I have been lucky enough not to need to buy a new memory card for quite some time. I bought a 128GB Samsung microSD card a few years ago, and it’s lasted me and my now aging Nikon D5600 well.
Until I did the unthinkable, and a momentary spasm saw me drop the microSD card straight down a crack in my floorboards. Thankfully, I’d recently backed up the contents of the card, so I’m not having to set about lifting the floorboards to find it again, but it does mean I need a new microSD card.
Now, microSD cards are relatively simple to buy, and you can find them on almost any online shopping site. But while doing so, I also encountered another term: TF card.
At first glance, microSD and TF cards look and sound the same—so what’s the actual difference between the two?
Find the difference between a microSD and a TF card
Spoiler: they’re the same
Credit: agustin.photo / Shutterstock
So, here’s the thing: a microSD card and a TF card are basically exactly the same. You can use both interchangeably. For instance, if you happen to have a TF card lying around, but your smartphone only supports microSD cards, you can use your TF card. It will work seamlessly because it supports the same standard—no specific TF card slot exists.
In addition, a search for TF cards on consumer tech marketplaces like Amazon will display results for microSD cards. Still, there are common mistakes to avoid when buying a microSD card online.
Card Type
Description
TF Card
TF card is short for TransFlash card. Motorola and SanDisk introduced this external storage card in 2004 as a competitor to SD cards. Although SD cards were the standard at the time, they were bulky and had lower writing speeds compared to newer generations. TF cards were designed to be more compact and faster than SD cards, while maintaining their functionality. It means you can use a TF memory card in your digital camera, Steam Deck, or any gadget that uses an SD card by using an SD card adapter.
microSD Card
microSD cards are TF cards under a different name. In 2004, when Motorola and SanDisk released the TF card, it was launched as a separate, standalone product. Aside from the fact that TF cards supported the same standard specifications as an SD card (except for size), TF cards were a separate, non-standardized product class.
To standardize these flash memory cards, the SD Association adopted the TF card as a microSD card in 2004. microSD cards are TF cards under a different name, which means you can expand your storage with any of the fastest microSD cards.
microSD cards are great, but have you heard about UFS cards?
Faster speeds, but uses a different interface
UFS cards are a much more recent development in memory card technology. First launched in 2011, Universal Flash Storage (UFS) cards offer higher performance and faster data transfers than SD/microSD cards, making them a great option for those with higher data transfer demands. They’re particularly useful for mobile devices and cameras, offering higher read and write rates.
Card Type
Standard
Maximum Theoretical Read Speed
Maximum Theoretical Write Speed
Interface
SD/microSD
SD (Standard)
Up to 25 MB/s
Up to 12.5 MB/s
SD Bus
SD/microSD
SDHC (UHS-I)
Up to 104 MB/s
Up to 104 MB/s
UHS-I (Ultra High Speed)
SD/microSD
SDXC (UHS-I)
Up to 104 MB/s
Up to 104 MB/s
UHS-I
SD/microSD
SDXC (UHS-II)
Up to 312 MB/s
Up to 312 MB/s
UHS-II (Ultra High Speed)
SD/microSD
SDXC (UHS-III)
Up to 624 MB/s
Up to 624 MB/s
UHS-III
SD/microSD
SD Express
Up to 985 MB/s
Up to 985 MB/s
PCIe/NVMe
UFS
UFS 1.0 Card
Up to 530 MB/s
Up to 170 MB/s
UFS Interface
UFS
UFS 2.0
Up to 1.2 GB/s (1200 MB/s)
Up to 1.2 GB/s (1200 MB/s)
UFS Interface
UFS
UFS 3.0
Up to 2.9 GB/s (2900 MB/s)
Up to 2.9 GB/s (2900 MB/s)
UFS Interface
UFS
UFS 3.1
Up to 6 GB/s (6000 MB/s)
Up to 3 GB/s (3000 MB/s)
UFS Interface
UFS
UFS 4.0 (Expected)
Over 4 GB/s (4000 MB/s) per lane
Over 4 GB/s (4000 MB/s) per lane
UFS Interface
The only real downside to UFS is that it requires a different interface. You can’t just buy a UFS card for your microSD device; it won’t work. Thankfully, some high-end tech supports UFS. For example, most Samsung devices launched since 2020 have a UFS slot, while some OnePlus smartphone models can accommodate a UFS card. You’ll have to check whether a given device supports the faster UFS card standard before making your purchase.
You need to check before you buy
The stats and specs are a confusing muddle
These days, you’ll probably want a microSD card. However, make sure to check the memory card slot before making a purchase. You can’t assume that every memory card slot is the same or will support the memory card you want to buy. Furthermore, if you have older tech, it’s more likely to take a full-sized SD card. Of course, you may also consider getting a microSD card with an SD adapter to use it with both your smartphone and other gadgets. Because microSD cards and TF cards support the same standard interface, they can work in place of SD cards through an SD card adapter.
But you also need to consider the whole range of specs when it comes to microSD cards.
Type / Format
Capacity Range
microSD/SD (Secure Digital)
Up to 2GB
microSDHC/SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity)
4GB – 32GB
microSDXC/SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity)
64GB – 2TB
microSDUC/SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity)
2TB – 128TB (rare)
However, there is still more to it. Not all of these formats are compatible with one another, further muddying the waters.
Works In
Does NOT Work In
SD (Secure Digital)
SD, SDHC, SDXC slots
Devices that only support SDHC/SDXC features
SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity)
SDHC, SDXC slots
SD-only devices
SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity)
SDXC slots
SD-only or SDHC-only devices
SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity)
SDUC slots
Any device without SDUC support
microSD
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC slots
—
microSDHC
microSDHC, microSDXC slots
microSD-only devices
microSDXC
microSDXC slots
microSD-only or microSDHC-only devices
microSDUC
microSDUC slots
Any device without microSDUC support
In short: newer cards don’t work in older devices, but older cards usually work in newer devices.
Finally, you should also check the microSD card speed ratings, because they specifically detail your data transfer rates.
Standard
Class / Rating
Minimum Write Speed
Typical Use Case
Speed Class
C2
2 MB/s
Basic still photos, SD video
C4
4 MB/s
Entry-level HD video
C6
6 MB/s
Standard HD video recording
C10
10 MB/s
Full HD video, fast photo capture
UHS Speed Class
U1
10 MB/s
Full HD video, light 4K
U3
30 MB/s
4K video, burst photography
Video Speed Class
V6
6 MB/s
SD / HD video
V10
10 MB/s
Full HD video
V30
30 MB/s
4K video (most common)
V60
60 MB/s
4K/6K video, high-bitrate
V90
90 MB/s
8K video, pro workflows
Similar to the other microSD card specs, this system has been updated multiple times over the years. The difference becomes most notable for high-capacity data transfers, such as capturing footage and transferring large files.
Don’t fall for the marketing
When it comes to memory cards, don’t let the marketing terms confuse you. TF cards and microSD cards are the same, use the same slot, and have the same specs. So if you see any online shopping site suggesting anything different, I’d suggest you close the tab and head somewhere more reputable.
