Choosing the microSD cards for dash cams can be a bit confusing. First, there’s the question of differentiating genuine products from the myriad of fake products in the market. Secondly, just how much space is necessary for a dash cam’s SD card? Third, what other features make an SD card ideal for your dashcam?
If you need answers to any of these questions, you have come to the right place. This blog post is about how to choose the right microSD card for your car’s camera as well as in-depth reviews of the best products on the market.
We conducted plenty of research to come up with this list. All the products on this list are tested and tried, and they have proven to be the microSD cards for dash cams. We selected our SD card from this list.
Without further ado, let’s dive right into the reviews.
Best MicroSD Cards for Dash Cams:
1. Transcend Information 64GB Micro Card with Adapter
Transcend is a big brand in the memory card manufacturing industry. This particular product offers you 64GB of storage, which is quite remarkable.
You can pack up to 12,000 hours of HD footage into the card before you need to delete anything.
The micro card is made for extremes in weather and temperature. It works perfectly well in temperatures ranging from -250C to 850C.
It is also impervious to water, static, shock, and X-rays.
These qualities enhance the card’s durability. They also make it the 64GB micro SD card for dash cam. This is because a car will inevitably be driven in diverse conditions, and it helps to have a card that can withstand any extremes.
2. SanDisk 128GB Ultra MicroSDXC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter
This SanDisk microSD card is easily one of the memory cards for a dash camera. For one thing, it has a remarkable read speed of up to 100MB per second. This means that you can access files from the card with incredible ease.
The card is also ideal for your dashboard camera owing to its durable construction. It does not get destroyed due to exposure to water or extreme temperatures, and it is magnetic and X-ray proof as well.
This micro SD card for dash cam supports full HD video recording, which means that you will be receiving clear images in your footage.
The product comes with a limited 10-year warranty. Take your time to read the fine print to ensure that the warranty covers you.
3. SAMSUNG: EVO Select 128GB MicroSDXC Memory Card with Adapter
Samsung is a renowned brand when it comes to all things tech, and this MicroSD card lives up to the company’s reputation for creating high-quality products. The SD card can record up to 6 hours of 4K ultra HD footage, and up to 20 hours of full HD footage.
Additionally, the card has a write speed of 90 MB per second and an equally fast read speed of 100 MB per second. These are exceptional speeds, even by industry standards.
To boost durability, the card is magnetic-proof, waterproof, X-ray-proof, and even temperature-proof. It also comes with a ten-year warranty, which goes to show how much faith the company has in the product.
You can also use the SD card with other devices apart from your dashcam. These include your laptop, mobile phone, and tablet.
However, be careful not to interfere with pre-recorded footage when you use the card for other purposes. If you are not cautious, you may have problems accessing your dashcam videos in the future.
4. Netac 128GB Micro SD Card Micro Mini SD Card
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The Netac MicroSD card is an excellent choice of memory card for your dashcam for several reasons. First, it has excellent read and write speeds averaging 100MB per second. This means that you can transfer files from the card to your laptop quite fast.
The memory device can store up to 8.5 hours of HD footage or 3 hours of 4K UHD recordings. This might not be outstanding, but you still get a respectable amount of storage with the card.
The card is also waterproof and can withstand temperature extremes with remarkable ease. It is also resistant to damage from exposure to X-rays and mechanical impact of up to 500G acceleration.
The memory card also works perfectly with other devices like mobile phones and tablets.
5. Micro Center Premium 128GB microSDXC Card
This MicroSD card is an excellent option for a memory card for your car’s dashboard. Not only does it have ample storage where you can store thousands of hours of footage, but it also has excellent read and write speeds.
The card can record 4K UHD videos as well as full HD footage. This means that you will be getting high-resolution images with the card. The upshot of this is that you will be better able to identify the culprits of vandalism with ease.
This product is also very durable and can withstand exposure to extreme temperature conditions. It is also waterproof, shockproof, and X-rayproof.
Factors to Consider
SD cards can be deceptively similar. It is easy to think that as long as a card fits in your camera, it will be collecting data and storing it safely for you.
Unfortunately, this is a gravely misguided notion. There is a lot of research that goes into picking the right memory card for your dashcam. A few of the factors that you should consider before making your pick are:
Size
Micro SD cards come in a variety of sizes. Some can hold only 2GB of data, while others can hold terabytes of information. You ought to check the capacity of a card before you pick it up.
You do not want to spend your hard-earned money on a 512GB card only to realize later that you didn’t need all that space in the first place.
Speed
The next factor you should keep in mind before choosing an SD card is its read and write speeds. This is important since it shows how quickly and easily you can access files on the card using your devices.
Usually, manufacturers indicate the speed of the cards on the surface of the product. There are multiple ways of showing the read and write speeds of a card, the most popular ones being:
- Speed Class
This shows the minimum writing speed of a memory card. There are four main classes, namely;
- Class 2, which has a write speed of at least 2MBps
- Class 4 with a minimum write speed of 4MBps
- Class 6 with a speed of 6MBps
- Class 10 with a speed of at least 10MBps
A Class 10 card will generally have better performance than a Class 2 SD card. However, this is not always the case since the classes indicate a minimum write speed; it is quite possible to find a Class 2 card with a higher maximum write speed than a Class 10 card.
- Video Speed Class
This classification also the product’s minimum write speed, but with specific regard to video capturing rate. The classes vary from V6 for cards with a minimum write speed of 6MBps to V90 for cards with a minimum speed of 90MBps.
- Relative Speed
Sometimes, manufacturers indicate the speed of an SD card relative to the original transfer rate of CDs, which was 150KBps. Therefore, you may come across an SD card with a speed rating of 16x or 4x, which means that it transfers data at a speed 16 or 4 times the speed of the original transfer rate.
Durability
You also need to pay close attention to the durability of an SD card before you make your choice. This is especially vital since you will be using the product in your car’s dashboard camera, which is often exposed to a wide variety of conditions.
Some indicators of durability include the card’s ability to withstand vast temperature variations, being waterproof, and being impervious to X-rays.
Video Quality
Another critical factor to consider when deciding which SD card is for dashcams is the quality of the footage that the card can record. Ideally, a dash cam is most helpful when it captures clear images and videos.
If you cannot identify the perpetrators of vandalism, or tell which driver caused an accident, then the camera is not of much help. Be sure to check the video quality that a card supports; the higher the resolution of images, the better.
Compatibility
Before you choose a memory card for your dashboard camera, be sure that it is compatible with your devices. The most pertinent devices in this regard are your camera and laptop.
Unknown to many, SD cards are manufactured for specific hardware. Some cards use formats that are not supported by older laptops and cameras.
To avoid wasting money on a product that will not be compatible with your devices, first, confirm the formats that your devices support and then pick a card from those that are compatible.
Generally, MicroSD cards come in four varieties: MicroSD, MicroSDHC, MicroSDXC, and MicroSDUC. Of these, the MicroSDUC is the most recent type, which means that it is only compatible with the latest devices. Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the different varieties of MicroSD cards to ensure that you pick the best one for you.
Your Needs
MicroSD cards differ vastly in terms of capacity, speed, and video quality.
While you may be tempted to pick the card that has the best specifications, it is better to choose a card that will meet your needs without costing you a small fortune.
For instance, a dashcam requires a memory card with a capacity of 8 to 32GB; anything bigger than that is mostly unnecessary. Some cameras can even rewrite useless files, thus saving you a lot of storage space.
With regards to clarity, you want your card to store images that are clear enough to identify people and things on the road. However, an extremely high level of clarity may not be necessary.
You also want to choose a 4K dash camera card that has a respectable read and write speed. The speed of a card is essential because it determines how easily you can access files. If your card only stores high-quality images, it should also have fast read times to allow you faster access to your data.
Brand
Have you ever had a memory card that stopped working for no reason? This is one of the most frustrating experiences, especially if the card in question holds relevant information.
Often, cheaper brands tend to have faulty products that can fail to work at the most inopportune moments.
To avoid this, it is better to spend money on a quality product that will serve you well for a long. Sure, you will have to pay extra for a reputable brand, but the right product is worth every penny you spend on it.
You should also be careful not to buy a counterfeit microSD card. Unfortunately, these fake products are ubiquitous and look deceptively similar to genuine products.
To avoid buying a ripoff, purchase your card from reputable vendors and, even more preferably, from the manufacturers of the dual dash camera. Also, steer clear of vendors who sell high-end brand products at questionably low prices; those are most likely fake products.
FAQs
Why won’t my MicroSD card format?
If you run into problems with your MicroSD card, the first step towards rectifying the issue is usually to try and format the card. Sometimes, however, you may be unable to format the card using your laptop.
Some common causes of this frustrating problem are: The SD card is write-protected, which means Windows cannot make any alterations; The card is corrupted with a virus, and Windows does not work on corrupted cards.
Is trucker dash cam evidence of an accident allowed in court?
Yes, it is just as admissible as police dashcam or body cam footage in courtroom situations.
How can I care for my MicroSD card?
Although microSD cards are incredibly durable, you should also take good care of your card to ensure longevity. One way to do this is to format the card regularly. Before you do this, however, make sure that all critical files are saved on another device, such as your laptop’s drive or an HDD.
Are MicroSD cards waterproof?
They don’t use infrared lights. They simply amplify very low ambient light, using a microprocessor.
How much should I pay?
The type of SD card for a dash cam is waterproof, which is excellent as it boosts durability tremendously. However, be sure to check whether the specific product you want to buy is waterproof before you purchase it.
Conclusion
After reading this post, no doubt you are in a position to make an informed decision about microSD cards. You now know which factors to consider before buying one, and how to choose the card for your needs.
Of the products reviewed in this article, the recommended memory card for dash cam is the SanDisk Ultra 128GB microSDXC UHS-I card. It has higher-than-average write speeds and supports full HD video quality. Additionally, the company that makes it is highly reputable, and you can trust that you will get a top-quality product.