More Storage: SanDisk Ultra 128 GB MicroSDXC Memory Card
The Venue 8 Pro's 32 GB of solid-state storage won't get you very far if you plan to install games on your tablet. That's why the 64 GB model is tempting. Fortunately, Dell equips the Venue with a microSD slot. Not all mobile devices have one, so prioritize expansion as you shop for mobile devices. You can find a 32 GB Class 10 card to drop into that slot for as little as $15, instantly doubling your capacity. If you're even more committed to the cause, 64 GB cards start at the $40 mark.
For this story, however, I was planned to install a lot of games. It just so happens that SanDisk recently launched a long-awaited high-capacity card, the Ultra 128 GB MicroSDXC Class 10 UHS-I with an adapter. Call me old-school, but it's surreal to think that such a tiny device holds 128 gigabytes of information. Is it fast, though?
The company claims up to 30 MB/s read speeds, which is expected from a UHS Class 1 device (they have to guarantee at a 10 MB/s minimum). In our tests, performance indeed varied between 10 and 40 MB/s. In fact, I measured the same read transfer rates from a 32 GB G.Skill Class 10 microSD card also in the lab. Both designations are rated for the same minimum performance level, so that checks out.
SanDisk isn't marketing the Ultra 128 GB under its Extreme brand, which tells us that the product's purpose is primarily mass storage, not peak transfer rates. Regardless, if microSD-based storage space is what you need, it's hard to go wrong with 128 GB. Then again, for many folks, the $15 32 GB option delivers the biggest return on investment. It all depends on how much information you need to keep local.
