In this guide, we'll share our best recommendations for the best microSD cards to use with your Raspberry Pi 4, based on our extensive experience with the Raspberry Pi family of devices.

Which Micro SD Cards Do We Recommend?

We’ve carefully selected these Micro SD cards to ensure optimal performance with your Raspberry Pi 4. We hope you find our recommendations helpful! Please note that if you purchase through any of the links on our website, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting us — it means a lot!

Best Micro SD card for the Raspberry Pi 4:

We have used many cards over the years and we have found and these cards above performed the best in our tests.

These microSD cards are among the best you can find for speed and reliability. When it comes to choosing the right microSD card for your Raspberry Pi, it’s critical to consider a few key factors to get the most out of your device.

Beware of Fake MicroSD Cards

One of the biggest challenges when purchasing microSD cards online is the prevalence of counterfeit products. These fake cards can be difficult to distinguish from genuine ones, but they often don’t deliver the promised speeds or capacity. Worse, they tend to fail much faster than official cards. To avoid this, always buy from trusted sellers — we recommend using the Amazon links provided in this guide to ensure you're getting a legitimate product.

MicroSD Card Sizes

MicroSD cards come in various sizes, and the size you choose should align with how you plan to use your Raspberry Pi. For basic tasks like running the OS, a smaller card may suffice, but for data-intensive projects like media servers or retro gaming emulators, larger capacities will be more suitable.

It’s also a good practice to install the operating system on the microSD card and store user data on an external USB drive or SSD. This reduces the wear on the microSD card, as they are more prone to failure when subjected to frequent write operations.

MicroSD vs. SD Cards

Always ensure you're purchasing a microSD card and not a regular SD card for your Raspberry Pi. If you need to connect the card to your computer for setup, make sure you have a compatible adapter on hand to avoid any issues.

SD Card Classes and Performance

When it comes to SD card classes, there’s a balance between read and write speeds. Higher classes, such as Class 10, tend to offer faster write speeds (up to 10 MB/s), which is ideal for tasks that require frequent writing to the card. On the other hand, lower class cards like Class 4, while slower in write speed (4 MB/s), may still offer comparable read speeds in certain situations. Be mindful of the trade-off, as the fastest card for one use case may not always be the best for another.

Endurance and Longevity

Another important consideration is the endurance rating of the microSD card. Cards designed for high endurance are better suited for tasks that involve constant read/write operations, such as using your Raspberry Pi for video recording or as a networked storage solution. Look for cards specifically labeled as "high endurance" if your project demands heavy usage.

Conclusion

Choosing the right MicroSD card for your Raspberry Pi 4 is essential for ensuring smooth performance and long-term reliability. Through our extensive experience and testing, we’ve carefully selected the best MicroSD cards that offer the best balance of speed, durability, and value.

Whether you're working on lightweight projects or running a media server, the cards we’ve recommended will serve you well. As mentioned, beware of counterfeit SD cards sold on various platforms. Always stick to reputable sellers like the ones we've linked to ensure you get genuine products.

Remember, it’s also important to consider how you'll be using your Raspberry Pi when selecting the card size, and to reduce wear by storing user data on external storage whenever possible.

We’d love to hear your experiences! Let us know in the comments which MicroSD cards you’ve found reliable, or if you've encountered any issues with certain brands.