SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 64GB Memory Card Review

Introduction

In the SanDisk line of memory cards Ultra is the budget choice. It is intended for compact to mid-level point-and-shoot digital cameras. The SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s UHS-I is the latest version of the card. The 40MB/s is the read speed, while write speed is lower but "twice as fast as ordinary SD cards." According to SanDisk, ordinary means 5MB/s write speed, so this card must provide at least 10MB/s write speed, which is also the same minimum level of write performance other Class 10 cards must maintain. Ultra SD cards are available in 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128GB capacities. The 64GB SDXC version is reviewed here.

Performance

The Ultra 40MB/s 64GB SDXC card was benchmarked in various SD card readers. It exceeded its advertised read speed, reaching 47.9MB/s sequential read. Its sequential write speed measured between 14.9 and 16.1 MB/s in various readers. This is above the 10MB/s write SanDisk implies, but far from the speed offered by "high performance" SD cards.

Card: SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 64GB
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

In camera tests the SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s card maintained similar write performance in many cameras. This is enough to satisfy basic needs, but not enough for extended continuous shooting that exceeds a camera's buffer capacity. This level of performance is expected given the card's target market. For serious enthusiasts and DSLR owners there are better choices, such as the SanDisk Extreme 60MB/s card that offers a much higher write speed.

Cameras tested with this card: Canon 5D Mark IV, Canon 5Ds, Canon 80D, Canon Rebel T6i/T6s, Fuji X-Pro2, Fuji X-T10, Nikon D500, Nikon D7200, Nikon D7100, Nikon D5500, Olympus E-M5 II, Olympus PEN-F, Pentax K-3 II, Sony A7R II, Sony A6000, Sony A6300

The following table contains information encoded in the SD card.

Available sizes and prices

Compare prices on the SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s card. The lowest prices are highlighted in the table below. Prices are updated daily.