Best Memory Cards · head-to-head

Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) vs Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB

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 Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB?

The Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB wins 2 of the 3 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 1. The Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) is the cheaper at $31.99. Get the Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB for the stronger spec sheet, the Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) to spend less.

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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.

Capacity (GB)
Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 256
Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 128
Max read (Mbps)
Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 180
Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 300
Max write (Mbps)
Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 130
Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 299

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) Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB
US price $31.99 $343
BrandSamsungSony
Released20232018
Format sd sd
Capacity (GB) 256 128
Speed class u3_v30 v90
Max read (Mbps) 180 300
Max write (Mbps) 130 299
Application class a2
Warranty 10 years limited 5 years limited
Release 2023 2018

Sources — Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023): samsung.com (verified 2026-06-19). Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB: amazon.com (verified 2026-06-19).

What's the difference between the Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) and Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Capacity (GB): Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 256 vs Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 128
  • Speed class: Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) u3_v30 vs Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB v90
  • Max read (Mbps): Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 180 vs Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 300
  • Max write (Mbps): Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 130 vs Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 299
  • Warranty: Samsung PRO Plus Full-Size SD 256GB (2023) 10 years limited vs Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB 5 years limited

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.

Sony TOUGH SF-G Series UHS-II SD 128GB

Only one outlet actually benchmarked the card. TechRadar's May 2025 SD card guide measured 251MB/s read and 246MB/s write and called them "very impressive", while praising the resin-moulded rugged build and flagging the price and the 128GB capacity ceiling. TechRadar does not state which capacity it tested (its spec box even lists the card type as SDHC, which cannot be right for 128GB), so the numbers are attributable to the SF-G TOUGH UHS-II line rather than verifiably to the 128GB trim. Engadget's 2018 launch piece is news, not a test: it confirms the durability claims and adds the missing write-protect switch and the $276 launch price for 128GB, but every speed figure in it comes from Sony. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Rugged sealed one-piece build: bend-proof, drop-proof, waterproof, dustproof; Measured 251MB/s read and 246MB/s write, described as very impressive; Built with professional use in mind, usable in harsh conditions.

Flagged: Costs noticeably more than rival cards, including the non-Tough version; No write-protect switch, a side effect of the sealed design; Capacity tops out at 128GB.

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