Everyone is familiar with how handy a GoPro camera can be to take photos and videos on the go. However, not all memory cards are made equal. To keep those valuable memories safely stored, let us point you in the right direction as you prepare to choose the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black!
Why won’t any memory do?
The GoPro Hero 7 Black uses microSD memory cards. GoPro cameras are well known for recording high quality and resolution video. The GoPro Hero 7 Black in special, is able to record very high resolution and framerate video footage. But to properly capture that footage, a memory card with high write speed is required. Therefore, the memory card in the GoPro must be capable of receiving video data at the speed it’s captured. Not any memory card will do, but with the right memory card, this won’t be a concern.
What makes a memory qualify for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black?
There are several properties you should look out for when choosing the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black. From memory capacity to the previously mentioned write speeds, there’s several factors to consider when looking for a memory card. When picking a memory card, you’ll notice that there’s several numbers and titles on their exteriors. These are to label and identify certain features these cards are equipped with which we’ll elaborate on now.
Capacity
Probably the most easily identifiable of all attributes of a memory card, this determines how much data the memory card can hold. Bigger isn’t necessarily better however, as some of the larger cards aren’t compatible with some GoPro models. Furthermore, depending on the quality of video footage you’re shooting, you’re likely to run out of battery power than size. Therefore, the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black should have 128GB to 256GB of capacity.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
Any memory card you plan to acquire for your GoPro should be UHS, or “Ultra High Speed”. Any UHS card will have its speed class and phase properly labeled. Those two properties define the actual write speeds of the memory card, which is important for high resolution video capture.
Speed class
This term refers to the minimum write speed of the memory card. It has its own specific notation, allowing anyone familiar to easily identify the speed class of the memory card. The target speed class of the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black should support high quality footage recording. Therefore, the minimum recommended speed class is U1/V10, which supports a write speed of 10mb/s. U and V represent speed classes respectively, with the number next to them identifying the write speeds for the class. The original speed classes were U1 to U3, but newer generation memory cards use V6 to V90. Often, you’ll see both speed classes listed on a memory card. Generally speaking, a V speed class is better optimized, but it’s not terribly large difference. Below is a list of the different speed classes and their respective minimum write speeds:
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- U1: 10mb/s
- U2: 20mb/s
- U3: 30mb/s
- V6: 6mb/s
- V10: 10mb/s
- V30: 30mb/s
- V60: 60mb/s
- V90: 90mb/s
Phase
This term refers to the generation the SD card belongs to, and the bus speed it supports. To put it in simple terms, bus speed helps the memory card maintain the target write speeds. In other words, the bus speed needs to be able to keep up with the speed class. This is especially important when taking burst shots with a camera. Fortunately, a phase speed of UHS-I is enough for a GoPro Hero 7 Black. Therefore, any memory at UHS-I or above is more than sufficient for your needs. UHS-I refers to a bus speed of 104mb/s. Other speeds include:
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- UHS-II: 312mb/s
- UHS III 624mb/s
The specs required of a memory card for a GoPro Hero 7 Black aren’t particularly high if you only wish to shoot videos. If you want to take photos in RAW format, the speed class and phase requirements increase. As the RAW format is very large in size, modest specs won’t do for very large resolution sizes or burst modes. Keep in mind that the card you pick should meet the requirements of the activity of your choice.
Memory quality
So, now that you’re more acquainted with the requirements of the best memory card for GoPro7 Hero Black, you might be looking to buy an affordable memory with those specs. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s important to note that even memories with the same specs aren’t made equal. Getting an off-brand memory card might be more affordable, but they won’t perform the same as a regular memory card. Fortunately, we have listed our top picks for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 black, ensuring that any of the follow memory cards is a safe purchase.
Top 9 picks for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black
Now that we’re familiar with what we’re looking for in a memory card, we’re ready to get into the main topic. However, there’s a very wide variety of microSD cards out there, and only so much time to go through the details of each one. That’s why we have compiled a list of the best memory cards for the GoPro Hero 7 Black. We’ll go briefly over the specs of each of them, and what they have to offer.
1. SanDisk Ultra
SanDisk is a very reliable brand for memory cards, and it’s no surprise that it would be the first pick for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black. With some interesting features making the memory card more durable, and solid specs to back it up, the SanDisk Ultra is a great choice. The memory card itself is shockproof, x ray-proof, waterproof and temperature-proof. All of those safety features might sound odd on such a small device. However, they could be the difference between an entire afternoon of valuable photos and a wet, ruined memory card.
Despite its modest U-I and UHS-I specs, you’ll be able to capture 4k video in 60 frames per second. This memory card made the first place in our list due to its reliability and accessibility. While it not might suit more specialized needs of higher speed memory cards, it is a perfect fit for the average use of the GoPro Hero 7 Black.
Specs:
- Speed class: U-I, minimum writing speed of 10mb/s
- Phase: UHS-1, supporting speeds of up to 312mb/s
- Capacities: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 200GB and 256GB. Also available in 400GB and 512GB, but not recommended
2. Delkin Devices Prime
Next pick for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black is a Delkin Prime model. With more powerful specs that the previous memory card on the list, this model is better suited for burst shots. It is also shockproof, waterproof and x ray-proof, but not temperature proof. Regardless, it is a very durable memory card, and is sure to keep your photos and video safe and secure. The higher speed class and better phase open up more options for RAW format photography and burst modes. Overall, this is a very solid memory card for those with more demanding needs than our first pick.
Specs:
- Speed class: U-III and V60, minimum writing speed of 60mb/s
- Phase: UHS-II, supporting speeds of up to 312mb/s
- Capacities: 64GB and 128GB
3. SanDisk Extreme Plus
The third pick of our list for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black is another SanDisk model. This time we’re talking about the SanDisk Extreme Plus, which is quite similar to the first spot on our list. Similarities include its durability features: Being temperature proof, x-ray proof, water proof and shock proof help keep your data safe. But beyond safety, this memory card lives up to its name, by sporting faster speeds.
While still belonging to the UHS-I phase, it steps up on its speed class by upgrading to U-III/V30. It retains the benefits of the original SanDisk Ultra such as its accessibility and reliability of the brand. In addition to that, the higher writing speed allows for more options for RAW format photography and burst modes. To summarize, this is another reliable memory card from SanDisk, for those that need something with a bit more power than the SanDisk Ultra.
Specs:
- Speed class: U30 and V30, minimum writing speed of 30mb/s
- Phase: UHS-I, supporting speeds of up to 104mb/s
- Capacities: 32GB, 64GB and 128GB
4. Kingston Canvas React
The next model in our list of picks for the best memory card for the GoPro Hero 7 Black is a Kingston brand memory. You might be familiar with the name of this brand if you’ve gone shopping for any type of memory before. After all, it’s one of the most common and renown brands of memory manufacturers, and has been for years. The Canvas React model of memory card comes with the same specs as the SanDisk Extreme Plus, save for the durability features. In exchange, the Canvas React has a much wider selection of memory capacity to choose from. It’s available in 16GB and 32GB for those less concerned with taking high resolution video or raw photos. Likewise, it’s available in 128GB and 256GB, for those with more demanding space needs.
Specs:
- Speed class: U-III and V30, minimum writing speed of 30mb/s
- Phase: UHS-I, supporting speeds of up to 104mb/s
- Capacities: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. Also available in 512GB, but not recommended
5. Verbatim Pro 600X
For the fifth spot for the best memory card for the GoPro Hero 7 Black, we chose the Verbatim High Performance 633x. Despite only coming in a single capacity of 64GB, this model has key strengths that place it on our list. For starters, it is a U-III/V30, UHS-III model, meaning it supports very high writing speeds. RAW photographs and burst shot modes of RAW photographs certainly appreciate this boost in performance. It’s water resistant, shock proof and water proof, meaning it does a good job to keeping your data safely stored. Although the 64GB memory might seem like a bit of a downer, it might be a more accessible choice for those not intent in shooting solely video footage..
Specs:
- Speed class: U-III and V30, minimum writing speed of 30mb/s
- Phase: UHS-III, supporting speeds of up to 624mb/s
- Capacities: 64GB only
6. Lexar High-Performance 633x
Coming sixth in the list of picks for the best memory card for the GoPro Hero 7 Black, is a Lexus brand memory card. This memory card tends towards more modest specs like some of the previous picks of our list. However, having alternatives is always good, in case accessibility is an issue or if you just prefer a different brand. The Lexar High-Performance 633x supports belongs to the U-I speed class and UHS-I phase. It comes in a wide variety of capacity sizes, from 32GB to 256GB. It’s a simple model, but it works very well for capturing video footage, and won’t disappoint when taking compressed photographs. It is a good fit and nice alternative for those with less demanding needs
Specs:
- Speed class: U-I, minimum writing speed of 10mb/s
- Phase: UHS-I, supporting speeds of up to 104mb/s
- Capacities: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. Also available in 512GB, but not recommended
7. PNY Elite-X
In the seventh pick for the best memory card for the GoPro Hero 7 Black, we have a PNY brand memory card. The PNY Elite-X is also a fine alternative to previously listed products. It belongs to the U-III/V30 speed class and UHS-I phase, putting it a step above some of the more modest memory cards. As usual, the added performance is better suited to more demanding uses of the GoPro. RAW format photography is always very demanding, and the extra performance of this memory card will help with it. On the other hand, burst shot mode in RAW format might not go so well, as the write speeds aren’t that much faster. All in all, another solid pick if you’re looking for more modest specs in a reliable memory card.
Specs:
- Speed class: U-III and V30, minimum writing speed of 30mb/s
- Phase: UHS-I, supporting speeds of up to 104mb/s
- Capacities: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.
8. Lexar Professional 1800x
In second to last, but certainly not worst that the rest, comes another Lexar brand memory card. It’s one of our picks for the best memory card for the GoPro Hero 7 Black thanks to its remarkable speed and performance. While somewhat limited in terms of choice when it comes to capacity, it makes up for it in performance. With a U-III/V90 class speed and UHS-II phase, this is the fastest model covered in our list. While it might be a little overkill for shooting video, it performs much better when it comes to RAW format photography. We’ve covered this in previous items, but the RAW format is very demanding. Higher write speeds help keep up with the size of RAW files, especially in burst shot mode. Great choice if you need something with a little more speed than other picks covered in our list.
Specs:
- Speed class: U-III and V90, minimum writing speed of 90mb/s
- Phase: UHS-II, supporting speeds of up to 312mb/s
- Capacities: 64GB and 128GB
9. Samsung Evo Plus
Last but not least of our picks for the best memory card for the GoPro Hero 7 Black is a Samsung model. The Evo Plus model sports middle-of-the-road specs, with a speed class of UIII and UHS-I. It is water proof, temperature proof, x-ray proof and magnet proof, adding an extra layer of protection for your data. Despite its above average speed class, it is not equipped with a V class speed. If that is a deal breaker for you, you might want to keep it in mind. The capacity sizes it comes in are 128GB and 256GB, so if you want ample capacity to store data this memory card has you covered. Samsung is well known for manufacturing quality electronics, and this memory card won’t let you down.
Specs:
- Speed class: U-III, minimum writing speed of 30mb/s
- Phase: UHS-I, supporting speeds of up to 104mb/s
- Capacities: 128GB and 256GB
Conclusion
After having gone through the choices for the best memory card for GoPro Hero 7 Black, you can see that a lot comes down to the brand that speed the card offers. The memory cards that are on the more modest side, with U-I and UHS-I are more easily replaceable and easier to acquire. Such memory cards include Lexar High-Performance 633x and SanDisk Ultra.
If you mostly intend to take pictures and short videos, a 64GB or lower capacity memory card like the Verbatim Pro 600X might be for you. On the other hand, memory cards with higher specs like the Lexar Professional 1800x are more specialized. Such cards fare much better when it comes to RAW format photography, and burst shots in said format. As the RAW format takes a lot of space, the additional performance is certainly needed. SanDisk memory cards are very reliable overall, in special if you’re looking for a more middle of the road approach.
The SanDisk Ultra and SanDisk Extreme Plus are both great options. As with most electronic purchases, great thought must be put into what you intend to use the product for. That will narrow your search considerably, as you’ll have a much better idea of what specs to aim for.
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