Is an SD Card Good for Data Storage?

SD cards are small, potable, thumbnail-sized memory storage cards. For more than a decade, Secure Digital (SD) cards have served as a memory expansion for digital cameras, camcorders, and smartphones. SD cards (also commonly abbreviated as SDSC, SDHC, SDHC, SDIO, microSD, etc.).

SD cards just like SSD do not have any moving parts. An SD card’s components are part of its circuitry, tat makes it so small and compact. Data is stored in flash memory chips embedded in circuitry. There are two main types of memory cell that are used in solid-state devices like SD cards.

Memory cells are insulated in order to prevent the charge leaking. However, this insulation is eroded every time a write action is performed. Over time, this can result in the voltage in a cell changing, which can cause the data on the SD card to become corrupted. Although SD cards are designed to detect these problem cells and avoid them, but over time, if there are too many, the card may not handle it .

The exact lifespan of an SD card depends on a number of factors like read-write cycle, any physical damage. It is important to note that SD cards are very delicate and require the utmost care when handling them. Even the slightest negligence on your part can affect the condition of the SD card drastically.

It can fall out of a pocket, or can damage due to water. The SD card can stop working due to damage before it starts corrupting your data. Today, the market is full of brands dealing in the manufacturing of SD cards. Each vendor is giving neck-to-neck competition to another in terms of prices. The price of SD cards ranges from lowest to highest. That is why it is always advised to buy good brand SD cards. If SD cards are made with cheap components to keep the costs down, and as such, are very prone to breaking.

Talking about SD card read-write cycle. SD cards retain downloaded files by writing and erasing cycles on the card’s memory cells. An SD card’s lifespan has everything to do with how frequently it is used. A memory cell in SD cards can undergo up to 10,000 write-and-erase cycles before wearing out.

To conclude: there is no definite lifespan of an SD card, based on the current flash memory technology, most SD cards are projected to last ten or more years.