Western Digital Set to Launch 4TB SD Card Under SanDisk Brand in 2025
Western Digital has announced its plans to release the first 4TB SD card next year, making a significant leap in storage capacity for media professionals. This upcoming product will adhere to the Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) standard and is aimed at enhancing complex media workflows, particularly in high-resolution video recording across cameras and laptops.
Product Specifications and Usage
Scheduled for a demonstration at the National Association of Broadcasters event in Las Vegas, the 4TB SD card will utilize the Ultra High Speed-1 (UHS-1) bus interface, supporting theoretical transfer rates of up to 104 MB per second and minimum write speeds of 10 MB/s. According to AnandTech, the card is expected to offer minimum sequential write speeds of 30 MB/s, making it suitable for 8K video formats, although it will not support raw 8K video recording due to speed limitations.
Market Impact and Professional Applications
The introduction of this card is a notable development in the storage industry, especially considering the SDUC standard’s capacity to support up to 128TB. The move from the current maximum available capacity of 1TB to 4TB represents a significant advancement, providing professionals in the broadcast and media sectors with substantially more capacity to manage large video files and complex editing workflows.
Pricing and Availability
While Western Digital has not disclosed the cost, the 4TB SD card is expected to be priced at a premium, reflecting its advanced capabilities and the professional market it targets. For reference, the current 1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I Card is priced at an MSRP of $140.
Challenges and Industry Context
This announcement comes amidst scrutiny of SanDisk’s reliability, with ongoing lawsuits alleging failures in its portable SSDs. Such concerns might influence professionals’ decisions to adopt this new high-capacity SD card, despite its potential benefits.
Looking Ahead
As the industry inches towards utilizing the full potential of SDUC standards, Western Digital’s forthcoming 4TB SD card marks a critical step towards meeting the growing demand for high-capacity, high-speed storage solutions. This development is especially pertinent for professionals dealing with high-resolution media, offering them new possibilities for storing and working with digital content.
