Western Digital Unveils Game-Changing 4TB SD Card: A New Era of Storage. Western Digital has taken a significant leap forward in storage technology with the announcement of a groundbreaking 4TB SD card under the SanDisk brand. This development sets a new benchmark in the realm of portable storage, surpassing previous milestones such as the 1.5 TB Sandisk microSD and the 2TB Koxia microSD released last year.
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This new 4TB SD card represents a notable departure from the existing SDXC standard, which Western Digital has now replaced with the Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) format. The SDUC standard is robust, supporting cards with capacities up to 128 TB and is expected to remain the industry standard for the foreseeable future.
The specifics of this innovative product are still somewhat under wraps. Western Digital has slated the release for 2025, hinting at the advanced planning and development still underway. According to tech website AnandTech, the card will feature the Ultra High Speed-I (UHS-I) interface, which supports maximum throughput of up to 104MB/s. This performance level is touted as sufficient for managing 8K video content, indicating the card’s utility in high-resolution video production and other storage-intensive applications.
The introduction of the SDUC standard by the SD Association in 2018 marked a significant moment in storage technology. At that time, it was predicted that it would enable the creation of memory cards up to 128 terabytes. The progression to a 4TB SD card is a crucial step in this evolution, and it opens the door for future expansions that may one day approach the theoretical maximum capacity outlined by the standard.
Western Digital’s decision to advance to 4TB under the SanDisk brand highlights the ongoing commitment to innovation within the company. The choice of NAND type, crucial for determining the card’s performance and price, remains undisclosed. This leaves industry watchers and consumers eagerly anticipating the first batch of performance tests that will shed light on these critical aspects.
The market implications of such a high-capacity storage solution are significant. For professionals in photography, videography, and data-intensive fields, the ability to store vast amounts of data on a single, compact SD card is revolutionary. The convenience and efficiency of storing and transporting data will see remarkable improvements.
Furthermore, the impact on consumer electronics, particularly devices that rely on external storage like digital cameras, drones, and gaming devices, is profound. These devices could see enhanced capabilities and new features, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in portable electronics design and functionality.
The introduction of the 4TB SD card also reflects broader trends in technology, where the demand for higher capacity storage solutions grows alongside advancements in digital content creation, particularly in ultra-high-definition video and emerging areas such as virtual reality.
However, the transition to SDUC and the introduction of high-capacity cards like the 4TB SD also present challenges. These include the need for devices to support the new standard and the potential cost implications for consumers. As the technology develops, compatibility and affordability will be key factors influencing its adoption.
In the interim, the market already offers high-performance options such as the 1TB SanDisk-branded ExtremePro SD card, which supports speeds up to 200MB/s and is currently priced at around 216.35 euros on platforms like Amazon. This existing product provides a glimpse into the performance that might be expected from the forthcoming 4TB card, albeit at a lower capacity.
As we look towards 2025 and the eventual launch of the 4TB SD card, the anticipation builds not only for this product but for the future enhancements it will inevitably lead to in the storage sector. Western Digital’s pioneering work promises to redefine how data is stored and accessed, marking a significant milestone in the journey towards ultra-high-capacity portable storage solutions.