Sony XQD Memory Cards Operate at 125 MB/s Read/Write

Anyone who thought Lexar Media's 1000x CompactFlash cards were fast may want to take a look at the ones Sony has just announced.

They may not be quite as fast as Lexar's CF at accessing data, but they trump them by being as quick to write as they are to read.

Dubbed XQD, the memory cards get their name from their compliance with the XQD specification for high-speed, high-performance digital image capture.

The CompactFlash Association only recently approved and licensed it as an open format.

About 100 frames per second can be recorded in RAW format, in continuous shooting mode, by photo cameras.

This is possible thanks to the read and write speed of up to 120 MB/s.

“Advanced shooters want to capture the moment in the highest quality possible, and that often means dealing with massive files like RAW images,” said Viviano Cantu, director of consumer media for Sony Electronics.

“Memory card technology has done a great job of keeping pace, but these new cards give an entirely new meaning to speed and performance.”

Sony claims, in its announcement, that the XQD memory cards can reliably protect the data as well, not just write it down fast.

The PCIe interface was used to achieve the performance (part of a unique controller) along with optimized flash memory.

Finally, to make sure buyers of its memory cards don't end up in the position where they can't transfer data to their PC, Sony launched a USB 2.0/3.0-compatible XQD card reader, plus an ExpressCard Adapter for systems with ExpressCard 34 card slots.

"As users' needs continue to evolve," Cantu added, "Sony will also continue to enhance the XQD memory card line-up to meet the future requirements of the high-end digital imaging market."

February is when sales will start, for $129.99/102 Euro (16 GB QD-H16 card), $229.99/180 Euro (QD-H32 32GB card), $44.99/35.20 Euro (MRW-E80 card reader) and $44.99/35.20 Euro (QDA-EX1 ExpressCard Adapter).