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Cheapest Memory cards
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Most modern gadgets store their data on tiny little memory cards. Yet buy these on the high st and you'll pay a premium, so it's an area where it truly pays to shop online. This is a rundown of all the cheapest flash memory around, covering all the most popular types.
If you've spotted a better deal (inc. postage) on any of those I've listed, please use the 'suggest deals' link below to report them in the discussion, and I'll check them out and add them in to this note.
The standard, postage-stamp size SD card is common in many cameras, and other gadgets which need expandable storage, but don't put such a premium on space.
SDHC cards.
If you want an SD card bigger than 2GB, you'll need an SDHC version (The HC stands for High Capacity). However, check it'll work in your camera first; many older ones won't accept them due to older software, which can't recognize more than 2GB of space.
- 4GB Toshiba SDHC £5.59 at 7dayshop*
- 8GB own-brand SDHC £9.99 at Play*
- 16GB own-brand SDHC £17.99 at Play*
Micro SD cards.
This is the miniature version of the SD card. All of those below are supplied with an adaptor, which makes them fit slots designed for regular SD cards
Micro SDHC cards.
As above, if you want a Micro SD card bigger than 2GB, check compatibility first, to ensure it'll actually work. It should tell you in the gadget's manual.
The cards above are fine for regular snaps & storing media etc, but they're not exceptionally fast. If you want to record video, or shoot fast-action photo sequences, this'll be an issue, and you'll need one with faster read/write times to keep up. The Sandisk cards below have great feedback for doing exactly that, though they cost a bit more.
xD cards are predominantly used in cameras made by Olympus and Fujifilm. Various types are available; those below are type M, which is the most widely compatible. Note though that these versions don't support the Panoramic photo function found on some Olympus cameras.
Sony's memory stick format comes in various sizes, much like SD, with adaptors to fit them in different-sized slots. As a proprietary format, they're used in all Sony cameras, MP3 players, PDAs and phones which support expandable memory.
However, as with SD, many older gadgets don't support those over 2GB in size due to software, so check first.
Memory Stick Pro Duo
- 1GB Sandisk Memory Stick Pro Duo £3.99 at 7dayshop*
- 2GB Sandisk Memory Stick Pro Duo £7.99 at 7dayshop*
- 4GB Sandisk Memory Stick Pro Duo £12.99 at 7dayshop*
Memory Stick Micro (M2)
The oldest type of flash memory covered here, CompactFlash is still the format of choice for higher-end Digital SLR cameras due to its longevity and durability. There are two types of CompactFlash, type 1 and 2, and the only difference is in their thickness.
I've only listed the thinner type 1 cards, as these are by far the most commonly used nowadays.
- 4GB Kingston CompactFlash Card £10.49 at 7dayshop*
- 8GB Kingston CompactFlash Card £14.99 at 7dayshop*
As with the SD cards above, more demanding applications will require cards that can be read and written quicker. Again, the Sandisk Extreme range has some of the best feedback possible, and is basically industry standard for pro photographers.
- 2GB Sandisk Extreme III CompactFlash card £13.99 at 7dayshop*
- 4GB Sandisk Extreme III CompactFlash card £17.99 at Amazon
* Using these links helps the site stay ad-free and free to use, as they’re ‘affiliated links’ which invisibly take you via price comparison services like Moneysupermarket or affiliate sites, this then means if you end up getting a product this site gets revenue
You shouldn’t notice any difference, the links don’t impact the product at all and the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by the revenue. If it isn’t possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, its still listed in the same way. The following links: Play, 7dayshop is an identical unaffiliated link provided for the sake of transparency. Click on the following link for more details on how this site's financed.
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Seen a cheaper deal? Please post it in the discussion above and I'll add it in.
I need more!
If you're planning to buy more than a couple of cards, you may get a better overall price buying from 7dayshop, which offers discounts for bulk purchases.
It's also worth checking prices at Amazon, MyMemory & Ebuyer.
Don't know which card you need?
If you're unsure of which type of flash memory your gadget takes, try MyMemory's Memory Selector tool, or Crucial's Flash Card Advisor. They're not comprehensive, but they're fairly detailed. Alternatively, just google the name of the product; you should be able to find it on a product description somewhere.
Got a Micro SD card but a Memory Stick Pro Duo-based gadget? Get an adaptor.
It's always annoying if you've built up a stash of memory cards, then you get a new camera/mobile which uses a different type. In the case of Micro SD and Sony Pro Duo cards though, this needn't be an issue, since you can cheaply buy card adaptors which'll bridge the gap between formats, making micro SD cards sit happily in Memory Stick devices. What's more, they're only £3.99 each at MyMemory (note that they aren't compatible with Micro SDHC).
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