Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD Card Review (512 GB)

Samsung has a reputation for delivering reliable memory products, and the Samsung PRO Ultimate MicroSD doesn’t disappoint. It was designed to surpass the speeds of previous Samsung microSDs, making it a perfect option for creators looking for a speedy, reliable microSD. The memory card is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD Card

MicroSDs can be found in many tech products, including phones, tablets, and cameras. In today’s era, they can even be located 400 feet in the sky in consumer-grade drones. With users demanding smaller and lighter technology, it’s no surprise that microSDs continue to gain momentum. SD cards are too big for much of today’s technology; hence, they are often abandoned in the smaller options. Their smaller form factor gives them more versatility and use cases.

We reviewed the Samsung PRO Plus microSD Card in August, and based on its performance, we were excited to experience the improvements in the Ultimate microSD.

Samsung claims performance of 180MB/s read and 130MB/s write for the Samsung PRO Plus microSD card. The Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD has documented speeds of 200MB/s read and 130MB/s write, making it a little faster than the PRO Plus.

The Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD has an edge over its predecessors due to the card’s upgraded support of UHS-I (DDR225), surpassing the speeds of previous microSDs, which were limited by the UHS-I (SDR104). The memory card is also equipped with Samsung’s own V-NAND flash memory.

The Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD is going for $59.99 on Amazon as of writing this. A USB reader can be purchased with the product for an additional $7 or so.

Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD Card Specification Sheet

Attribute	Specifications
Form Factor	microSDXC
User Capacity	128GB 256GB 512GB
Bus Speed Mode	UHS-I SDR1042) / UHS-I DDR2003) with Samsung microSDXC Reader
Dimensions	15 x 11 x 1 (mm) (L x W x H)
Weight	Approx. 0.25g (Card only)
Speed Class	Class 10, V304)
App Perf. Class	Class A25
Speed Grade	Grade 3 (U3)
Sequential Read Speed	Up to 200MB/s
Sequential Write Speed	Up to 130MB/s

Longevity is vital to most professionals in the memory card market. Samsung does pretty well with this, with a claimed durability of 10,000 cycles. In addition, Samsung ensures the card is resilient to outdoor elements, including waterproof, temperature-proof, and drop-proof. The memory card comes with a 10-year limited warranty.

Attribute	Specifications
Temperature	Operating: -25°C to 85°C Non-Operating: -40°C to 85°C
Durability	10,000 mating cycles
6-Proof Features	Water-proof Temperature-proof X-ray-proof Magnet-proof Drop-proof Wearout-proof
EMC Certifications	FCC (IC), CE (UKCA), VCCI, RCM
Warranty	10-year limited

Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD Card Performance

We tested the Samsung PRO Plus microSD with the bundled Samsung reader via our Lenovo ThinkStation P520 testbed. We will compare results from the PRO Plus to the SanDisk Extreme PRO microSD, another relevant microSD on the market.

Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD ($59.99 for 512GB)
Samsung PRO Plus microSD ($34.99 for 512GB)
SanDisk Extreme PRO microSD ($52.01 for 512GB)

The Samsung PRO Plus microSD is in a lower class, but we are comparing it to assess the performance difference between it and the more powerful Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD for relative measure.

Starting with the Blackmagic benchmark, the Samsung PRO Ultimate clocked a read speed of 193.1 MB/s and a write speed of 129.1 MB/s, just missing out on the max read speed.

The Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD barely won against the SanDisk Extreme PRO microSD in reads but lost in writes. These wins and losses were by small margins, though the two memory cards performed similarly.

The Samsung PRO Plus did pretty well in the write category but lacked in reads. It held its ground pretty well for being a lower-class drive, considering it is $25 cheaper than the Samsung PRO Ultimate.

Disk Speed Test	Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD	Samsung PRO Plus microSD	SanDisk Extreme PRO microSD
Read	193.1 MB/s	158.8 MB/s	191.1 MB/s
Write	129.1 MB/s	125.7 MB/s	133.2 MB/s

Moving to synthetic testing using IOMeter 1 thread, the Samsung PRO Ultimate came out on top for most of the categories, only beaten by the SanDisk memory card in the Seq 2MB Write test. The Samsung PRO Ultimate crushed in the IOPS categories, topping the SanDisk Extreme PRO by a large margin.

The Samsung PRO Plus microSD got a comfortable second place in the IOPS categories but fell behind in the other metrics. The Samsung PRO Plus performed well against the faster and pricier drives.

IOMeter (1 Thread)	Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD	Samsung PRO Plus microSD	SanDisk Extreme PRO microSD
Seq 2MB Read	191.2 MB/s	157.0 MB/s	191 MB/s
Seq 2MB Write	128.6 MB/s	125.5 MB/s	135 MB/s
Random 2MB Read	174.3 MB/s	149.6 MB/s	167 MB/s
Random 2MB Write	102.9 MB/s	101.2 MB/s	96 MB/s
Random 4K Read	2873 IOPS	2626 IOPS	1349 IOPS
Random 4K Write	1802 IOPS	1645 IOPS	601 IOPS

Final Thoughts

MicroSDs are consistently getting more relevant as devices continue to shrink and the demand for more local storage surges. The Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD is one of the many solutions rising to meet this market shift.

The card performed slightly under what Samsung quoted, but this was okay, considering our numbers were not that far off, especially regarding writes. Samsung quoted 200 MB/s and 130 MB/s sequential reads and writes, respectively, and our sequential numbers came close to this with 191.2 MB/s read and 128.6 MB/s write.

At the time of this writing, Amazon had the Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD selling for $59.99, making it the most expensive drive on the list. This isn’t unexpected, given the card has just launched. As launch hype wears down, the price is expected to reach market levels. This drive performed the best in most metrics, although by a slight margin, making it a good purchase for those who need a high-performance microSD card.

Ultimately, the Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD is a solid memory card for its class, earning our recommendation.

Samsung PRO Ultimate microSD Card on Amazon

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8 months ago

Ethan Beeler

Ethan Beeler is a Business Economics student at Miami University who possesses an unwavering love for technology. With a particular interest in the inner workings of cloud computing and the applications we utilize on a daily basis, Ethan is driven by a deep curiosity to understand the IT infrastructure that powers our digital world. He combines his passion for technology with a strong analytical mindset and a desire to explore the intersection of technology and business. Eager to stay ahead of the curve, Ethan actively engages with the latest tech advancements and seeks opportunities to apply his knowledge in real-world settings.