SanDisk and Micron Announce 1TB MicroSD Cards

What seemed like plenty of storage space a few years ago is never enough in the here and now. That’s why the companies making computers, phones, and other gadgets are always rushing to pack in more and more bytes. Now, you can add an unprecedented amount of storage to your devices, provided there’s a microSD card slot. Both SanDisk and Micron have unveiled 1TB microSD cards at Mobile World Congress.

If you’ve spent any amount of time perusing gadget spec sheets, you’ve probably noticed talk about adding “up to 2TB” of storage with the microSDXC standard. This is technically correct, but it ignores that cards have never been that large. Manufacturers were just saying, “Hey, if someone makes a microSD card at 2TB, it will work with this device.”

Micron says it’s using quad-level cell (QLC) NAND in 96 layers. SanDisk didn’t specify its chip design, but it’s probably similar. SanDisk does claim higher overall speeds than Micron. The new 1TB card from SanDisk will support reads at 160MB per second and writes at 90MB per second. Meanwhile, Micron will manage 100MB per second reads and 95MB per second writes.

Both cards meet the speed requirements for the A2 standard, meaning they’re suitable for running applications. Although, most microSD cards are slower in practice, and most devices don’t attempt to run applications from SD cards. They’re mostly for bulk file storage. Although Nintendo Switch owners who are tired of running out of space for games on their consoles might see some benefit.

MicroSD cards rarely stay at MSRP for long, but it’ll take time before that $450 price tag drops into impulse buy territory. Most consumers will probably continue snapping up comparatively cheap 400GB cards. Those started at $250 and are now often on sale for under $100.

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