Latest news with #SanDisk
Gizmodo
20 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Finally, We're Seeing More Ways to Quadruple Your Switch 2's Paltry Storage
If you're like me, your hungry Switch 2's belly is already full up with a slate of launch games combined with your backlog of original Switch titles. When a growing number of games take up 60GB or more on your new handheld, you'll want to look for extra storage options. Unfortunately, every option available right now costs close to half of what you already need to spend on Nintendo's $450 handheld console. The Switch 2 only accepts microSD Express cards, not stock-standard microSD. Express-level cards first debuted in 2023 to enable faster write speeds. For cameras, this meant images would load onto the card much faster after you press the shutter button. For gaming, the cards write faster, but they also read quicker as well. When games take up more storage space, being able to load that data faster matters. Fellow memory card maker Lexar announced the first 1TB microSD Express card back in April. That card cost $200 and had 900MB/s read and 600MB/s write speeds. GameStop also sells a 1TB card for $190. UK-based company Team Group, which makes memory cards and SSDs, dropped details about its Apex SD7.1 microSD Express with a standout 1TB of storage. That's four times the amount of space you get with the Switch 2, and it seems extra enticing until you realize there's no word about when it will be available and little to hint about how much it will cost. Team Group's Apex card has read and write speeds of up to 800MB/s and 700MB/s, respectively. Such a card would technically be able to handle 16 60GB games or 45 games the size of Mario Kart World. These newfangled microSD Express cards can plug into older handhelds, but you won't see the same read and write speeds on devices that normally support base microSD. Older full-size SD Cards with the SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) standard with storage options up to 2TB max out at around 300 MB/s read speeds. You don't have to look too far in the past to see how the cost might scale on such a new form of flash storage. The first 1TB microSD card from SanDisk cost $450 at launch in spring 2019. That's as much as a Switch 2 today. Prices slipped fast once more manufacturers jumped on the 1TB train, and today you can grab that same SanDisk card for under $90. Currently, you can get a Nintendo-branded 256GB Samsung microSD Express card with a little Mario 'M' for $60. A 512GB ONN card also goes for $60, but that's currently sold out on sites like Walmart. Pricing doesn't scale linearly, but with more cards available, the cost of 1TB Express-level cards could come down at a relatively fast pace. Nintendo was very excited to tell the world the Switch 2 had eight times the amount of storage capacity of the original Switch. However, all that means is the sequel handheld has a bare 256GB to hold your mountain of games. Games like Street Fighter VI ask for 48.3 GB, while Split Fiction demands a full 73GB. What compounds this issue is the number of launch titles that don't exist on Nintendo's game cards. Games can come in three different digital formats: either as digital download only, as a code-in-a-box, or as a game-key card. The latter is a physical card that essentially acts as a code to download the game from Nintendo's eShop. You can't play the game without the card inserted into the Switch 2. Older microSD cards have completely different pin configurations, and they aren't compatible with the Switch 2. MicroSD Express can use two more modern standards of interfacing with devices, including PCI Express or NVM Express, which allow for faster speeds than the microSD card interface. Still, if you're installing your games on your system, you should look to fill up your internal storage first. Tests of load speeds on Mario Kart World show that the game loads three seconds faster through internal storage than through a microSD Express card. The Lexar card with the highest storage space played catch-up with the smaller Samsung and SanDisk cards. Coming up last was the flash storage on the physical game card. I would sacrifice slightly faster load times for the sake of actually owning the games I play, but if you play on Switch 2, you may not have the choice.
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- Gizmodo
SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO MicroSD Card Drops Below Last Prime Day Price, Feels Like an Amazon Giveaway
If you've ever lost footage or had your camera freeze up in the middle of recording, you know how critical a good memory card really is. If you lose all the work you just did, there's no way you want to do it all again. And you don't want to lose important memories you took while on a trip or even video game saves. On the flip side, you might just need to expand the memory for a console or a device you're using. And you can do all this with a new microSD card. We've got one in mind, too. And you won't have to spend too much to get that security you're looking for, or the extra storage space for things like all your new Switch 2 games. See at Amazon Run to Amazon right now to get the SanDisk 128B Extreme Pro SDXC Memory Card for $33, down from its usual price of $60. That's $27 off and a discount of 45%. This microSD card is compatible with a wide variety of devices. It uses UHS-II technology, which gives it for blisteringly fast transfer speeds of up to 280MB per second read and up to 150MB per second write. That means less transfer time as well as write speeds that mean no more lag and issues with filming video. Plus, it's shockproof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and even X-ray-proof. It's designed to withstand the elements, wherever it is you end up taking it. That peace of mind is something you don't often get from cheaper cards, and it actually means something here, too. You won't have to worry about the card getting messed up because a puddle might have splashed it. The 128GB capacity is large enough to store plenty of high-quality video or thousands of images, yet still small and affordable enough to keep as a dedicated card for specific projects. If you're a photographer, videographer, drone operator, or even a student working on media production, this is the kind of card that you should keep on you at all times, or at least a double of if something happens to your original. Memory cards aren't the most exciting thing to buy, but the right one makes a world of difference. And when you can get a card like this for just $33 that's also fast, durable, and backed by a name like SanDisk, it's really a good idea all around. If you've been meaning to replace an older card or need a backup, now's the time to grab this deal. See at Amazon
Tom's Guide
16-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
This handy 128GB USB-C flash drive makes my job a breeze — and it's just $17 right now
I've been writing about PCs for decades, and I've found one of the most useful gadgets to have around is a simple USB drive with both USB-A and USB-C jacks so you can easily move files around between devices. They're cheap too, and right now is a great time to buy my favorite because it's on sale for a sweet discount. The SanDisk 128GB Ultra Dual Drive Go is $17 at Amazon for a limited time, which is over 20% off the usual $21.49 asking price. This little SanDisk drive holds up to 128GB of your files in a lightweight plastic chassis that fits in the palm of your hand. The drive has a rotating plastic cover that shields either the USB-A or USB-C end from the world while freeing the other up to plug into your laptop, PC, smartphone or tablet, allowing you to easily move up to 128GB of files between devices. It's not just for PCs, either. A USB stick that can plug into both USB-A and USB-C makes it easy to move files from your PCs to your smartphone, tablet or any device with one of these ports. That's why I own a few of these handy little gadgets, and I use them all the time in my work here at Tom's Guide to move files and Windows 11 installations between laptops. The SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive is on our list of the best USB drives for a reason: it delivers far more value than its ~$22 price would suggest. As you may have noticed if you've bought a new laptop in the past decade, the tech industry is slowly shifting from USB-A to USB-C. Most smartphones and tablets now have USB-C jacks, and it's becoming more and more common to see notebooks with no USB-A ports. Some of the best laptops on the market now ship with only USB-C ports, which can make it awfully frustrating if you're trying to move files from an older PC with only USB-A ports to a new laptop with only USB-C ports. So if you're in the market for a new USB drive or are tired of dealing with the headache of moving files back and forth between devices with mismatched ports, I suggest you snag this 128GB drive at a discounted price while you can!
Tom's Guide
16-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
I'm a licensed drone pilot — and I never go flying without these 3 accessories
When you're out and about flying one of the best drones, the last thing you want is, say, for your quadcopter's spare batteries to run out of charge or you not having an appropriate, even ground to land your drone. Plus, I don't know about you, but I like taking a long walk (away from civilization and, well, charging points) and coming upon a beautiful scene where I can fly my drone — which is why it's best to be prepared. There are a few accessories that can help elevate your experience or even make flying easier. Whether you see aerial photography as a hobby or a money-making gig, I would recommend investing in three things: a microSD card with massive storage, a landing/take-off pad, and a portable power bank. I fly my drone almost every weekend, and I'm a licensed drone pilot so you can trust me — and you might even thank me later. Here's how these three accessories can come in clutch when you're out and about with your drone. Have you ever been in a situation where you're trying to land your drone as it's low on battery but the rocks are too lagged or there's too much grass? And you're struggling and struggling with no end in sight? Well, I have, and there's nothing more frustrating than when I can't find the right landing spot for my quadcopter — and this is where a drone landing pad serves as a life-saver. The SYMIK LP500 20-inch Drone Landing Pad, available for £21 in the U.K., is my go-to. If you're in the U.S., I'd recommend the HZD 20-inch Drone Landing Pad ($19) which is practically the same thing. Both landing pads are weighted so they don't move unless it's extremely windy. They're waterproof and can be cleaned easily too. The HZD 20-inch Drone Landing Pad is deal for drones smaller than the DJI Mavic 4 Pro — so, basically, all consumer drones. It's waterproof and easy to clean, and is brightly colored so you can see it from most heights. It's weighted too, so it should stay in place unless it's extremely windy. 20 inches in size, these landing pads are ideal for basically any consumer drone: from the behemoth DJI Mavic 4 Pro to the tiny DJI Neo. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I use my SYMIK landing pad the most when I want to land my drone on a grassy patch. I don't want my copter's propellers to act as a lawnmower and I also don't want the grass to damage them, so this is where the landing pad comes in handy. The use cases are endless too, making it perfect for sandy or pebbly beaches and other similarly unstable terrain. Not many drones come with massive amounts of internal storage. For example, the DJI Neo features just 22GB of internal memory while the HoverAir X1 Pro comes with 32GB. Of course, if you're dropping thousands of dollars on the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, you can get 512GB of internal storage. Regardless of how many videos and images your drone can save onboard, I still believe you need to carry the SanDisk 256GB Extreme microSDXC UHS-I as backup, which costs $34 / £25. Either keep it plugged into your drone's microSD slot or have it tucked away in your backpack. SanDisk's 256GB Extreme microSDXC UHS-I microSD card boasts not just massive storage space, but also fast read (190mbps) and write speeds (130mbps). Offload speeds also top at 190mbps so you can quickly transfer content between devices, making it the ideal microSD card for 4K and 5K UHD capture. SanDisk's Extreme microSD card boasts write speeds of up to 130mbps and read speeds of up to 190mbps. Offloading is quick too, as the card can transfer at speeds up to 190mbps. Most drones today can shoot 4K video and even Log (RAW), and they can capture images in RAW too. This SanDisk card supports 4K and 5K UHD capture, and it's the one card I never go anywhere without. Lastly, I think it's crucial to have a portable power bank in your backpack or drone shoulder bag when you're leaving the house. Look, I've been there. I'm flying, having fun, when all of a sudden I hear my controller warn me that my drone's battery is low. Of course, I land it to swap batteries, and that's when it hits me: that was my last fully charged battery. Catastrophe! Well, not if you have one of the best portable chargers at hand. Drone batteries require a lot of oomph to charge them speedily. I recommend grabbing the Anker Prime 27,650mAh 3-Port 250W... and I know what you're thinking. This portable charger costs $179 / £179 and I'm aware that's a lot — but I think it's worth every penny. The Anker Prime 27,650mAh 3-Port 250W is extremely portable and lightweight, and it can quickly charge large devices, such as MacBooks and drones, with its 250W power delivery. It also features three ports to charge multiple devices simultaneously. The charging time will depend on your drone. Anker's Prime 27,650mAh 3-Port 250W portable charger should be able to quickly power small drones, like the DJI Mini 4 Pro and the DJI Flip, in just under an hour, but bigger drones will take longer. Anker's offering is also extremely portable and lightweight, so you can even slip it into your pocket for easy transport! There you have it: three accessories I don't leave the house without when I go flying. You should make a habit of packing a portable charger, a landing pad and a fast microSD card in your backpack. Are there any other drone accessories you always carry? Let me know in the comments!
Gizmodo
13-06-2025
- Gizmodo
The SanDisk Ultra-Fast 2TB SSD Is Flying Off Shelves, Amazon Dropped Its Price (Again) to a New Low
If you've ever had to wait for the ancient speed of an old hard disk drive (HDD) to transfer large files, you know firsthand how infuriating it is. Now that files are becoming larger and workflows need faster transfers, a solid state drive (SSD) is no longer a luxury: it's a must-have. The SanDisk 2TB SSD is one of them and Amazon just dropped the price to $144 from its list price of $210 (32% off) which is an all-time low for a drive that's an absolute bestseller. See at Amazon Why Should You Buy an SSD? The point to understanding why this deal is big is comprehending the difference between an HDD and an SSD: HDDs (or hard disk drives) read and write data employing spinning magnetic disks. While they offer greater capacity for the same price, their mechanical construction is slower and more susceptible to damage from bumps or drops. SSDs use flash memory that has no moving parts which provides them with very rapid data transfer, improved durability, and reduced noise. For professionals or anyone working with big files, a transition to an SSD like the SanDisk one means waiting less and doing more. Having read speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s, this drive is designed for speed. Whether you're transferring video projects, photo libraries or large game files, you'll notice a dramatic improvement compared to traditional HDDs. The drive connects via USB-C and is compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2 for broad compatibility with modern laptops, desktops, and tablets. Its compact 2.5-inch size means it can be stuffed into a backpack or even pocket. It's also built to withstand tough weather with up to 3-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance. This means the drive can withstand accidental drops, splashes, and dusty environments, so it's ideal for travel, outside use, or field operations. The new firmware ensures the drive is always reliable and up-to-date and its operating temperature range of -20°C to 85°C suggests it can operate in extreme conditions without a glitch. It's also focused on security with this drive: It comes with 256-bit AES hardware encryption and password protection so your confidential files are secure even if your drive is lost or stolen. It maintains your files in order with simplicity through the SanDisk Memory Zone app, which automatically backs up, organizes and frees up space. This is a purchase that combines value, performance and peace of mind – make sure you grab yours before it runs out of stock. See at Amazon
