do with our LCD monitors all the times.. I am so certain that we can manufacture minature 12 megapixel LCD screens.
        brettze
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

        @croberts only thing i am not certain about is the heat coming from the projector lamp, but we can concentrate scores of LEDs into a strong and cool light source for going through the sensitive LED screen in the slide projector.
        brettze
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

        @croberts maybe you are too young or born after the demise of the slide projectors .. They are extinct and obsolete today but they can make a comeback .. You have no idea how so lively it is to view projected slides!! Printed pictures can not match this.. Come to think how much it cost to print a big picture and storing them.. I rather have it projected on a screen and put away!
        brettze
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

        @croberts Actually he has a point. There are a number of very high res projectors on the market, containing tiny panels about an inch square with the effective resolution of a display 20x bigger. They are however very delicate, and would be extremely expensive to scale up.
        @brettze The bulbs dont last long, and that amount of light is too much to ask of LEDs. I know, I built a 12 foot wide screen from a cheap eBay overhead projector and an old 12" LCD monitor I had laying around. It was very cool but ate bulbs (50 or so hours each) and eventually the heat browned the panel. 70C is all they can take... Well I rebuilt it upside down, but I'm still trying to find an alternative to the 3KW of various Halogen tubes or bulbs to produce the same level of light the specialised OHP bulbs do, and they all run at several hundred degrees C.
        If you find an LED that will cut it, let me know ;)
        SiO2
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Lexar releases the first 128GB SDXC memory cards

    What mighty digital camera users dont seem to appreicate is the number of pixels that an average LCD monitor can handle at best. None more than 2 megapixels.. If you are shooting 12 megapixel pixes, your LCD montior simply toss out 10 megapixels and show only 2 megapixel. You can view every pixel of your 12 megapxel pixes only if you click the actual size icon in your viewer software. You will be able to view only a small portion of it with your average LCD monitor. So what we need is digitized slide projectors that should be able to project every pixel of your 12 megapixel pixes and the screen will be very large !! You will appreicate your 12 megapixel shots far more !!
    brettze
    Reply Vote
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