Cheap memory cards - 400gb micro SDXC for $62, 512gb microSD for $99

I remember not too long ago buying an external hard drive for a computer that was 200 gb and thinking it would never be full. I guess with hi res video, large storage is necessary.
Heck, my "new" laptop only has a 226gb SSD drive in it. It still astounds me that these memory cards are so tiny, especially that microSDXC card getting 400gb into something smaller than a US postage stamp! 🤯
 
20-some years ago, a guy was telling me that one day you would be able to fit the entire recorded history of our solar system on the head of a pin. Seems like we're getting there faster than I would have ever anticipated.
 
It's worth refreshing your memory card collection - if nothing else for the wear and tear on these SDs - that's the one thing I do miss about the CF format - if you did bend a pin, yes it was nearly disastrous. On the other hand, I could sit on one all day (by accident) and it wouldn't be worse for the wear. I have a small wallet full of now defunct capacity CFs. No idea what to do with these - too bad someone hasn't come up with a Memory Farm using old cards, but it wouldn't be worth the port it would occupy on my backplane.
 
The bigger you buy them, the more loss you'll have if they cause problems.
Just because they are so cheap I have a selection of top-quality 16GB and 32GB SD-cards (most Sandisc but also other brands).
I reformat them every time after having transferred the photos on the PC before I start a new photo session. This has saved me so far from losses of pics taken (knock on wood).
 
Sure you can do that, I haven't used any 400GB cards but high capacity cards may be slow since they use TLC or QLC cells, also consumes more power and generate more heat. Besides, having a large capacity in your camera doesn't mean the data will be safe, you could lose more at once.

I did some research and found out that with nand flash, the more layered they become, the less likely they'll hold data intact without power since unlike magnetic drives, flash cells need power to maintain state. Technically with consumer drives they are supposed to keep the content without power for one year, and with server class drives (which usually don't power down) the number is three months.

That said, the prices are really good.
 
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