In this article, I talk about the best micro SD cards for security cameras.
You can't simply buy any memory card for your video surveillance project.
There are some important details you have to consider such as speed, capacity and quality. Before start recording you need to make sure your IP camera is using a memory card that is fast and reliable, so keep reading to understand more...
Quick selection
I will tak about each Micro SD card in details, but if you are in a hurry here's the quick selection you can check on the Amazon store. Click the buttons below:
How to get the best micro SD cards for security cameras
The first thing you need to have in mind is that security cameras don't work as a regular device that uses SD cards such as mobile phones or photography cameras.
There's a huge difference between such devices and the security cameras that record video 24x7 and can't lose the footage that is used as evidence for crimes.
So, the idea is to purchase the best micro SD card available out there to guarantee you it will record correctly and keep your data safe for later use.
Based on this principle, here are some factors to consider before buying an SD card.
Quality
This factor translates directly to the micro SD card brand.
In undeniable that good manufacturers have a concern about their brand, so they must assure that the quality of their products is good enough.
That's the reason it's recommended to buy the memory card for your cameras from manufacturers that are reliable such as Samsung, Sandisk, and Kingston.
Those manufacturers are well-known for their experience manufacturing good products that are tested and approved before reach the market.
So that's the first thing to consider... buy only from reliable brands.
Read and write speed
The data comes from the security camera very fast and the micro SD card must be able to write the information without interruption and that's critical.
For a surveillance system, the write speed is indeed more important.
The idea is to record footage (write) continuously or at least every time there's a movement in front of the camera and that happens a lot during the day.
If there's an important event recorded during a specific period somebody has to recover the footage and that's when the read speed is important.
You can find the read and write speed information on the card as follow:
Class Speed | UHS Speed | Application | Write Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
C2 | SD (Standard resolution) | 2 MB/s | |
C4 | 720p/1080p | 4 MB/s | |
C6 | 720p/1080p | 6 MB/s | |
C10 | U1 | 20p/1080p, 4K | 10 MB/s |
U3 | 720, 1080p,4K @ 60/120fps | 30 MB/s | |
720, 1080p,4K, 8K @ 60/120fps | 60 MB/s | ||
720, 1080p,4K, 8K @ 60/120fps | 90 MB/s |
As you can see in this table there are two types of speed classification, either you can choose by Class Speed or by UHS Speed (for newer SD cards).
For security cameras, you can buy at least a C10 or U1 micro SD card which can record Full HD video (1920 x 1080) at 30 FPS without any issue.
See the picture below where I'm holding a Sandisk U3 micro SD card.
Take a look at the speed of 170 MB/s which indicates the card can READ up to such speed be aware that the write speed for this card is 90MB/s.
(The manufacturer put this information on the back of the package )
Capacity
Your security camera needs to record the footage for a long period.
That's why you need to use a higher-capacity micro SD card according to your camera limitation which is indicated in the device's manual.
The previous picture shows a 64GB card which is enough to record videos for at least a week depending on the camera recording settings.
You can find cards with 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512 GB.
But don't be tempted to buy the highest capacity card before consulting the camera manual or the manufacturer. The Wyze Cam, for example, is a consumer product that uses a micro SD card with up to 32GB.
==> Just in case you are looking for a micro SD camera for the Wyze Cam, please read the article: Wyze Cam V2 SD card size and type.
I usually recommend you purchase 64GB cards if your camera supports it.
List with the best micro SD cards for security cameras (my recommendation)
Here is my recommendation for the best cards you can use for your cameras.
I listed the ScanDisks first because they are well-known for the best quality.
1. SanDisk Ultra MicroSDHC UHS-I Card
SanDisk Ultra microSDHC cards are fast and built to perform in harsh conditions since they are shockproof, X-ray proof, waterproof, and temperature proof.
This microSD card is rated Class 10 for Full HD video recording performance and has a 10-year limited warranty. Results may vary based on the device used and other factors.
Operating temperature -13 degree F to 185 degree F (-25 degree C to 85 degree C) Storage temperature -40 degree F to 185 degree F (-40 degree C to 85 degree C).