SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB SDHC UHS-I Memory Card Review

Introduction

The Ultra 40MB/s is the value choice in SD card storage from SanDisk. This Class 10 UHS-I compliant memory card supports a read speed of 40MB/s and write speed of at least 10MB/s. The Ultra SD is available in many capacities: 8, 16, 32 SDHC and 64 and 128GB SDXC. This review is for the SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB SDHC card.

Performance

When testing the SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB card the initial sample was found to have an unexpectedly high write speed. Because of this apparent anomaly, additional samples were obtained from different sources. After testing multiple samples it appears the high write speed may not be typical. Results for three different cards are included below.

The SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s cards were tested in a variety of USB 3.0 SD card readers. The read speed measured up to 47MB/s which is comfortably above the advertised speed. The write speed varied in different samples of the card. The first sample (Card 1) had significantly higher write speed than specification and reached 45MB/s sequential write. This is essentially the same as the SanDisk Extreme 45MB/s SD Card that was discontinued in late 2014. It is notably faster than the Ultra 64GB card and other Ultra cards that average between 15-20MB/s write speed. The card with unusual write speed has a manufacture date is 11/2014 and the product name encoded in the card (SL32G) is consistent with an Ultra card. The second and third sample cards had later manufacture dates. Both cards 2 and 3 had maximum write speeds between 19 to 20 MB/s.

Card 1

Card: SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 1
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

Card 2

Card: SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 2
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

Card 3

Card: SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 3
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 of Card 1 and Card 2 were tested in cameras. As in the benchmark test, Card 1 card performed similar to the Extreme 45MB/s card. Both Ultra 32GB Card 1 and Card 2 were tested in the Canon T6i and T6s. Their performance was markedly different. Card 2 averaged 18.8 MB/s write speed, whereas Card 1 averaged 41.0 MB/s. Because the Card 1 sample does not appear typical of Ultra 40MB/s cards, it will not be included in future tests. Instead, Card 2 will be included in future camera tests.

Card 1

Cameras tested with this card: Canon Rebel T6i/T6s, Nikon D7200, Nikon D7100, Nikon D5500, Olympus E-M5 II, Sony A6000

Card 2

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, Olympus PEN-F, Pentax K-3 II, Sony A7R II, Sony A6300

Comparing the internal card information between samples, the cards differ in manufacture date. Card 1 has a different total capacity from the other two samples. Curiously, the capacity of Card 1 is identical to that of the Extreme 45MB/s 32GB card, with which it shares performance characteristics.

Card 1

The following table contains information encoded in the SD card.

Card 2

The following table contains information encoded in the SD card.

Card 3

The following table contains information encoded in the SD card.

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