Best Memory Cards · head-to-head

Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) vs PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) is cheaper at $31.99. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) or PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB?

The Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0.

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Key specs, head to head

The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.

Max read (Mbps)
Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 180
PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB 100

Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB
US price $31.99
BrandSamsungPNY
Released20232018
Format sd microsd
Capacity (GB) 256 256
Speed class u3_v30 u3_v30
Max read (Mbps) 180 100
Max write (Mbps) 130
Application class a2 a1
Warranty 10 years limited limited lifetime
Release 2023 2018

Sources — Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023): samsung.com (verified 2026-06-19). PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB: amazon.com (verified 2026-06-19).

What's the difference between the Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) and PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Format: Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) sd vs PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB microsd
  • Max read (Mbps): Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 180 vs PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB 100
  • Application class: Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) a2 vs PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB a1
  • Warranty: Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 10 years limited vs PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB limited lifetime

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023)

Only one whitelisted tester (StorageReview) benchmarked this exact 2023 full-size 256GB model; no Tom's Hardware, TechRadar, or PCMag lab review exists. StorageReview rates it a strong value: solid real-world speeds and standout random 4K IOPS, though sequential reads (158.7 MB/s) fall notably short of Samsung's 180 MB/s claim. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Excellent value for the price versus pricier rivals like the SanDisk Extreme PRO; Standout random 4K read/write IOPS, over 2x the SanDisk in that test; Robust 7-proof durability plus a 10-year limited warranty.

Flagged: Sequential read falls ~21 MB/s short of the advertised 180 MB/s spec; Bundled reader uses a USB Type-A connector, requiring an adapter on modern thin devices.

PNY Elite-X microSDXC 256GB

No sourced tester review yet.

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