Toshiba announces 90MB/s Exceria SD card

JAPANESE MEMORY MAKER Toshiba has launched a range of SDHC memory cards that tops out at over 90MB/s bandwidth.

Toshiba's Exceria range of cards supports the SD Memory Card Standard version 3 with its Exceria Type 1 cards posting impressive read bandwidth of 95MB/s and write bandwidth of 90MB/s in capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. The firm said it will launch the cards in July and they will carry 'distinctive labeling', presumably to try to differentiate them from other thumbnail sized pieces of plastic.

According to Toshiba the cards are perfect for digital cameras that have continuous shooting modes, and the bandwidth figures of the Type 1 cards certainly suggest that they can keep pace with 90MB/s Compactflash cards from the likes of Sandisk. However Toshiba realises that many punters can't afford the outlay for a 90MB/s memory card so it will offer three models of varying bandwidths.

Toshiba's Exceria Type HD comes in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities and has read and write bandwidths of 90MB/s and 30MB/s respectively. The 8GB and 16GB units will be available from April, with the 32GB unit on sale from May.

The firm's middle of the range Exceria Type 2 units also have 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities but with read and write bandwidth of 95MB/s and 60MB/s respectively. Those cards are expected to be on sale from August.

Toshiba did not announce pricing for any of its Exceria cards, however the Exceria Type 1 cards will interest those who own high-end digital SLR cameras and are forced to use SD cards. µ