It’s still happening, even though I’ve warned people again and again and again… not to buy bargain basement, cheap, unreliable SD cards…….. they are still doing it. At this point I feel like I’m banging my head against the wall trying to get people to stop making this mistake. The only reason I’m doing this is because I actually DON’T want you to start having issues or worse, lose precious footage of what you filmed.
So, let’s (once again) go through all the reasons you shouldn’t be using cheap SD cards purchased for a bargain price!
1. Low Write Speeds
Cheap SD cards often have low write speeds. This can be a significant issue, especially for photographers and videographers who need to quickly save high-resolution images or videos. A slow write speed can cause your camera to lag, missing crucial moments. They can also cause your camera to overheat as it tries to write vast amounts of data quickly onto an SD card that’s far too slow.
2. Risk of Data Corruption
Another major concern with cheap SD cards is the risk of data corruption. If an SD card is not reliable, you may end up losing your precious memories or important data. This is particularly true for fake memory cards, which may report a large total capacity to your device when in reality, they contain a much smaller capacity. This will result in you thinking you’ve recorded footage, but when you go to view it later on, you see that somehow, mysteriously, your footage has now disappeared for no reason.
3. Limited Lifespan
SD cards have a limited number of read/write cycles. Every time you access data on it, the remaining lifespan decreases. Naturally, the lifespan also varies depending on the quality of the SD card. A product from a reputable brand will live longer than a cheap no-name card.
4. Potential for Fake Products
Cheap SD cards are often fake. These cards can cause more harm than good, especially if you use them to store important data. It’s always better to buy from reputable retailers to avoid the risk of getting a fake product.
So how do you spot a cheap/fake SD card?
First of all, THE PRICE IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! Trust me, you are not, I repeat NOT going to get a 1TB SD card for $25 and under. Compare the price of a well known brand such as a Sandisk Extreme Pro. You’re looking at $137 for a 1TB card. A 512GB Samsung Pro Plus card will set you back at least $50. So if you see some no name brand SD card offering 1TB for $25, then trust me, it’s either a fake card or a woefully slow and unreliable card.
Secondly of all are the reviews. If your card is as good as it seems, then it’s going to have hundreds of reviews giving it 5 stars. It’s not going to have 10 reviews or less all typed in poor English. Again, let’s compare the well known brands of Sandisk and Samsung. The Sandisk Extreme Pro has over 1,700 user ratings on Amazon. The Samsung Pro Plus has over 18,000 ratings on Amazon. A cheap, unknown brand SD card claiming to be 1TB… has just 14 ratings on Amazon… with only 3 reviews.
Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop buying cheap SD cards and just throwing your money down the drain. If you do buy a cheap SD card, when you have issues with your camera, stop blaming the camera, stop blaming the company that makes the camera. Instead find the nearest mirror that you can, take a long hard look in it, and blame the person you see looking back at you. You’re the problem, not the camera!
Conclusion
While it might be tempting to save money by buying a cheap SD card, the potential problems you could encounter are simply not worth the risk. From slow write speeds to data corruption and limited lifespan, cheap SD cards come with a host of issues that could end up costing you more in the long run. So, next time you’re in the market for an SD card, remember: you get what you pay for.
English