SDHC vs SDXC Explained

SDHC stands for Secure Digitial High Capacity and refers to SD cards with storage rated between 2 and 32GB. In contrast, SDXC cards, or Secure Digital Extended Capacity cards, are built to store between 32GB and 1TB worth of data. This guide will cover the differences between SDHC vs SDXC regarding speed, price, and compatibility.

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SDHC vs SDXC Capacity

Between 2GB and 32GB

Between 32GB and 1TB

SDHC vs SDXC speed

SDHC and SDXC refer to capacity, not speed. In other words, neither card is necessarily faster than the other. However, an SDXC card is likely faster because they are often more expensive. Nevertheless, it’s folly to assume an SDXC to be faster than SDHC – or vice versa.

CFExpress vs SD Cards — SD Card Speeds. Source: SDCard.org

Instead, check out the SD card’s Class and UHS rating. Most cheap SD cards are Class 10 and are limited to 25MB per second at best.

In contrast, UHS-I cards have the potential to run up to 104MB per second and, as a result, offer excellent bang for the buck. UHS-II cards max out at 312MB per second for more speed and cost far more. CFExpress is even faster. Read CFExpress vs SD Cards.

SDHC vs SDXC Compatability

SDHC and SDXC cards will only work in compatible cameras and devices. As the newer format, cameras designed to work with SDXC cards are also backward-compatible with the older SDHC standard. However, older cameras and devices built to use SDHC cards are unlikely to be compatible with newer SDXC cards.

Sandisk SDHC Card — Good quality SDHC cards remain available and very cheap, so long as you’re happy with UHS-I Speeds.

SDHC vs SDXC Price

In simple terms, SDHC cards are cheaper to buy. However, larger SDXC cards are more affordable per Gigabyte of storage. For instance, a three-pack of Sandisk 32GB SDHC cards totaling 96GB of storage costs just $18.97. But a single Sandisk 128GB SDXC card costs just $15.91.

Therefore, the primary reason for buying an SDHC card instead of an SDXC card is compatibility rather than speed or performance.

SD Cards Explained

For more information, check out SD Cards Explained.

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