SanDisk Extreme U3 microSDXC 64GB Review

Introduction

The SanDisk Extreme U3 microSDXC 64GB card offers large capacity in a microSD size. The Extreme U3 is targeted at the growing segment of action cameras. SanDisk advertises the card with 60MB/s read and 40MB/s write speeds and meets the latest UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) specification. The U3 designation means the card can sustain at least 30MB/s continuous write speed and makes the card suitable for 4K video recording.

The Extreme U3 microSD card is offered in 32GB and 64GB capacities. A 16GB version is also available, but its performance is quoted at only 45MB/s read and 30MB/s write and does not have the U3 specification. This review is for the Extreme U3 64GB microSDXC.

Performance

The SanDisk Extreme U3 64GB microSDXC card was tested using USB 3.0 card readers. In benchmarks test its sequential read speed measured 69.7 MB/s. Sequential write speed reached 56.3MB/s. Both measurements were well above the speed ratings quoted by SanDisk.

Card: SanDisk Extreme U3 microSD 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

The performance was also measured in cameras. In the Nikon D7200 the card measured 46.6 MB/s write speed when recording a 30 second continuous burst of images. This is just slightly faster than the 46.1 MB/s write speed measured with the full size SD Extreme 60MB/s version of the card.

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 A6300

The following table contains information encoded in the SD card.

Available sizes and prices

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