A video recorder or Car VDR is a video recording device, which means it must store the recorded data somewhere. Most often, flash memory cards in microSD format are used for these purposes - the same ones that replaced “large” SD cards and have been used in smartphones for about 10 years. However, to choose a memory card for a DVR, you need to know not only about the format, but also about the two most important characteristics of these devices.
Memory capacity is the first thing you need to pay attention to. The instructions for each DVR indicate which cards it supports. Most often these are 32 GB, 64 GB or 128 GB devices. It is important to take this factor into account, because a 64 GB card can be inserted into a DVR with a limit of, for example, up to 128 GB, but not vice versa. The name microSD may have the prefix HC or XC at the end. Type of HC cards are devices with 16 GB or 32 GB of memory. And XC – cards from 64 GB to 2 TB. To find out how much memory a device needs, it is enough to understand the principle of its operation. The DVR records video in several minute chunks and does not stop recording when the card is full. It simply deletes the oldest files to make room for new ones. And the higher the shooting resolution, the more these videos “weigh”.
Therefore, there is no point in installing a 32 GB card on a new device that shoots in 4K quality. It will fill up very quickly and be overwritten often, so it can quickly fail. But the same 32 GB card will work great in a DVR with HD or Full HD resolution, because video recordings in this format take up significantly less space.
Write speed is also very important when choosing a card. The fact is that the recording device constantly compresses and transfers information to the memory card during shooting. This process occurs at a certain speed - for example, 20 Mbit/s. This value is called bitrate. It depends on the video resolution, that is, on the most modern DVRs the bitrate will be higher than on older ones.
The higher the bitrate, the “faster” the memory card must be - otherwise it simply will not cope with processing and saving video files. If the recording speed is low, frames will begin to drop from the video and the quality will deteriorate. And then it can be difficult to see something important in the video, for example, a license plate number. To avoid this, you need to choose a card with a write speed of at least 10-15 MB/s.
It is easy to find out the minimum write speed of a card, even if the manufacturer does not indicate it in the product description. To do this, you can navigate by its classes. They are always indicated on the device body.
- Speed Class . It is designated by the letter C. All modern memory cards belong to class C10, that is, their minimum write speed is 10 MB/s. This mark gives little information about the actual speed of the card.
- UHS Speed Class . This parameter is designated as U. For DVRs with Full HD, U1 is enough - recording speed is from 10 MB/s, and for shooting 4K (Ultra HD) it is better to choose a U3 card - its minimum speed is 30 MB/s.
- Video Speed Class . It can be identified by the letter V. These cards are designed to work with video cameras and video recorders. A number is indicated next to the letter - this is the recording speed. For example, class V10 – speed 10 MB/s.
The case usually indicates all the classes to which the card belongs. For example, it may say C10, U3, V30 - from this designation you can understand that the card writes from 30 MB/s. Write speed is usually measured in megabytes per second rather than megabits per second like bitrate. But it's easy to convert one value to another: 1 megabyte (MB) is equal to 8 megabits (Mbit).
Considering these characteristics and relying on the parameters of the DVR, you can easily select a suitable memory card. To help readers, the editors of KP have compiled a rating of the best memory cards for DVRs 2022.
Speed class of SD card for DVR
All SD and microSD flash drives have markings that determine their speed class. Each recorder records video in a certain quality, which depends on the technical characteristics of the device.
The basic minimum for DVRs is Class 10 (C10) or UHS 1 (U1). They provide linear, continuous recording of video files at speeds of more than 10 Mb/s. For most recorders that shoot in HD or FullHD resolution, this is enough.
If the device records video in higher quality (QHD or UHD 4K), or writes FullHD, but at 60 FPS, a class of at least UHS 3 (U3) will be required. This drive saves data at a speed of 30 MB/s.
Speed class markings are standardized and can be found on flash drives from different brands. Source: jeffgeerling.com
Some modern SD cards are marked with a speed class for video recording. It is denoted by the letter V and a number. It indicates the data storage speed in MB/s. If the DVR records in HD and FullHD at 30 FPS, the V10 marking is sufficient for it. Higher resolution will require V30 or V60.
EXPLOYD microSDHC Class 10
Price: 343 rub.
The EXPLOYD microSDHC Class 10 memory card at a ridiculous price fully justifies its quality, working perfectly in the DVR. However, according to one of the buyers, the card worked for less than a week in a Xiaomi DVR. You may need to learn more about how the card works in your device.
Card speed: 18 MB/sec, which is 3 times faster than cards from Aliexpress. Conveniently, the card includes an SD adapter - this device is used to connect devices that do not have access to a direct connection.
Flash card capacity for car recorder
With this indicator, everything is elementary: the more capacious the drive, the better. When shooting cyclically with constant overwriting of old files, the increased volume reduces the load on each individual flash memory cell. So, to save 1 TB of data, a 16 GB flash drive will go through 64 rewrite cycles, and a 64 GB drive with the same volume of files will go through only 16 cycles. Consequently, under the same loads, a less capacious card will exhaust its resource four times faster.
Each DVR has a limit on the maximum allowable storage size. In inexpensive models it is usually limited to 32-64 GB, since they do not work with the exFAT file system (supports more than 64 GB). Advanced DVRs support flash cards up to 256 GB.
To understand which memory card is best for a DVR, study the device specifications in the instructions or on the official website. The main thing is not to save much by buying cards of the minimum volume. Otherwise, they will become unusable too quickly due to the huge number of rewrite cycles. If your DVR supports up to 256GB, buy at least a 128GB card for it. A 64 GB drive is also suitable, but it will exhaust its rewriting resource faster.
Samsung MB-MC32GA
Price: 525 rub.
Samsung MB-MC32GA memory card rightfully takes its place on our list. For only 525 rubles it works wonders! Namely: it always works flawlessly, is durable, has a high recording speed (20 MB/sec) and reliability.
People who have purchased this card for their dashcam report that it does a great job. An adapter is included, which means no wires to get in the way. The card is produced in the Philippines, a country whose products are of excellent quality. Memory card warranty: 10 years.
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SDHC and SDXC - what's the difference?
The HC and XC markings in the name indicate the maximum storage capacity: SDHC can hold up to 32 GB, and SDXC can hold from 32 GB to 2 TB. The speed of writing or reading data does not depend on this in any way. Those who think HC is slow compared to XC are mistaken. The speed class in SDHC and SDXC cards is marked the same way, that is, you only need to take into account the recording resolution of the video recorder. In fact, you can ignore the HC or XC parameter at all, taking into account only the storage capacity instead.
The SDXC marking indicates that the card capacity exceeds 32 GB. Source: lumoid.com
Perfeo microSDHC Class 10 Economy Series
Price: 355 rub.
355 rubles is an acceptable price for a Perfeo microSDHC Class 10 Economy Series memory card, but it is worth considering that it is not suitable for use in devices that are demanding on speed and quality.
The recording speed is 10 MB/sec. Designed for use in smartphones and DVRs. According to buyers, the card works great, reads all devices, but they did not specify which ones. The case is made of plastic, the memory capacity is 8 GB.
Compatibility of memory cards and DVRs
When purchasing a drive, you need to make sure that it is compatible with the recorder. There are no universal cards. Some models have a microSD slot, while other DVRs use a slot for a full-size SD card.
There is nothing complicated here. Compatibility can be determined visually by looking at the slot, or by studying the technical documentation. MicroSD cards are often sold complete with an adapter to full-size SD. Pay attention to this point so that you don’t have to buy it separately if the device does not support microSD. Their maximum capacity does not depend on the format and reaches 2 TB.
Transcend TS64GSDC300S
Price: 939 rub.
This memory card received 5 stars out of 5, which means that the Transcend TS64GSDC300S can definitely be recommended for purchase. But let's find out what people who bought it for their DVR say about this card.
It is perfect for a 4K recorder and records video excellently. It is distinguished not only by good recording, but also by reading. When shooting Full HD video, no flaws were found. Enough for 250 minutes of recording. The card records video without unwanted pauses, which gives you confidence as a user.
Durability of memory cards
An important question is which memory card to choose for the DVR so that it does not fail prematurely due to constant overwriting of cells. Their type is rarely indicated in the technical characteristics of drives, and their resource depends on it. But there are several companies that indicate this parameter.
Transcend uses MLC type flash memory for H500S and High Endurance series microSD cards. MLC drives can be identified by their golden color.
On sale you can find cards of increased reliability, which have 10V indicated at the end of the marking: TS32GUSDHC 10V
or TS64GUSDXC
10V
.
Transcend's catalog includes silver-colored flash drives, which are also distinguished by their increased reliability. They are marked High Endurance and contain 350V symbols in the model name: for example, TS128GUSD 350V
. They are not suitable for CCTV cameras that record 24/7, but for a car recorder their resource is quite sufficient.
Transcend High Endurance Series can be identified by its distinctive silver color and corresponding markings. Source: ixbt.com
SanDisk labels its endurance cards for DVRs and other recording devices with the words Extreme, Extreme PRO and High Endurance. For example, if your car recorder saves video in FullHD, a SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Class 10 UHS Class 3 V30 A1 90MB/s 64GB drive is suitable for it.
At Western Digital, flash cards with a high number of rewrite cycles are colored purple, similar to hard drives for video surveillance. The line is called WD Purple.
Within Kingston's lineup, durable cards can be identified by their model code. The series High Endurance (letter E), Canvas Go (G) and Industrial Temperature (IT) are intended for DVRs. The names of these memory cards look like this: SDCG2/128GB, SDCE/64GB.
Samsung labels its SD and microSD drives for loop video recording as PRO Endurance. One of the suitable models is Samsung microSDXC PRO Endurance UHS-I U1 100MB/s 64GB.
Other characteristics and features of memory cards
Externally identical SD drives may have fundamentally different characteristics and features. The main role is played by the parameters that we have already discussed, but there are a number of additional options. They increase the cost of cards and are not required by all users:
- Waterproof. Ordinary memory cards, like any electronics, are not friendly with moisture and water. Some developers use Water Proof technology in the production of drives. It increases moisture resistance. This function is not required for a car recorder. It is useful for action cameras for underwater photography.
- Impact resistance. This option is also not needed by car enthusiasts. These maps are used by motorcyclists who attach an action camera to their helmet. A fall or even strong shaking may result in loss of recorded data. To prevent this from happening, you need to choose a shock-resistant drive.
- Protection against temperature surges. This feature is called Temperature Proof. The DVR installed under the windshield is subject to strong heating when exposed to sunlight. Overheating will damage a regular drive, so drivers who live in southern regions can play it safe and buy a card marked Temperature Proof.
- Radiation protection. This option is also not needed for regular DVRs. It is useful if the drive is installed in a camera that needs to be carried through an X-ray frame at the airport.
The more additional options, the more expensive the drive. So before buying a card, think about which ones you need.
Braveeagle 128GB Class 10 microSDHC U3
Price: from 1,299 rub.
You'll be lucky if you manage to find a Braveeagle 128GB Class 10 microSDHC U3 in one of the Russian online stores, since the memory card has been disassembled. But if this still fails, you can purchase a card on Aliexpress.
According to buyers, they expected 128 GB, but in fact 119, but these are trifles. The container matches the description. The memory card is resistant to mechanical damage, as well as moisture and sunlight. It's ideal for HD shooting and has short buffering times between shots. The cards are sold with different capacities, which makes it possible to film events on the roads.
Top memory cards for DVRs
Now let's find out which card to choose for the DVR depending on the price. From the cheapest drives costing less than 1,000 rubles, you should not expect record speeds or a long resource in the form of 50,000 hours of rewriting. But if you don’t drive much and your DVR works on average 1-2 hours a day, even a cheap card will last more than one year.
SmartBuy microSDHC Class 10
The Taiwanese company has been operating since 1998, and has been producing flash cards since 2011. The card has a capacity of only 32 GB and is sold without an MMC adapter (adapter for full-size SD). The manufacturer claims the service life of the SmartBuy microSDHC Class 10 drive is 10 years, but in reality the card resource lasts for an average of 5-6.
SmartBuy microSDHC Class 10 is a nondescript black flash drive with white markings. Source: overclockers.ru
At a price of about 1,100 rubles, it has a lot of advantages.
Pros:
- a brand with a long history;
- low cost;
- honest speed corresponding to the marking;
- 1 year warranty.
Minuses:
- service life is half as long as stated.
Silicon Power microSDXC Elite Class 10 UHS-I U1
The company has been operating since 2003 and specializes in hard drives, memory cards and other storage devices, including microSD. Manufacturing plants are based in Taiwan, but this does not stop the brand from producing high quality products and offering a one-year warranty.
Silicon Power microSDXC Elite Class 10 UHS-I U1 is suitable for many electronic devices: cameras, smartphones, video recorders. It has a capacity of 64 GB and is sold with an SD adapter. The price of the drive is about 900 rubles.
Pros:
- real writing and reading speeds corresponding to the declared indicators;
- suitable for cyclic video dubbing;
- adapter included;
- 1 year warranty.
Minuses:
- fragile body material.
Transcend microSDXC 350V
A 128 GB memory card has a recording resource of up to 170 TB in FullHD format. These media operate in a wide temperature range - from -25 to +85 °C. They are moisture-proof and vibration-resistant. They are also not afraid of X-rays and are not affected by static electricity. The price starts from 2300 rubles.
Transcend microSDXC 350V is sold complete with a full SD adapter. Source: droidnews.ru
Pros:
- 2 year manufacturer's warranty;
- resource up to 170 TB;
- wide range of operating temperatures;
- protection from moisture and vibrations.
Minuses:
- price from 2300 rubles.
Samsung microSDHC Evo Plus Class 10
Memory card from a famous Korean manufacturer. Samsung microSDHC Evo Plus Class 10 32 GB costs about 1,300 rubles. This is a universal storage device. It stands out for its high speed of reading and writing data. Suitable for DVRs, although the manufacturer also has more resource-intensive and overwrite-resistant memory cards.
Pros:
- famous global brand;
- uninterrupted operation;
- SD adapter included.
Minuses:
- gets hot during intensive work;
- a universal, not a specialized card for DVRs.
Samsung microSDXC PRO Endurance
Memory cards are available in microSDHC and microSDXC formats and have capacities from 32 to 128 GB. Durable drives designed specifically for DVRs can withstand up to 44 thousand hours of dubbing. They have good speed and are reliable.
Operate in the temperature range -25 °C to +85 °C. They are not afraid of X-ray radiation, so you can safely go through security checks at the airport with them; the X-ray machine will not damage the saved data. They cost from 1,700 rubles for 64 GB.
Pros:
- 2 year manufacturer's warranty;
- withstands a wide temperature range;
- corresponds to the declared speed indicators;
- withstands up to 44,000 hours of video dubbing.
Minuses:
- price from 1,700 rubles for 64 GB.
SanDisk SDHC Extreme Pro Class 10
The memory card complies with UHS-I U3 requirements and is suitable for installation in DVRs that record video in 4K format. This is the gold series of the manufacturer SanDisk, characterized by ultra-high reliability and durability. SanDisk SDHC Extreme Pro Class 10 drives are resistant to moisture and vibration. The maximum writing and reading speed reaches 95 MB/s. The price for this memory card starts from 2100 rubles for 32 GB.
SanDisk SDHC Extreme Pro is available in a wide range of capacities - from 32 to 256 GB. Source: droidnews.ru
Pros:
- created specifically for DVRs;
- suitable for recording video in 4K;
- protected from moisture and not afraid of vibrations.
Minuses:
- expensive.
Western Digital WD Purple microSD
Price: 760 rub.
The Western Digital WD Purple microSD memory card was created specifically for the commercial security camera market, as well as for DVRs. Using advanced 96-layer 3D NAND memory technology, this 1TB card1 provides the optimal balance of high durability and high performance.
According to users, they are more than satisfied with the purchase - the card performs well on street CCTV cameras and in the DVR. The model is perfect for recorders. Temperature range: -25 °C to 85 °C, in addition, the card is moisture resistant.
Results
Which memory card to choose for the DVR must be decided based on its technical characteristics. The larger the volume it supports, the larger the storage capacity you should buy. Saving on gigabytes is not advisable, as this will reduce the card's lifespan. Moreover, there are not the most expensive options, such as Silicon Power microSDXC Elite Class 10 UHS-I U1 64 GB for only 900 rubles.
With speed, everything is also simple. If the DVR records video in FullHD format, almost any modern flash drive will be suitable for it. Slow microSD below the tenth class are a thing of the past and are almost never found on sale.
Reliability is another important parameter. It is better to overpay a little and buy a card that is designed for cyclic rewriting. Otherwise, the memory cells will quickly become unusable and the card will fail. If you need a reliable drive with a long resource, SanDisk SDHC Extreme Pro Class 10 is suitable, but for 32 GB you will have to pay 2100 rubles.
Look for SD drives on sale that are labeled Pro, Endurance, or Extreme, depending on the brand. These marks indicate increased reliability of the memory card and increased resource in conditions of constant data overwriting.
