Good to know: What is an SD card?

21.06.2021

Whether in cameras or smartphones – almost all of us probably have at least one SD card in use. We explain which card types are available and which of our Mini PCs are equipped with a practical SD card slot.

An SD card ( Secure Digital Memory Card) is a digital storage medium based on the principle of flash storage. It was developed in 2011 and was based on the MMC standard v2.11. The exact specification is secret and only accessible to paying licensees of the SD Card Association.

Originally, the SD card had a capacity of 8 megabytes, which was subsequently doubled again and again (16 MB, 32 MB, ...). Special SDHC cards (SD high-capacity cards) support up to 32 gigabytes and so-called SDXC cards (SD extended-capacity cards) even reach up to 2 terabytes.

An SD card measures 24 mm x 32 mm x 2.1 mm and has a small slider for write protection. However, this is not recognized by the card itself, but the device in which the SD card is inserted reads the write protection. SD cards are mainly used in digital cameras and camcorders, where they store photo and video recordings, but also in games consoles and other devices. They are too large for smartphones, which is why other variants have been developed.

Other types of SD card

miniSD card: The miniSD card is half the size of the SD card and has a capacity of up to 16 GB. However, it is not widely used and was discontinued in 2009.
microSD card: The microSD card is even smaller, measuring just 11 mm x 15 mm x 1 mm. It is mainly used in cell phones and enables a large number of photos, videos and e-mails to be stored. It can be expanded to SD card format using adapters. The data can then be read out on the PC.

SD cards in Mini PCs

SD card slots are now almost commonplace in laptops, and they are also becoming increasingly common in mini PCs. They make it possible to read data, for example from cameras or industrial machines, quickly and easily.

spo-comm Mini-PCs with SD card slots:

The ultra-compact mini PCs in the BOX series BOX N4100 and BOX E3940 each have a micro SD card slot. The TEGRA 2 and QUADRO P1000 digital signage players can be fitted with an SD card. In addition to normal SD cards, the KUMO V also supports the SDHC and SDXC standards.

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