6 Best Waterproof SD Cards [Ranked by Popularity]
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SD cards are essential accessories for mobile phones, tablets, camcorders, digital cameras, and many other gadgets that have a memory card slot.
They also offer a secure and affordable way to expand the memory capacity of any laptop since most modern day laptops come with an SD card slot.
And since some of these cards come with high storage capacity to the tune of 512GB, are portable and some even waterproof, they are more preferred to the other bulky storage alternatives. Yes, you heard that right, waterproof SD cards exist, and we’ll cover that shortly.
When buying SD cards, it’s very important to consider the speed and capacity. A class 6’ memory card is capable of writing at 6MB/S which is sequential for writing large amounts of data.
Most devices that record HD video require 10MB/S and this is where the UHS (Ultra High Speed) SD cards come in.
But in order to benefit from such high speeds, you’ll need a device that is compatible with the UHS standard.
Some of these high-end SD cards come with other premium features and are also waterproof. In this roundup, we will highlight the best waterproof SD cards.
Which are the best waterproof SD cards?
SanDisk Extreme PRO
- Temperature proof, water-proof, shock-proof, and X-ray proof
- Shot speeds up to 90MB/s, transfer speeds up to 170MB/s
- Sustained video capture rate of 30MB/s
- Perfect for shooting 4K UHD video
- Great for burst-mode photography
- Requires proprietary technology to achieve the full 170MB/s read
If you’re into outdoor photography and filming, facing the harsh elements is something you may be doing on a daily basis.
That is why an SD card like the SanDisk Extreme PRO can come extremely handy, given how it is shock, water, hear, and X-ray proof.
It doesn’t fall in the performance department either, being capable of handling high transfer speeds, making it great for long filming sessions, even in 4K.
SAMSUNG EVO Select
- Water-proof, temperature-proof, X-ray-proof, magnetic-proof
- Up to 100MB/S Read and 20MB/S Write Speeds
- UHS Speed Class U3 and Speed Class 10
- Comes with an included full-sized adapter
- 10-year limited warranty
- May heat up when recording above 4K
With a legendary brand comes great products and that’s what Samsung has proved with their EVO Select rated SD card. With a generous capacity of up to 64GB, this card can deliver data at a read and write speed of 100Mbps and 20Mbps, respectively.
At such high speeds, it can record and process 4K video easily. In addition to speed, the SD card is shockproof, waterproof, magnetic-proof, and can withstand extreme temperatures.
To substantiate their claims, Samsung gives a whopping 10-year warranty on this card.
Samsung Pro Endurance
- Designed for video monitoring cameras including dash cams, surveillance, and more
- Shockproof, waterproof, temperature proof, x-ray proof, and magnetic proof
- Gives you long-lasting endurance up to 43,800 hours of 4K and Full HD
- Continuous recording up to 25x longer than speed-focused cards
- Up to 100MB/s read and 30MB/s write speeds
- Speeds may be inconsistent at times
The Samsung Pro Endurance is one of the best waterproof SD cards around. In addition to waterproofing features, the SDHC Pro is also temperature proof, X-ray proof, and magnet proof.
Temperature proof means the card will operate in temperatures from -250 C to 850 C. Durability is one of its strongholds. It’s well-crafted with tough materials and can be thrashed around without impactful damages.
The card is available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB. It features high read and writes speeds of 95 and 90Mbps. And just like in other high-end SD cards by Samsung, you also get a 10-year warranty on this card.
Sony UHS-1 Micro SDXC model SR64UY2A/TQ
- Waterproof and are designed to perform under a wide range of temperatures
- Includes supplied adapter for use in SDHC/SDXC compatible devices
- File Rescue downloadable software helps recover photos and videos
- Tested to achieve high levels of reliability and data integrity
- Up to 70 MB/s transfer speed
- May have compatibility issues with certain devices
Sony is well known for the manufacture of high-quality consumer electronics and their UHS-1 SDXC SD card further perpetuates that pedigree.
The 64GB SDXC memory card has a class 10’ rating and a super-fast transfer speed of up to 70MB per second. Users have also reported that it delivers at a faster speed than advertised and is very good for the money.
Being the newest member of the family, the card is waterproof and operates within a wide range of temperatures.
Sandisk Extreme
- Saves time transferring high-res images and 4K UHD videos
- Rated A2 for faster loading and in-app performance
- Up to 60MB/s write speeds for fast shooting
- Up to 160MB/s read speeds
- 4K UHD and Full HD-ready
- Requires compatible devices capable of reaching such speeds
This 64GB memory card from Sandisk is a class 1 rated card and meets all the new specifications for the UHS-1 cards. It delivers high-speed data transfers at a read and write speeds of 60Mbps and 160Mbps respectively.
The card is designed for use in extreme temperatures and is also shockproof x-ray proof, and waterproof.
This card can deliver full HD and 4K Ultra HD video recording and playback and has garnered very high customer reviews on Amazon.
PNY EliteX
- Record and transfer videos, photos, music files, and more from Micro SD enabled devices
- Read speeds up to 100MB/s for fast and smooth burst mode HD photography
- Performance A1 provides minimally 1500 IOPS (read) and 500 IOPS (write)
- Included SD Adapter for compatibility with SD enabled host devices
- Great for 4K Ultra HD Videography
- Not as fast as the other entries on our list
This powerful class 10 UHS-1 memory card from PNY boasts of a whopping 100MB per second transfer rate and 64GB capacity. It is designed for high-performance video recording and photography and works well with a wide range of devices including drones.
Capable of storing over 22,000 photos, this SD card is also waterproof, temperature proof, magnet proof, and shockproof. It sells at a reasonable price and is compatible with micro SDXC devices.
When buying memory cards, bear in mind the market is flooded with counterfeit SD cards. It is, therefore, advisable to stick to the well-known brands that offer warranties on their cards and don’t compromise on quality.
Such brands include Sony, Samsung, SanDisk, Kingston, and Lexar among others.
Also, check the maximum capacity that your device can hold as devices that are not SDXC can only support up to 32GB SD cards.
Our review of the best waterproof SD cards should guide you in making the right decision. Feel free to comment and share.
- Class 2 (minimum write speed of 2MB/s)
- Class 4 (4MB/s)
- Class 6 (6MB/s)
- Class 10 (10MB/s)
To match their performance, you will need equally-good card readers as well.
- What SD memory card is best?
To learn which are the best SD cards on the market, check out our dedicated guide.
- What are SD cards used for?
SD cards are used for expanding the storage space of devices. If you are using a PC, you are better off using an HDD are an SSD with a lot of storage.
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