Lexar Play microSDXC 1TB review

Lexar Play microSDXC: One-minute review

The Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I Card is a versatile microSD/TF card that offers a high-capacity storage solution and has been specially designed to cater to the demands of gaming, multimedia and devices such as dashcams and consoles like the Nintendo Switch. Despite the small size of the card, Boasting a maximum transfer speed of 95MB/s in our real-world test, it offers a great solution for a variety of applications beyond its primary focus. This card proved robust in performance and was able to handle large game files and high-definition media content, which all helped to make it a great choice for gamers and anyone wanting to store and view multimedia. 

Through the testing using the AJA System Test light, the card showed read speeds that not only facilitated smooth gameplay and media playback but also made it a decent option for photography and action cameras, where quick data transfer for high-resolution images and videos is crucial. This adaptability goes someway to justifying the price, enabling you to use the card in gaming consoles as well as other devices like smartphones, tablets, and cameras. We've tested loads of the best microSD cards, and while it may not be the absolute fastest in the market, its balanced performance across different use cases makes the Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I Card a great option. 

Lexar Play microSDXC: Pricing and availability

• How much does it cost? $129
• When is it available? Now
• Where can you get it? It is available for sale in the US, UK and Australia

The Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I Card is available in different capacities, including 1TB, 512GB, 256GB, and 128 GB. The 1TB version looked at in this review is ideal for gaming devices, smartphones, and tablets and is available for purchase at Amazon. 

The card is widely available, but the price may vary. It can be purchased from retailers such as Amazon, Target, B & H Photo, or directly on the Lexar website.

Lexar Play microSDXC: Benchmark

Using AJA System Test Light, the MS70 achieved remarkable speeds with a read speed of 1042.17MB/s and a write speed of 1017.53MB/s; this actually exceeds the stated write speed from the manufacturer. These speeds show the drive's capability to handle large files and demanding applications.

Lexar Play microSDXC: Specs

Lexar Play microSDXC: Build and Handling

The Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I Card maintains the industry-standard form factor that is expected of microSD cards with its compact and lightweight design. Measuring just 71.5 x 43.5 x 8mm and weighing a mere 1 gram, it is what it is: a standard MicroSD / TF Card.

The card is encased in a durable plastic enclosure, and this offers ample protection against the typical handling it might encounter during regular use, especially if this card is going to be used by kids in their game consoles. 

One design feature to highlight with the Lexar Play microSDXC card is its UHS-I interface, which is marked by a single row of connectors. This design choice ensures excellent compatibility with a wide range of devices.

Lexar Play microSDXC: Performance

The Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I Card has been designed to cater to the needs of gamers, multimedia enthusiasts, and smartphone users. While far from the fastest option on the market, the price and quality of the card make it a good value item.

The high-speed performance is advertised with read speeds of up to 150MB/s, although in our test with AJA System Test Light was closer to 95MB/s. While this falls below what we expected, no doubt due in part to our benchmarking kit, this speed was still decent compared with competitors that boast faster speeds. In the real-world tests, this transfer rate was more than enough to ensure quick loading times and swift data transfer - a crucial aspect for gaming and high-definition media playback. 

Lexar recognizes the varied needs of its users, offering the Play microSDXC card in multiple capacities. Ranging from 128GB to a massive 1TB, in our test, we looked at the larger capacity version, which was used directly in a Nintendo Switch. Then, the SmartPhone was able to keep up with the data demands put on it. Likewise used in an adapter and used in the Sony A7 IV, the card was able to store still images and video captured by the camera without any lag or issues. The larger capacity was especially useful when capturing 4K video, which produces huge video files. 

As the card on the test is the 1TB version, it comes with the A2 class rating. This classification refers to the card's App performance. This is especially beneficial if your Smartphone or games console uses a MicroSD card for app or file storage. 

Watching back high-quality media directly from the card highlights the ability to handle 4K video and shows that this card is suitable for working capacity as well as file storage.

One of the advantages of buying a card from a trusted manufacturer is the quality of the guarantees that come with the card. As with all cards, the Play has gone through extensive testing in the company's Quality Labs, which should hopefully ensure it performs consistently and for many years.

Backing this up is a 5-year limited warranty, so if something does go wrong, you do at least have some peace of mind about the possibility of getting a replacement. 

Should I buy the Lexar Play microSDXC?

How I tested the Lexar Play microSDXC 1TB

For this test the card was used in several different devices all of which support the exFAT. Before starting this test the card was reformated to give the greatest compatibility for the real world tests and also for testing through the benchmarking software.

The softare used included the latest versions of CrystalDiskMark, Atto, AS SSD and AJA benchmarks, noting the best scores achieved in each. They are all free and can be downloaded by anyone. After the standard benchmarks I then use the card in a variety of tech, including a GoPro Hero12 Black, Insta360 Ace Pro and DJI Mini 4 Pro to ensure compatibility and performance over a sustained period. I then transfer a folder of files, roughly 10GB in size, to get a rough idea of real life performance. 

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