Samsung unveils first 256GB microSD card

Samsung has become the first firm to release a 256GB microSD card. The Samsung Evo Plus 256GB is, for now at least, the highest capacity in its class, beating 200GB offerings from SanDisk and more recently Lexar.

The EVO Plus 256GB is capable of comfortable recording and playback of 4K content, and can hold a full 12 hours of UHD video or 33 hours of 1080p.

Speedwise, it offers a UHS-1 Class 10 U3 compatibility with 95MBps read and 90MBps write, putting it on a par with existing 200GB offerings. This makes it squarely capable of coping with virtual reality content and gaming.

“With the upward trend of consumers using high-performance, high-capacity mobile devices, our new, V-NAND-based 256GB microSD card solution allows us to deliver the memory card consumers have been craving,” said Un-Soo Kim, senior vice president of brand product marketing for Samsung Electronics' memory business.

“Our EVO Plus 256GB microSD card will provide consumers with large capacity, and high read and write speeds. We are excited to offer our customers convenient and seamless multimedia experiences when they access, store and share all of the content they create and capture.”

The card is water, temperature, x-ray and magnet proof, and is offered with a full 10-year warranty, meaning it will outlast most devices it is used with.

There's no UK price yet, but the US recommended price is $249.99 so don't expect much change from £250 here. The Evo Plus 256GB will be released simultaneously in more than 50 countries next month.

Rivals are likely to follow suit before the end of the summer and it could well be the case that a 1TB microSD card is not long in coming, although it may now be in 2017.

:story: V3.co.uk