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View Full Version : Class-6 SDHC Cards: Hard To Find


Rachel Archer
12-01-2008, 10:16 AM
Dear all,

I don't know how readily available Class 6 SDHC memory cards are in your area, but here in Toronto they are very scarce. Future Shop had plenty of Class 2's and Class 4's, but not a single Class 6, of any size. They couldn't tell me when they'd have any. Moving on to Best Buy, they had only two Class 6 cards (an 8GB and a 16GB), priced well over $100 (the 16GB was over $150). The warranties on the cards were limited too, only 1 year, and made by a company I'd never heard of.

With Class 6 cards currently having the fastest read/write speed, it makes sense to get one rather than a 2 or 4, so that your SDHC card will not only perform better with your camera but will serve you that much longer, for use with newer cameras etc.

Anyway, no luck with Future Shop or Best Buy...The Source had none either (they're run by Circuit City), just 2's and 4's. So I went to various camera stores inquiring about this. One store of good reputation offered me a Class 4 SDHC card, 8GB in size, for just over $120, and said it was a wise investment because of the card's lifetime warranty (it was a Kingston). I declined to buy it. They couldn't even guess about when they might have any Class 6 cards (grr).

Finally I went to a good place here in Toronto, PC Village (pcvonline.com) where the stuff is always new (not refurbished) but direct from the manafacturer and so often costs less.

PC Village had a Class 6 SDHC memory card, 16GB in size (!) for only $42.95 Canadian plus tax. The card is made by Adata and comes with a lifetime warranty. That's just under $35 USD for a 16GB Class-6 SDHC card with a lifetime warranty. What a deal! I totally bought one for me, and will likely buy a second one shortly.

To the best of my understanding, only Adata and Kingston offer lifetime warranties on their SDHC cards - most other makers offer a crummy 1-year warranty.

Anyway, just wanted to let people know about this - no point in getting gypped for your memory card needs, right? *hugs* Merry Christmas, all.

http://pcvonline.com/productDetails.aspx?prodID=8031

Rachel :)

David Metsky
12-01-2008, 12:22 PM
With Class 6 cards currently having the fastest read/write speed, it makes sense to get one rather than a 2 or 4, so that your SDHC card will not only perform better with your camera but will serve you that much longer, for use with newer cameras etc.
Essentially all P&S cameras can't take advantage of the extra speed of a class 6 card. Unless you have a DSLR and shoot in burst mode you won't ever use that added capability. It won't make any difference in the performance of the camera.

It's a good deal, but you can do better. Take a look at NewEgg.com

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211245 $25.99 US with free shipping.

SpecialK
12-01-2008, 01:44 PM
Amazon has loads of Class 6.

Rachel Archer
12-02-2008, 01:04 PM
Fair enough re: NewEgg.com, David (though that site doesn't serve Canadian customers - and it would appear that the sister site NewEgg.ca doesn't have that particular card).

But I still say that getting a Class 6 card will be the best in the long run, because as camera capabilities progress, so will the demand for higher-speed cards. A Class 6 will therefore be practically useful for that much longer.

Re: Amazon, SpecialK - I concede the point re: Amazon. But just to be clear, I was referring more to the convenience of a brick-and-mortar store/buying in person type deal. Naturally, almost anything is available for online purchase - but I prefer not to have to pay shipping and wait for things to arrive in the mail if I don't have to. Something as basic as a memory card ought to be conveniently available for purchase in person. I still think it's rather ridiculous that so many stores & chains didn't have any, or in the case of Best Buy had only a couple of exorbitantly-priced limited-warranty ones.

Rachel :)

Elisha82
12-02-2008, 01:25 PM
newegg.ca, canadacomputers.com, directcanada.com

teko
12-02-2008, 05:25 PM
Here's some from Canadian online retailers:
- http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=25056&vpn=PSF4GSDHC6&manufacture=Patriot&promoid=1008
- http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=24236&vpn=PSF8GSDHC6&manufacture=Patriot&promoid=1008
- http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26213&vpn=PSF16GSDHC6&manufacture=Patriot&promoid=1008
- http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=33026&vpn=SDHC%20CL6%208GB&manufacture=A-Data%20Technology&promoid=1008

If you can, try looking in local computer stores. Memory cards in Futureshop, Best By, Wal-Mart, and London Drugs are often overpriced.