Choosing a microSD for dashcams and security cameras (and why the last one died)
Continuous recording is the harshest job a card can do. Here is the write-load math that explains why consumer cards die in months, how to size capacity to recording hours, and the exact spec — endurance grade, stated TBW, V30, wide temperature — to buy instead.
Why memory cards come back — and how a reseller cuts the returns
For a card reseller, a return costs you twice: the unit and the customer's trust. Almost every return traces to three preventable causes — counterfeit capacity, the wrong card for the job, and low endurance. Here is how to stop each one at sourcing and at the point of sale.
How to test a microSD or USB drive for fake capacity (H2testw and F3)
Counterfeit cards report a fake size and silently overwrite your data once you pass the real limit. Here is the write-and-verify test that catches them, how to read the result, and the red flags before you even buy.
2.5-inch, mSATA or M.2 — choosing an SSD form factor and interface
An SSD is two choices, not one — the form factor (2.5-inch, mSATA, M.2) that has to fit the host, and the interface (SATA or NVMe) that sets the speed. How they differ, the M.2 keying trap that bites integrators, and how to spec the host before the drive.
How long does flash hold data with the power off? Data retention explained
Endurance is how many times you can write flash; retention is how long it holds what's already written once the power is off. Why retention falls with heat and wear, what the JEDEC spec actually says, and why it matters for stock that sits months in a hot warehouse.
Industrial vs consumer SSD — a selection & procurement checklist
An "industrial" SSD is a different spec sheet for a reason — endurance, power-loss protection, NAND type, temperature and a locked BOM. How to tell them apart, match the grade to the deployment, and what to put in the PO.
Sourcing UDP & MUDP USB flash modules — an OEM guide
A USB drive doesn't have to be a finished stick. For OEMs it's increasingly a solder-down chip (UDP/MUDP). What these modules are, how they compare to COB and PCB builds, the speed reality, and what to put in the spec.
eMMC, UFS or SD card — choosing embedded storage for a device
For an OEM, the storage decision is two choices, not one — the form (removable card vs soldered chip) and the protocol (eMMC vs UFS). Here's how they differ in speed, reliability and cost, and which fits which device.
SD card speed classes decoded — C10, U3, V30, A2, and the Mbps trap
Most of the alphabet soup on a card is the same number written three ways. Here's what C/U/V actually guarantee, how A1/A2 differ, and the Mbps-vs-MB/s mistake that makes buyers over-spec.
SLC, MLC, TLC, QLC and pSLC — the one NAND choice under every flash spec
Bits per cell sets a flash part's capacity, cost, speed and endurance all at once. Here's the ladder from SLC to QLC, why each extra bit costs an order of magnitude of endurance, what 3D NAND changed, and where pSLC fits.
Power-loss protection (PLP) explained — and when an SSD must have it
The failure that bricks an SSD on a power cut isn't lost cache — it's a half-written mapping table. Here's what PLP actually protects, how hardware and firmware do it together, why a UPS isn't a substitute, and which jobs require it.
TBW and DWPD — how to read SSD endurance (and size it for your workload)
TBW and DWPD are the same fact in different clothes. Here's the conversion, where the number comes from (NAND P/E ÷ write amplification), what JEDEC standardizes, and how to size an SSD's endurance to your actual writes.
The 2026 NAND shortage is structural — what it means for allocation and lead times
AI pulled memory capacity toward HBM and high-capacity enterprise SSD; TrendForce puts NAND contract prices up 70–90% a quarter, and relief isn't expected before 2027. Why it's structural, how allocation now works, and how a distributor secures supply.
Choosing the right microSD by use case — a quick selection guide
Security camera, dashcam, body-cam, industrial or consumer — each writes differently, so each needs a different grade, speed class and temperature range. A one-table guide, plus the order to decide in.
How to vet a flash-memory supplier — a counterfeit & due-diligence checklist
Fake-capacity cards, re-graded NAND and silent BOM swaps cost distributors their reputation. A practical, test-backed checklist for vetting a memory supplier before you place a volume order.
High-endurance vs consumer microSD — the endurance math for cameras
A dashcam or camera writes around the clock; a consumer microSD is built for occasional use. Here is the actual P/E-cycle and TBW math that decides whether a card lasts months or years — and how to pick the grade.
Why a 128GB card shows 119GB — and when it's actually fraud
A 128GB microSD showing 119GB is correct, not short — 128 decimal GB equals 119.2 GiB. But a fake-capacity card shows the same number. Here is the math, and how to tell honest from fraud.