SanDisk's 128GB microSD: The biggest, smallest storage on the market
MicroSD cards are popular ways to boost the storage capacity on various smartphones, tablets and cameras, but generally you cannot find examples that go above 64GB due to the tiny dimensions of these cards. However, SanDisk is determined to extend the limits of 11-by-15mm cards, and has developed a version capable of storing up to 128GB of data.
Revealed at Mobile World Congress 2014, hosted in Barcelona, Spain, the firm said it was able to boost storage capacity through "an innovative proprietary technique that allows for 16 memory die to be vertically stacked," and each die is "shaved to be thinner than a strand of hair."
The 128GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC card, designed with Android smartphones and tablets in mind, is able to reach write speeds at twice the pace of ordinary microSD memory cards, according to the firm, making it a good choice for video and high-resolution image recording.
"SanDisk’s high-performance 128GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC memory card will reshape the way users interact with their devices,” said Stuart Robinson, director of Handset Component Technologies at Strategy Analytics. “Until now, consumers had to spread out their content between multiple products because the memory on those devices was not able to hold enough data in one place. This 128GB microSD card is going to be popular as the preferred removable storage option, giving users fast, secure and reliable access to their personal data archives.”
The microSD card will be available exclusively at BestBuy.com and Amazon.com in the United States, and at 128GB capacity, expect to pay $199.99.