Most modern cameras use SD Card for storage. You rarely see cameras with internal storage. No matter how great your camera is, if you use a terrible SD Card it will not perform well. Which one to buy: SanDisk Extreme Pro vs Extreme Plus?
In this article, we will compare two popular SD Cards from SanDisk that are used by most photographers and camera owners.
SanDisk has been around for quite some time now and on top of the competition when it comes to performance. But, this doesn’t mean that all SanDisk cards are good for cameras. The SanDisk Extreme Pro and Extreme Plus are one of the most used SD Cards from SanDisk.
- SanDisk Extreme Plus is more focused on people who want something that doesn’t cost much and offers decent performance in video recording as well as capturing photos.
- On the other hand, SanDisk Extreme Pro was catered for high performance devices. The Extreme Pro in some ways is really better compared to Extreme Plus. But, it is a bit expensive compared to Extreme Plus.
Now, For us to really identify which card has the edge over the other we need to compare some technical specifications and look into which offers value for your money.
Sandisk Extreme Pro vs Extreme Plus: Specifications
For this comparison, we will use both the Extreme Pro and Plus (128 GB) variants as this is what most users prefer to buy. In this specs sheet, we will compare their max read/write speeds, minimum write speed, durability, speed class, bus type, and price.
 |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Card Type: | SDXC | SDXC |
| Storage Capacity: | Various | Various |
| Durability: | Water, Shock, X-ray Proof | Water, Shock, X-ray Proof |
| Speed Class: | V30 | V30 |
| Max Read Speed: | 95 MB/sec | 90 MB/sec |
| Min Write Speed: | 30 MB/sec | 30 MB/sec |
| Max Write Speed: | 90 MB/sec | 60 MB/sec |
| Bus Type: | UHS - I | UHS - I |
| Operating Temperature: | -25 to 80°C | -25 to 85°C |
| Storage Temperature: | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C |
| Write-Protection Switch: | YES | N/A |
| Price: | Check current price | Check current price |
SD Write Speed
If you use your camera for taking pictures, the data collected is stored on the camera’s buffer. Buffer is the temporary storage of the camera like RAM (Random Access Memory) on Computers. The camera then sends this data to the storage which is the SD Card. This is where SD Card’s write speeds are important. Faster write speeds mean the camera can capture another shot faster.
SanDisk Extreme Pro has a max write speed of 90 MB per second, on the other hand, the SanDisk Extreme Plus has a max write speed of 60 MB per second. If you mostly use your camera to capture photos from outdoor activities or action photography, you should consider getting an SD Card with higher maximum write speeds.
The maximum SD Card write speed indicates how fast it can accept data from the camera on burst or for a short period. This is not the case when it comes to video recording.
Video recording requires consistent write speeds. This is where you should consider SD Card’s minimum write speeds. This is the rate where your SD Card can consistently accept information from the camera without any ups and downs.
Both SanDisk Extreme Pro and Extreme Plus features a 30 MB per second minimum write speeds which doesn’t separate them apart at least on video recording.
SD Read Speed
Read Speeds should also be considered especially if you shoot 4k videos with large file size. It indicates how fast your SD Card can transfer files to another computer or storage device.
If you are a professional who needs immediate transfer of photos and videos for post-processing, you will need an SD Card with fast read speeds.
In this case, the SanDisk Extreme Pro is 5 MB per second faster which is rated at 95 MB per second compared to the SanDisk Extreme Plus that is rated at 90 MB per second. This may not be a lot of difference on paper but believe me, you would thank that extra 5 MB per second in the long run.
Read more on SD card speed classes: SD Card Speed Classes (How to Choose Guide).
Extreme Pro vs Extreme Plus: What’s better?
Well, each card has its advantage and serves a different purpose. The only thing that can separate these two cards from each other is the buyer’s preference and priorities.
SanDisk Extreme Pro
– Best all-around performance –
With more than 5000 customer reviews, the SanDisk Extreme Pro managed to get above 80% five-star customer ratings on amazon. It is compatible with almost all devices from smartphones, handheld consoles, action cameras, and professional cameras. The Extreme Pro has a great 4k video recording performance. Although some of the customers had second thoughts due to its high price, SanDisk Extreme Pro did not let them down on performance and reliability.
You can get the SanDisk Extreme Pro in 64, 128, 256, and 400 GB storage options.
In depth Review: Sandisk Extreme PRO Ultra fast 170 MB/s! [Review]
SanDisk Extreme Plus
– Best value for money –
Out of 1000 customers who bought this SD Card, 80 percent of them rated it 5 stars. This is no surprise considering the price to performance that this card offers. One of the reviews even claims that his card goes through extreme heat at cold conditions, been to a washing machine, and dusty place but still works fine and never encountered any problems with it.
Another customer added that the SanDisk Extreme Plus that he bought way back 2016 is working until now.
The SanDisk Extreme Plus is available in 32, 64, and 128 GB storage variants.
In depth Review: Sandisk Extreme Plus SD Card [Specs & Review]
Photo & Video: What SanDisk SD Card Should You Buy?
Personally, If I am going to get an SD Card for my camera, I would definitely go with the SanDisk Extreme Pro. It may be a little expensive compared to the Extreme Plus but, the upgrade that you get is worth it.
You would really feel the difference when you are taking multiple burst photos. The SanDisk Extreme Pro will just be faster on taking in the data from the camera’s buffer.
Now, you may say that I would not be needing fast saving times when taking pictures, why would I need the Pro model?
Consider this: if you have been taking pictures with your camera for a while and it comes to a point where you would need to transfer the files to your computer, the SanDisk Extreme Pro’s faster read speeds would cut the waiting time while transferring large photo and video files to your computer.
So, If you are thinking of buying an SD Card between these two, spend a little extra and get the Extreme Pro model. It will be worth it in the long run.
Related Articles:
- Memory Card Battle: Samsung Evo Plus vs SanDisk Extreme
- Sandisk Extreme SD Memory Card (32GB-1TB) for Photo/Video
- 7 Best (FAST) Sandisk Micro SD Cards
- 8 Best sd cards for gopro hero 8 [GoPro Recommended]
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