Toshiba's U3 MicroSD cards are fast enough to handle 4K video, still tiny and easy to lose
MicroSD cards have become so ubiquitous that even some digital cameras are now using it. That's fine and dandy if speed isn't a concern, but if you're snapping lots of photos and you need your camera to keep up …
Context & Ripple Effects
Toshiba's microSD line has come a long way from its 4GB microSDHC card launched in mid-2007 — the new U3-rated cards are pitched at a workload that barely existed then: sustained write speeds fast enough for 4K video capture. The review's verdict, confirmed across a wide syndication footprint including Gizmodo, Maximum PC, TechSpot and PetaPixel, is that the cards meet the speed bar while staying small enough to lose.
The timing matters beyond one product SKU. Toshiba has been investing aggressively on the storage front — it agreed in December 2013 to buy OCZ Technology's assets out of bankruptcy for $35 million and filed suit against SK Hynix in March 2014 alleging theft of technological secrets — so a flagship-speed microSD launch reads as part of a broader push to be taken seriously in flash memory.
First-order effects
- Owners of 4K-capable cameras, camcorders and action cams get a card explicitly rated for the sustained write speeds 4K recording demands, removing the stutter-and-drop risk of slower Class 10 media.
Second-order effects
- Rival card makers selling UHS-I/U3-class microSD face direct price-and-performance comparison at retail, and camera manufacturers gain confidence to keep shipping 4K recorders that depend on microSD rather than bulkier card formats.
Third-order effects
- If U3 becomes the default rating shoppers look for, the microSD slot cements itself as the universal removable-storage interface for consumer video devices, with competition shifting from capacity alone to sustained-write guarantees.
The trend: Removable flash is racing to keep pace with 4K capture, turning speed-class ratings like U3 into the new baseline for mainstream microSD cards.