Description
SanDisk Extreme Pro 200MB/s 256GB SDXC Card Review
Introduction
SanDisk has long used the Extreme Pro name on their top-level memory cards and the latest iteration is the Extreme Pro 200MB/s UHS-I SD card. The 200MB/s enumeration denotes the read speed and requires the proper card reader to reach that speed. SanDisk touts the Professional PRO-READER SD card reader as the preferred device to attain that speed. SanDisk coined the term QuickFlow for the technology that increases the clock speed beyond the typical 104MB/s to achieve higher bus rate. The technology is not proprietary and other makers have begun to include it in their cards and readers. The technial term for pushing the bus speed to 200MB/s is DDR200 mode, and SanDisk is probably pushing a bit farther to DDR208. The increased speed is only supported in the most recent card readers. In older SD devices, including existing cameras, the card will operate at slower speeds, and in the best case this would be DR104 mode which has a maximum speed of 104MB/s.
SanDisk Extreme Pro 200MB/s cards carry a Video Speed Class V30 rating, which is the highest available for a UHS-I card (V60 and V90 are limited to UHS-II/UHS-III cards by SD Association specification). The V30 rating means the card can record at 30MB/s continuously for shooting 4K video. The Extreme Pro 200MB/s card is offered in 64, 128, 256, 512GB and 1TB capacities. SanDisk still offers a 32GB Extreme Pro SDHC card which is rated at 100MB/s read and 90MB/s write speed. The write speeds of the other capacity cards varies by size. The 64 and 128GB cards offer 90MB/s write, while 256GB and larger capacities are 140MB/s write speed, according to SanDisk, and dependent on the card reader or device used.
The card reiewed here is the 256GB SDXC card. The model name is SDSDXXD-256G-GN4IN and the product code (UPC) is 619659188658. SanDisk memory cards are covered by a lifetime waranty. The card tested is made in Malaysia.
Performance
The 256GB Extreme Pro 200MB/s card was benchmarked in several memory card readers. The highest sequential read speed was 201.2 MB/s and proves the card is capable of operating above the 200MB/s read speed noted on the label. The write speed was also better than advertised, reaching 143.5 MB/s sequential write speed in benchmark tests. As mentioned before, not all card readers and very few other devices support SDR200 and the memory card speed will be limited to 104MB/s or lower speed. Outside of a few SanDisk, Lexar and Kingston readers, the remainder of card readers tested show transfer speeds similar to most other UHS-I cards: around 95MB/s read and 90MB/s write
