Lexar introduces the world’s first SD 8.0 card, but it's too speedy for current cameras
Lexar has unveiled the Professional Gold Pro SDXC Express Card — the world's first SD 8.0 card, boasting impressive read and write speeds of 1,700 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s, respectively. However, the card's full potential is currently constrained by a lack of compatible devices, resulting in performance being limited to UHS-I speeds when used.
The SD 8.0 standard employs various PCIe interfaces: PCIe Gen4 x2, PCIe Gen4 x1, PCIe Gen3 x1, and PCIe Gen3 x2, enabling theoretical transfer speeds of up to 4 GB/s. Lexar's High-Performance SD 8.0 card uses PCIe 4.0 lanes to achieve its high speeds, similar to Lexar's Professional CFexpress 4.0 card.
A major drawback is that only SD 8.0-compatible devices can harness the card's full potential. Unfortunately, such devices don't exist yet, as the standard was only finalized recently. While the card will work with current cameras and readers, it is limited to UHS-I speeds of 50 MB/s, negating the benefits of its high-speed capabilities. Lexar's decision to announce it as a final product rather than a concept is confusing, especially since no other storage manufacturers have showcased SD 8.0 cards.
High-speed storage is crucial for cameras due to increasing demands for 8K RAW video and high-resolution burst mode photography. CF cards are currently preferred over SD cards for professional use due to their superior performance. It remains to be seen whether camera manufacturers will prioritize implementing the new SD standard.
The future of the SD 8.0 card depends on the willingness of camera manufacturers to prioritize the implementation of the new standard. If widespread adoption occurs, it could open up new possibilities for high-performance photography and videography. However, for the present, the SD 8.0 card represents a promising glimpse into the future of storage, but one that is currently inaccessible to many users.
