Products at a Glance
Samsung EVO Plus MicroSDXC Memory Card 512GB – 3 Pack
One of the things that make Raspberry Pi devices so popular is their price. You can start your most genius projects all while expending very little on a Raspberry Pi. To get those prices, the company has to make some adjustments and leave some components out of the build. One of those components is internal storage.
This device, unlike other modern computing devices, relies on removable SD cards to store everything a user might need. You don’t want to leave your files on just any storage unit, you need the best and most secure card around. So, keep on reading to see the best available options.
How we picked the Best SD cards for Raspberry Pi
When selecting the best SD cards for Raspberry Pi, we looked at a variety of different factors. We considered the compatibility with Raspberry Pi operating systems, storage capacities available, read/write speeds, and cost. We also reviewed feedback from other users to ensure that the cards are reliable and perform as expected.
We ran extensive tests on all of the cards listed below and also tested them to ensure they meet our high standards. Each card was subjected to a range of conditions, including speed testing with different file sizes, video recording tests, temperature testing, and more. This enabled us to identify which SD cards provide the best performance when used with Raspberry Pi boards. After assessing all these results, we were able to pick out the top SD cards for your Raspberry Pi needs!
Product Reviews
- The fastest writing speed in the market
- Class 10 card
- 4K UHD ready
- Pricier than most other options
The SD market is led primarily by three brands, all of which offer the best cards around. SanDisk is definitely one of the largest and most well-known companies of the bunch, hence the SanDisk Extreme Pro making it to the top of the best overall SD card options you can pair with your Raspberry Pi. This is, however, the most expensive option on this list, but the performance is worth it.
SanDisk Extreme Pro SD cards are the best choice for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts looking to maximize their device’s overall performance. This reliable, high-performance card is designed to offer blazing-fast read and write speeds without compromising on storage capacity. With its superior Class 10 UHS-I, U3 card speed rating, the SanDisk Extreme Pro provides an excellent balance between speed and affordability.
For Raspberry Pi users who want the most from their device, SanDisk Extreme Pro delivers with its impressive 200MB/s data transfer rate and up to 1TB of storage capacity. As a result, users can quickly store larger files, like 4K videos or RAW images, without any lag or extended transferring times.
- Blazing fast read/write speeds
- 4K UHD ready
- Expect to pay more for the faster performance
I don’t want to be monothematic here, but at the same time, I want to show you the best options and SanDisk has them for certain.
The SanDisk Extreme is one of the best large-size SD cards available for Raspberry Pi users. With a capacity of up to 1TB, this card offers plenty of space for storing applications and other data. The card also features read/write speeds up to 160MB/s and 90MB/s, guaranteeing data transfers are quick and efficient no matter the task.
The SanDisk Extreme has been designed with an A2 rating, meaning it can handle faster application performance than most other cards in its class. Not only that but it’s also backed by a lifetime limited warranty should anything go wrong with your purchase.
The SanDisk Extreme is ideal for Raspberry Pi users who need extra storage space or want to take advantage of its fast read/write speeds. This is the best recommendation if you want a larger SD card. Although the Extreme Pro has better performance, the price for a 1TB could be really high, while the SanDisk Extreme non-Pro has better pricing.
- Great price
- Good transfer speeds
- 10-year limited warranty
- Does not have 1TB version
Let’s leave SanDisk behind for a bit. Samsung brings to the table a very interesting option called the Samsung Evo Plus. It’s situated among the best SD cards for those looking to get the best performance for their buck. This cheap SD card is easily one of the best products on the market, don’t let the low price fool you. You’ll be granted almost the same results as the other options on this list with a very small margin.
The Samsung Evo Plus SD card is one of the top-rated choices for Raspberry Pi users looking to get the most performance out of their devices. It offers an unbeatable combination of speed and price, making it a great choice for anyone on a budget. With read/write speeds of up to 130MBps, this card is perfect for smooth HD video playback and fast backups. And, set at an affordable price point, it also provides excellent value for money compared to other models on the market.
This card has been designed with reliability in mind too. Its high-grade components have been engineered to withstand extreme temperatures and x-ray radiation that can damage more sensitive cards. Furthermore, its 4K ultra HD compatibility makes it ideal for any user looking to enjoy premium content without experiencing lag or stuttering during playback.
- Great Price
- Advance 3D NAND flash memory
- White surface for labeling
- Slow boot times
This SD card needs mentioning. Yes, it might be made by a somewhat unknown brand, but the resulting tests of this card prove it’s an amazing product and also comes at a very good price.
Silicon Power 3D NAND is the surprise on this list and a perfect choice for Raspberry Pi users. The card features a high-performance level and its advanced 3D NAND flash memory technology ensures increased reliability and durability. With read/write speeds of up to 95/80MB per second, this card offers top-notch data transferring capabilities, making it ideal for heavy-duty tasks, such as media streaming or gaming.
It also comes with an impressive 10-year warranty, so you can rest assured that your data will be safe in the long run. On top of that, Silicon Power’s user-friendly software ensures easy installation and management of your files. So, if you’re looking for an SD card with superior speed and reliability, Silicon Power 3D NAND is definitely worth considering.
- 128 GB capacity
- C10 A1 U3 V30
- 100 MBs/ read
- Lifetime warranty
- Low price
- Low write speeds
Features and considerations
Size
The size of your SD card is the first thing to consider. The minimum requirement for a Raspberry Pi is 8GB, whereas other models may need more capacity depending on their use case. However, the expert move here would be to get a bigger card. 32GB SD cards are not much more expensive than 8GB ones, and you’ll have more than enough room for all of your varied content needs, at least for the majority of cases.
Storage needs
Additionally, it’s important to understand how much storage space you may need in order to select a card with enough capacity for your needs. Some projects might need more space than others.
Storage speed
Once the SD card’s space is taken care of, it’s also important that your chosen card has a high enough read and write speed, especially if you plan to use it with applications that involve intensive data processing or for transferring large files quickly.
Apart from size and speed, you must take into account an SD card’s so-called Speed class. These are values given by the SD association to help users get a better idea of SD performance. The higher the class, the better the performance. Below is a list of the most popular SD card classes:
- Class 2 – the minimum write speed is 2 MB/s.
- Class 4 – 4 MB/s.
- Class 10: – 10 MB/s.
What is the fastest SD card for Raspberry Pi 4?
SD cards differ dramatically when it comes to their speeds and this can impact how well your Raspberry Pi performs. If you’re looking for the fastest SD card for your Raspberry Pi 4, the one that comes on top overall is the Samsung Pro Plus. This is not surprising considering Samsung consistently smash it out of the park when it comes to the speeds of their SD cards but competitors such as SanDisk and Lexar are certainly hot on the heels.
What is the largest SD card a Raspberry Pi 4 can use?
From a technical standpoint, the Raspberry Pi 4 can support an SD card of up to 2TB but this is far and above what the typical user goes for. Currently, there aren’t even 2TB models on the market but if you do want to pick up high capacity storage you can get 1TB variants.
Does Raspberry Pi 4 have storage?
With the Raspberry Pi 4 being pretty much just a tiny computer, you might expect there to be storage included. Unfortunately, they do not and you have to provide the storage yourself which houses the operating system amongst any other data.
Instead of this internal storage, the Pi 4 has a microSD card slot which you can put a card into. Anything 8GB and over will be enough to boot the Raspberry Pi OS but we recommend much much more so you can utilize the machine to its highest potential.
Does SD card affect Raspberry Pi speed?
Yes, the SD card that will be inserted into your Raspberry Pi will indeed affect how fast the machine is. This is because the SD card acts similar to an HDD or SSD that would be inside your desktop computer. This means the faster your SD card is, the faster you can get through the boot sequence and installed programs will also be that bit quicker.
Our Verdict
In conclusion, when it comes to choosing the best SD card for your Raspberry Pi, there are a lot of things to consider. From our research, the SanDisk Extreme Pro is our editor’s choice and offers excellent performance and reliability.