Earlier today, the SD Association announced its new SD 8.0 specification for SD Express memory cards. The new specification uses PCIe 4.0 and NVMe technology to achieve data transfer rates of nearly 4 GB per second ̵
Most people will not notice the transition to SD 8.0. As with previous versions of the SD Express standard, SD 8.0 memory cards are compatible with older card readers, cameras and laptops. That said, pairing a new SD 8.0 card with older hardware won't deliver blazing fast transfer speeds of 3,938 MB per second.
Videographers, hobbyists, and professionals in dire need of SD 8.0 transfer rates should be prepared to wait for a while. Manufacturers don't yet sell SD 8.0 products, and you'll need an SD 8.0 to USB 3.0 or USB-C dongle to take advantage of the specification's transfer speeds.
Brands like SanDisk, Sony and Samsung are likely to implement the new SD 8.0 standard in the coming year. We will certainly report on the first SD 8.0 products to hit shelves.
Source: The SD Association via Business Wire
