Memory cards are designed for use in cameras and other digital devices.
Different types of memory cards have been developed for the many electronic devices on the market. The flash card and SD card are two of the most popular. Electronic devices are usually made to work with one or the other, but not both.
Function
All memory cards, whether flash or Secure Digital, store data such as photos, e-mails, PDFs and word documents. They are rewritable and removable computer chips. Flash cards were designed to be used in SLR cameras and laptops, but they are used in many other computerized machines including slot machines. SD cards are used mostly in point-and-shoot cameras, PDAs and cell phones.
Similarities
Both flash and SD memory cards are based on NAND Flash technology. Only the Compact Flash memory cards are called flash cards.
Size
Flash cards come in two thicknesses: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 cards are 1.7 mm thicker than Type 1 cards, which are 3.3 mm thick. SD cards come in several sizes: the standard 32-by-24 mm card; the micro at 15-by-11-by-1 mm; the mini at 21.5-by-20-by-1.4 mm; and the "gruvi" copyrighted card for paid content only. Some of the smallest cards require an adapter to be used with some electronic devices.
Memory Capacity
SD cards can store varying capacities up to 64 GB of data, while flash cards have been produced with up to 48 GB of memory capacity, as of September 2010. Both cards will likely be designed with higher capacity in the future.
Speed
The data transfer rate on flash cards ranges from 6 to 12 MB per second. SD cards have a transfer rate of 10 to 20 MB per second.
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