Samsung has announced a range of Universal Flash Storage memory cards meant for today’s intense video applications.
The UFS spec has been used for embedded memory modules since 2015, but this is the first time UFS has appeared in removable memory cards. UFS is a generational leap faster than the eMMC standard still used by the majority of devices today.
Samsung’s new UFS cards have a read speed of 530Mbps, which is five times faster than that of microSD cards. Samsung says this is fast enough to read an entire HD movie in about 10 seconds. Write speeds reach 170Mbps, which is about twice the speed of today’s top microSD cards. Samsung says the fast read/write speeds will be ideal for dSLR cameras, drones, 3D/VR cameras, and action cameras.
In order for the cards to achieve this performance two sets of connectors are needed, which allow for simultaneous reading and writing thanks to separate, dedicated paths for each action. The cards are similar is size to microSD cards, but have a different shape. The shape and double connector requirements make the UFS cards incompatible with the today’s microSD slots.
Samsung hasn’t said if or when the company might introduce UFS cards to its smartphones or tablets. Moreover, the industry at large has not publicly agreed to transition from microSD to UFS. Samsung’s UFS cards will be available in 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB capacities. Pricing and availability were not disclosed.
