W H I T E P A P E R.docVIP

W H I T E P A P E R Understanding SD Association Speed Ratings SD and SDHC Class Rating vs. Commercial “x” Rating The objective of this whitepaper is to clarify the differences between the Speed Class Rating and commercial “x” speed rating given to SD?, SD High Capacity (SDHC?), and SD Extended Capacity (SDXC?) flash memory cards. Demystifying Read and Write Speeds A card’s read speed describes how fast data can be retrieved from a card. This performance is seen when transferring card contents to other host devices (computers, printers, readers, etc.). The read performance is important for improving photography workflow. A card’s write speed describes how fast data can be saved onto a card. This performance is seen when a camera or mobile device saves a picture or a video clip to the card. Write speed is typically slower than read speed for SD cards. The performance of a SD card in-system depends on both the performance of the card and the performance of the host device, since the system device (camera, card reader, printer, computer, etc.) may have internal limitations that may constrain card performance. Commercial “x” Speed Ratings—to Optimize Sustained Speed Commercial x rating is based on a multiple of the initial standard CD-ROM speed of 150KB/sec (x = 150 KB/sec). Modern CD-ROM and DVD devices are also measured in multiples of this initial speed. The x rating provided by Lexar is tested in the Lexar? Quality Labs. Lexar x ratings are tested on certified test equipment and report the read speed capabilities of the card. Lexar offers three distinct lines of SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards based on speed and performance. Standard nomenclature and associated read speeds are noted below: Lexar standard cards - unrated Lexar Platinum II/Premium Series cards –read speed up to 30MB/sec (up to 200x) Lexar Professional line cards –minimum guaranteed read speeds: Professional 400x UHS-I—60MB/sec (≥400x) Professional 600x UHS-I---90MB/sec (≥600x) Higher x rat