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SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s UHS-I U3 V30 256GB SDXC Card Review

SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s UHS-I U3 V30 SDXC 256GB Memory Card

Introduction

The Extreme 90MB/s UHS-I U3 V30 is an update to SanDisk's popular performance-level SD memory card. This edition of the card bears the new Video Speed Class V30 designation, meaning the card can sustain at least 30MB/s continuous video recording. It also has the UHS Speed Class U3 rating that also has the same minimum continuous write speed. The card supports up to 60MB/s maximum write speed according to SanDisk. SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s cards are available in 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256GB capacities. The 256GB SDXC card is tested in this review.

SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s UHS-I U3 V30 SDXC 256GB Memory Card Back

Performance

The SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s 256GB SDXC card was tested in multiple card readers. In benchmark tests the card reached a highest sequential read of 99.6 MB/s, an improvement over the older Extreme 80MB/s 256GB card at 83.0 MB/s sequential read. The highest sequential write speed observed was 65.2 MB/s, not quite as high as the 79.3 MB/s benchmark posted by the previous Extreme 80MB/s card, but still above the 60MB/s write speed advertised by SanDisk.

Card: SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 256GB
Benchmark: CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3 x64
Program settings: 1000 MB, 5 passes, random test data
Operating system: Windows 10 Pro
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K @ 4.40GHz
RAM: 32GB DDR3 1600

SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 256GB
Card Reader Benchmarks
Seq.
Read
1000MB
MB/s
Seq.
Write
1000MB
MB/s
Rand.
Read
512KB
MB/s
Rand.
Write
512KB
MB/s
Rand.
Read
4KB
MB/s
QD1
Rand.
Read
4KB
IOPS
QD1
Rand.
Write
4KB
MB/s
QD1
Rand.
Write
4KB
IOPS
QD1
Rand.
Read
4KB
MB/s
QD32
Rand.
Read
4KB
IOPS
QD32
Rand.
Write
4KB
MB/s
QD32
Rand.
Write
4KB
IOPS
QD32
Hama USB 3.0 UHS-II SD Card Reader99.55264.89192.40951.8417.3601796.92.820688.48.7602138.82.789680.8
Lexar Professional Workflow SR2 UHS-II99.55264.96892.82550.7217.7881901.32.815687.48.7702141.22.805684.9
Lexar LRWM04U-7000 UHS-II Reader99.55264.88792.73451.4937.7701896.92.820688.58.7702141.22.797682.8
Hama USB Type-C 3.1 UHS-II SD Card Reader99.36364.65591.40551.5197.7971903.52.830690.98.7642139.62.810686.1
SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II Reader/Writer99.25064.93188.04350.5305.6511379.52.212539.96.2911535.82.288558.5
SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C Reader SDDR-40999.23164.89587.59651.1255.6581381.42.195535.86.3561551.82.301561.7
Sony S1 High Speed UHS-II Reader/Writer99.10964.81988.10150.6155.7051392.92.264552.76.1081491.12.258551.2
Delkin Black Rugged Card Reader99.09164.82787.56750.3715.2391278.92.158526.95.8611431.02.245548.1
SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II SD Reader/Writer97.89764.94792.71851.2587.7701896.92.837692.68.7542137.22.797682.8
Kingston MobileLite G4 UHS-II97.88865.18692.65851.9017.7931902.62.853696.58.7872145.32.813686.9
Delkin Multi-Card CFast SD UHS-II microSD Reader97.81564.75992.11851.2588.0311960.62.897707.48.7902145.92.835692.2
Kingston FCR-HS4 Card Reader97.75164.89192.53250.9517.8081906.32.835692.28.8212153.62.811686.4
Transcend Multi-Card Reader RDF997.75164.83592.68651.3597.7661896.02.793682.08.8102150.82.800683.5
Delkin Dual Slot SD UHS-II and CF Card Reader97.74264.91192.65550.5837.8111907.02.857697.48.7962147.62.798683.2
Lexar Professional Dual Slot UHS-II Card Reader97.72464.82392.60949.7367.7581894.03.442840.38.8182152.93.704904.4
Delkin Travel Reader97.58764.92390.32050.9027.7831900.02.816687.58.7782143.12.814687.0
Transcend Multi-Card Reader RDF8 Black96.59864.95181.25849.9737.3011782.53.444840.98.2852022.83.487851.3
Delkin Universal Memory Card Reader96.58164.99691.13650.6317.3171786.42.494609.08.3002026.32.602635.4
SanDisk ImageMate Pro Multi-Card Reader/Writer96.17364.79986.26049.6395.2151273.22.144523.46.0181469.32.239546.7
Transcend SD Card Reader RDF5 Black95.68265.21489.62251.4014.3441060.72.258551.45.1751263.42.298561.0
SanDisk ImageMate All-In-One USB 3.094.79964.98881.48748.0604.6681139.62.066504.44.7821167.52.046499.4
Sony MRW-E90 XQD 2.0 / SD UHS-II Card Reader93.66565.03687.03350.8367.2791777.22.513613.58.3502038.62.624640.5

In camera tests, the 256GB Extreme 90MB/s V30 SDXC card averaged 57.1 MB/s write speed during continuous shooting in the Nikon D5600. The card will be tested in additional cameras and the results will be added to the table below when available.

SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 256GB
Tested in Camera
Write Speed
(MB/s)
Sony A959.5
Nikon D750058.7
Canon EOS M558.6
Canon 77D57.9
Canon Rebel T7i57.8
Nikon D560057.1
Fuji X-T356.7
Canon EOS R52.3
Olympus E-M1 II41.3
Panasonic GH539.5
Nikon Coolpix P100033.1

Cameras tested with this card: Canon EOS R, Canon 77D, Canon EOS M5, Canon Rebel T7i, Fuji X-T3, Nikon D7500, Nikon D5600, Nikon Coolpix P1000, Olympus E-M1 II, Panasonic GH5, Sony A9

The following table contains information encoded in the SD card.

SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 256GB SD — Internal Card Information
Serial number (PSN)2024938375
Product Name (PNM)SE256
Product Revision8.0
Manufacturer ID (MID)0x000003
OEM ID (OID)SD
Manufacture Date (MDT)09/2016
Total capacity255,865,651,200 bytes

Available sizes and prices

Compare prices on the SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s card. The lowest prices are highlighted in the table below. Prices are updated daily.

CardSize
GB
Lowest
$ / GB
Prices
AmazonB&H PhotoAdorama
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U316$0.57$9.19Check price$11.95
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s microSD16$1.12$17.99Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 microSD16$1.12$17.99Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U332$0.66$21.19Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s microSD32$0.87$27.71Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 SD32$0.33$10.42Check priceCheck price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 microSD32$0.32$10.28$17.05$14.95
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U364$0.28$17.98Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s microSD64$0.20$13.00$29.49
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 SD64$0.25$15.99$24.45Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 microSD64$0.18$11.25$33.79Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3128$0.34$42.99Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 SD128$0.17$21.99$44.89Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 microSD128$0.44$151.27$55.88Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3256$0.27$69.99Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 SD256$0.24$61.77$107.35Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 microSD256$0.13$33.47$138.10Check price
SanDisk Extreme 90MB/s U3 V30 microSD400$0.21$83.42$281.05

The new Extreme 90MB/s cards have a "V30" rating. The old cards without the new speed rating are discontinued but may still be available from retailers.