Comparison of memory cards


This table provides summary of comparison of various flash memory cards,. Of memory cards, SD cards allow for largest capacity by far, though the much bulkier CFexpress cards can also match the capacity. The relatively large USB flash drives allow for more capacity, and are available with 8 TB.

Common information

Card familyStandards organizationsVarietiesEntry dateMaximum commercially available capacityPictureMain features
CompactFlashSanDiskI1994512 GB, flash only, now up to 512 GB, although standard goes up to 128 PB since CF 5.0
CompactFlashSanDiskII1994512 GB, older flash, but usually Microdrives, up to 128 PiB
CompactFlashSanDisk–1994512 GB, PCIe 3.0 x2, NVMe
CFexpressCompactFlash Association2.020194 TBCFexpress Type A: 20 mm × 28 mm × 2.8 mm, PCIe 3.0 x1, NVMe
CFexpress Type C: 54 mm × 74 mm × 4.8 mm, PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe
CFexpressCompactFlash Association––––PCIe 3.0 x8, NVMe
MultiMediaCardSiemens AG, SanDiskMMC199716 GB75pxSlim and small, up to 16 GB
MultiMediaCardSiemens AG, SanDiskRS-MMC/MMC Mobile2003/200516 GB75pxCompact, up to 16 GB
MultiMediaCardSiemens AG, SanDiskMMCplus200516 GBCompact, swifter, optional DRM, up to 16 GB
MultiMediaCardSiemens AG, SanDiskMMCmicro20054 GBSubcompact, optional DRM, 16 MB to 4 GB
Nano Memoryproprietary 2018512 GBSubcompact smallest dimensions as of 2024. Can use Nano-SIM slots.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationSD19992 GB75pxSmall, DRM, up to 2 GB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationminiSD20032 GB62pxCompact, DRM, up to 2 GB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationmicroSD20052 GB47pxSubcompact, DRM, up to 2 GB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationSDHC200632 GB75pxSame build as SD but greater capacity and transfer speed, 4 GB to 32 GB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationminiSDHC200832 GBSame build as miniSD but greater capacity and transfer speed, 4 GB to 32 GB. 8 GB is largest in early-2011.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationmicroSDHC200732 GBSame build as microSD but greater capacity and transfer speed, 4 GB to 32 GB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationSDXC20091 TBSame build as SD/SDHC, but greater capacity and transfer speed, 32 GB and higher. Standard goes up to 2 TB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationmicroSDXC20092 TBSame build as microSD/microSDHC, but greater capacity and transfer speed, 32 GB and higher. Standard goes up to 2 TB.
Secure DigitalSanDisk, Panasonic, Toshiba, Kodak, SD AssociationSDUC20114 TBSame build as SD/SDHC/SDXC, but greater capacity and transfer speed. Standard goes up to 128 TB.
SmartMediaToshiba3.3/5 V1995128 MB115pxVery slim, no wear leveling/FTL controller, up to 128 MB. This particular example shows the write protect sticker.
Memory StickSony, SanDiskStandard1998128 MB67pxSlim and narrow, optional DRM, up to 128 MB
Memory StickSony, SanDiskPRO20034 GB
Slim and narrow, swifter, optional DRM, up to 4 GB
Memory StickSony, SanDiskDuo2003128 MB100pxCompact, optional DRM, up to 128 MB
Memory StickSony, SanDiskPRO Duo2002–200632 GB100pxCompact, optional DRM, up to 32 GB
Memory StickSony, SanDiskPRO-HG Duo2007–200832 GBCompact, swifter, optional DRM, up to 32 GB
Memory StickSony, SanDiskMicro 200616 GBSubcompact, optional DRM, up to 16 GB
Memory StickSonyPS Vita Memory Card201264 GB39pxSubcompact, compulsory DRM, up to 64 GB, proprietary
P2 PanasonicP2200464 GBPC card containing several SD cards grouped together by a LSI Corporation RAID card
P2 PanasonicMicroP2201264 GBMicroP2 is an ordinary SDXC/SDHC card conforming to UHS-II, and can be read by common SDHC/SDXC card readers.
xDOlympus, Fujifilm, SonyStandard2002–2007512 MB78pxSlim and small, electrically identical to SmartMedia, no wear-leveling controller, up to 512 MB
xDOlympus, Fujifilm, SonyType M20052 GB78pxSlim and small but slower read/write, no wear-leveling controller, up to 2 GB
xDOlympus, Fujifilm, SonyType H20052 GB78pxSlim and small and swifter, no wear-leveling controller, up to 2 GB
XQD cardSony & NikonStandard2010240 GB146pxHigh-capacity, high-speed standard using PCIe as interface. Claimed max. allowed in spec is 2 TB.
Universal Flash Storage Card ExtensionsSamsungUFS Card2016>256 GBPackages the flash memory, currently soldered in shipping smartphones, into a removable card form factor. Uses the SCSI command set including queuing. The electrical interface makes use of differential signaling, which enables high bus speeds and robustness under noisy conditions and reduced pin count.
USB flash driveVariousUSB 1.1/2.0/3.0/3.12000/20018 TB
Universally compatible across most non-mobile computer platforms, their greater size suits them better to file transfer/storage instead of use in portable devices

Physical details

Note that a memory card's dimensions are determined while holding the card with contact pins upwards. The length of cards is often greater than their width. Most cards show a directional arrow to aid insertion; such an arrow should be upward.
Image:Memory card parameters.svg|right|frameless
CardWidth Length Thickness Volume Mass
CompactFlash, Type I43.036.03.35,1083.3
CompactFlash, Type II43.036.05.07,740
SmartMedia37.045.00.761,2652.0
MMC, MMCplus24.032.01.41,0751.3
RS-MMC, MMCmobile24.018.01.46051.3
MMCmicro14.012.01.1185
SD, SDHC, SDXC, SDIO, MicroP224.032.02.11,6132.0
miniSD, miniSDHC, miniSDIO20.021.51.46021.0
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC11.015.01.01650.27
Memory Stick Standard, PRO21.550.02.83,0104.0
Memory Stick Duo, PRO Duo, PRO-HG, XC20.031.01.69922.0
Memory Stick Micro, XC12.515.01.22252.0
Nano Memory12.38.80.776
PS Vita Memory Card1512.51.63000.6
XQD card38.529.83.84,360
xD25.020.01.788902.8
USBvariesvariesvariesvariesvaries

Speed comparison

Technical details

CardVarietiesMax storage capacity Theoretical max. capacity Max read speed Max write speed Read-write cyclesLow-level accessOperating voltage Controller chip# of pins
CompactFlashI512128 PiB
167167NOR/NAND3.3 and 5rowspan="2" 50
CompactFlashII12128 PiB
167167NOR/NAND3.3 and 5-50
SmartMedia128 MiB
21,000,000NAND3.3 or 522
MMCMMC8128221,000,000NAND3.3rowspan="5" 7
MMCRS-MMC2128221,000,000NAND3.37-
MMCMMCmobile21281581,000,000NAND1.8 and 3.313-
MMCMMCplus412852521,000,000NAND3.313-
MMCMMCmicro21281,000,000NAND1.8 and 3.310-
MMCeMMC2 TiB
104104NAND1.8 and 3.3rowspan="1" Varies
Secure DigitalSD 51242525NAND3.3rowspan="3" 9
Secure DigitalminiSD842525NAND3.311-
Secure DigitalmicroSD442525NAND3.38-
Secure DigitalSDHC3232104 104 NAND1.8 and 3.3rowspan="3" 9
Secure DigitalminiSDHC432104 104 NAND1.8 and 3.311-
Secure DigitalmicroSDHC3232104 104 NAND1.8 and 3.38-
Secure DigitalSDXC5122 TiB
104 104NAND2.7–3.6rowspan="2" 9
Secure DigitalmicroSDXC1 TiB2 TiB
104 104 NAND2.7–3.68-
Memory StickStandard128 MiB
128 MiB
2.51.8NAND3.3rowspan="6" 10
Memory StickPRO42 TiB
2020NAND3.3-10
Memory StickPRO Duo322 TiB
2020NAND3.3-10
Memory StickPRO-HG Duo322 TiB
30 30 NAND3.3-10
Memory StickMicro 16322020NAND1.8 and 3.3-10
Memory StickxC2 TiB
6060NAND3.3-10
xD512 MiB
512 MiB
53NAND3.3rowspan="4" 18
xDType M2842.5NAND3.3-18
xDType H2854NAND3.3-18
xDType M+2863.75NAND3.3-18
XQD642+ TiB
168168NAND5
USBFull speed 2048
No hardware limit11NAND5rowspan="3" 4
USBHigh speed 2048
No hardware limit4040NAND5-4
USBSuper speed 2048
No hardware limit240160NAND5-4