In a world where NAND storage density, capacity, and low cost matter the most, key metrics that take a back seat include endurance and retention rates. For users who want high endurace and retention rates, who want to ensure that their memory cards last for a long time, Western Digital’s SanDisk has recently launched its Max Endurance microSD cards that promise increased endurance, reliability, and are covered with a massive warranty.

The SanDisk Max Endurance lineup of microSD cards includes models featuring a 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB capacity. Western Digital does not indicate which type of 3D NAND memory it uses for these cards or their terabytes-to-be-written (TBW), but it is reasonable to think that these products have some additional NAND flash for overprovisioning and, perhaps, extra controller capabilities.

Sandisk now has the following warranties on its microSD cards:

  • Max Endurance: 3 to 15 year
  • High Endurance: 2 year
  • Regular microSD: limited lifetime with limitations

To maximize longevity of the SanDisk Max Endurance devices, they are waterproof, shockproof, X-ray-proof, and can work an extreme temperature range between -25°C and 85°C (-13°F to 185°F).

As far as performance is concerned, the SanDisk Max Endurance cards use the UHS-I bus and are rated for up to 100 MB/s reads as well as 40 MB/s writes. The cards in the lineup support the Video Speed Class 30 spec, therefore offering at least 30 MB/s sequential write speeds. Also, the products carry the Class 10 and UHS Speed Class 3 logos.

Sandisk Endurance microSD Cards
  256 GB
SDSQQVR-256G-AN6IA
128 GB
SDSQQVR-128G-AN6IA
64 GB
SDSQQVR-064G-AN6IA
32 GB
SDSQQVR-032G-AN6IA
Warranty 15 Years 10 Years 5 Years 3 Years
Sequential Read Speed 100 MB/s
Sequential Write Speed 40 MB/s
Minimum Sequential Write Speed 30 MB/s
Minimal Random Read IOPS ? IOPS
Minimal Random Write IOPS ? IOPS
Operating Temperatures -25° to 85° C
(-13°F to 185°F)
Interface UHS-I
Availability Q1 2020
SDA Labels Class 10, Video Class 30, Speed Class U3
Launch Price $84.99 $42.99 $21.99 $12.99

The SanDisk Max Endurance cards are now available directly from Western Digital. The 32 GB model with a three-year warranty costs $12.99, whereas the most advanced 256 GB device with a 15-year warranty is priced at $84.99.

Related Reading:

Source: SanDisk (via Hermitage Akihabara)

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  • lmcd - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    Those prices look backwards
  • lmcd - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    *Those skus at the top look backwards, looking at the warranties.
  • MrCommunistGen - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    +1
  • StormyParis - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    They're both reversed ?

    ;-p
  • ballsystemlord - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    What sandisk probably did is to use the same NAND memory size and type across the whole line up. Thus, the price difference while capacity decreases.
  • Slash3 - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    It's an Anton Thing.
  • pamelaajames22 - Tuesday, March 24, 2020 - link

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  • damianrobertjones - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    MD, "Sales are dropping! What can we do?"
    Marketing, "SLap a new colour on our shizz and create some crap!"
    MD, "Cha-ching!"
  • close - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link

    The color is all you got from "15 year warranty"?
  • Ahnilated - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link

    Those are horrible write speeds. :(

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