TikTok creators who whip up popular effects will soon be rewarded as the platform has set up a new fund for them. Through the Effect Creator Rewards fund, the platform will pay those who create widely-used augmented reality effects using TikTok's Effect House tool.

At the outset, the fund will only be available in a few countries. TikTok confirmed to TechCrunch that the eligible territories are the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Payouts from the $6 million fund are based on engagement, but at the outset effects will need to meet quite a high threshold before creators are eligible to make money from them. For the time being, creators will earn $700 for each effect that's used in 500,000 unique videos within 90 days of being published. For every 100,000 videos posted with the effect within the same period, the creator will earn $140. That's a high bar to meet for a relatively small payment.

Although TikTok has other programs designed to reward creators, such as the $1 billion creator fund, those who are making content for the platform have complained about low payouts. Early last year, Hank Green estimated that he was making around 2.5 cents for every 1,000 views on TikTok. Other prominent creators, including YouTube megastar Mr. Beast, posted evidence of their paltry TikTok earnings.

Seemingly to address those complaints, TikTok recently overhauled the creator fund with an initiative called the Creativity Program. The aim, TikTok said, is to offer creators "higher average gross revenue for qualified video views." The program is available in the US, France and Brazil for now.

Meta just increased availability of its paid verification system, bringing the program to the UK. To the uninitiated, buying into Meta’s new program gives you a blue verification badge on Facebook and Instagram to indicate you are who you say you are. It’s (sort of) like modern Twitter blue checks.

Buying into the feature also gets you “proactive impersonation protection” and direct access to customer support. In the USA, this service costs $12 to $15 each month, depending on how you sign up. For UK residents, it costs £10 per month if you sign up on the web and £12 per month if you sign up on an iOS or Android device. The price disparity is to offset Apple and Google’s store fees and is another nod to Twitter.

Unlike Twitter, you need an official government ID to opt into the service. You also have to be older than 18 and have two-factor authentication enabled. Additionally, verified users can’t change their profile name, photo, username or date of birth without re-starting the entire verification process.

This feature is still in the testing phase. The beta version of this program begins rolling out for UK users today, but it’s a tiered release so it could take a few weeks before reaching your account. So far, Meta has tested its verification system in the US, Australia, New Zealand and, now, the UK. The company promises to expand the feature set as testing continues, stating that it’ll “continue to explore additional elements that create the most value for emerging creators.”

CNET, the venerable tech site which began publication nearly 30 years ago, has become the latest digital media company whose staff have chosen to band together and demand more. The CNET Media Worker's Union (CMWU) today sent a letter to Red Ventures, the private equity concern which purchased CNET in 2020, seeking recognition of a bargaining unit of nearly 100 workers including editors, writers, and video producers. According to CMWU, a supermajority of those in the unit signed union authorization cards.

Like the overwhelming majority of other organized digital publications, the workers who make up CMWU are responding in large part to an increasingly hostile financial climate in the industry. CNET has not been spared the same tumult that has led to the shuttering of Buzzfeed News and VICE's decision to file for bankruptcy: the company went through three brutal rounds of layoffs over recent months, the most recent of which stripped approximately a dozen staffers from the masthead. "We lost a lot of really great reporters," Laura Michelle Davis, an editor with CNET and organizing committee member, told Engadget.

According to Davis, that sense of uncertainty led to a number of voluntary departures, but also to the surviving staff choosing to organize. Despite those cuts, according to the union's statement sent to management today, staff have continue to be "subjected to ongoing restructuring, cost-cutting austerity measures, shifting job roles and promotion freezes." 

CMWU has also organized around what it feels is a "blurring of editorial and monetization strategies" and a lack of transparency around, among other things, the use of artificial intelligence. While it was apparently not a key factor in beginning the union drive, CNET was the subject of a fairly public scandal recently, when it was revealed by Futurism, both to the public at large and allegedly to the staff itself, that the site had begun publishing content written by AI without any form of authorship disclosure. Over half of those machine-generated stories were eventually appended with corrections for factual errors, and CNET later issued something like an apology.  

The unit is represented by the Writer's Guild of America, East, which has helped organize sites including Vox, HuffPost, and The Onion. Screenwriters from the union's sister organization, the Writer's Guild of America, have now been on strike for two weeks over a variety of disputes with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, among which also has been the use of AI in content production. (Disclosure: I was a member of the WGA-E and served on the bargaining committee for Gizmodo Media Group during my tenure there.)

While the contours of whatever contract CMWU may eventually bargain with Red Ventures are still to be decided, the bargaining unit will be looking to substantially similar wins in digital media as a guide. We've reached out to Red Ventures for comment and will update if we hear back. CMWU's organizing statement follows below: 

CNET has been a trusted authority for original reporting, helpful explainers and honest advice for nearly 30 years. We – writers, editors, video producers, designers and other content creators – are committed to CNET’s future as a reputable source for tech reviews, news and commerce. That’s why an overwhelming majority of us have formed the CNET Media Workers Union, affiliated with the Writers Guild of America, East. We are confident that our collective efforts will allow us to better serve our audience and make a more collaborative workplace.

The digital media landscape is transforming rapidly. In this time of instability, our diverse content teams need industry-standard job protections, fair compensation, editorial independence and a voice in the decision-making process, especially as automated technology threatens our jobs and reputations. A union will help us adapt to new business strategies while establishing high journalistic standards and practices.

Since Red Ventures acquired CNET in fall 2020, CNET media workers have been subjected to ongoing restructuring, cost-cutting austerity measures, shifting job roles and promotion freezes. In the past year, three major rounds of layoffs have deeply impacted our reporting and our teams. Red Ventures cut senior editorial positions, eliminated the Roadshow cars section, drastically slashed our video team, gutted our news division and shut down science and culture coverage. These unilateral overhauls created low morale and unease, resulting in a wave of resignations and talent attrition. We face a lack of transparency and accountability from management around performance evaluations, sponsored content and plans for artificial intelligence. We are concerned about the blurring of editorial and monetization strategies.

By unionizing, we’re joining our peers at other digital media sites who have won security and benefits through negotiating unit-wide contracts. We feel that a union is the only way to guarantee job protections, defend editorial integrity and ensure standard cost-of-living raises as well as fair severance packages. A union would give us a voice on new AI and marketing initiatives and allow us to safeguard our workloads, bylines and careers. We look forward to bringing together our largely remote and siloed teams in this effort.

We are a passionate and loyal community of hard workers, and our rights should be enshrined and respected. We ask Red Ventures to recognize our union in a timely manner so we can begin the contract negotiation process.

– CNET Media Workers Union

Organizing within tech? I'd like to hear about it. Tip me at avery@engadget.com or message me on Signal at 646.983.9846

Read-it-later service Pocket has unveiled some new features, including the option to create private lists of saved articles, videos and websites. Pocket Lists are only available in the US on the web for now, but the feature will be available globally starting next month and on mobile later this year.

You'll be able to create multiple lists with titles and descriptions. In the near future, you'll have the option to add several items to a list at once and attach notes to help you remember why an item is there. Later this year, Pocket will roll out the option to publish lists and share them with other users.

The Pocket team suggests that you might set up lists for things like recipes, trip planning or simply stuff that puts a smile on your face for whenever you need it. This is a handy update from Pocket, particularly for those who like to keep things organized. You might think of it as a bit like having bookmark folders in Pocket or a different place to save Pinterest-style collections.

Elsewhere, Pocket has built a new version of its iOS app with the aim of rolling out features more rapidly — the plan is to release updates every two weeks. You'll need to be on at least iOS 16 to use the latest app, which offers personalized recommendations and a more streamlined user interface, Pocket says. The My List tab is now called Saves, and it will offer access to features such as search, tagged items, favorites and a way to listen to audio versions of articles all in one place. One other handy update means that you'll be able to swiftly archive items with a swipe.

On Android, there's a very welcome update rolling out today. Pocket will now save log-in credentials for websites you've saved stuff from, so you'll no longer need to sign in every time you visit them. While in article view, you'll be able to move between saved items using Previous and Next buttons.

Pocket, which Mozilla bought back in 2017, added that it has removed some features. The team plans to bring back some of those within a few months, such as the option to highlight articles. Other features are gone for good, however, including the ability to recommend items to other users, which has been removed in favor of lists. To that end, here's hoping Pocket rolls out the option to share lists fairly swiftly.

Lucifer ought to take the temperature of the underworld, because it seems like hell has just frozen over. According to Reuters, Samsung has inked a deal with LG to buy high-end white OLED (WOLED) TV panels from its long-standing rival. LG may start supplying the panels as soon as this quarter.

The plan, according to the report, is for LG Display to supply 2 million panels next year, then 3 million and 5 million respectively in 2025 and 2026. At least at the outset, the company will reportedly be making 77-inch and 83-inch WOLED panels for Samsung.

It's an unexpected partnership that may actually make a lot of sense for both sides. Samsung could use the panels to help it make up ground in the OLED TV market. The company has taken the approach that OLED displays are a better fit for smartphones and tablets than TVs. One reason for that perspective is that OLED panels are expensive — they tend to cost nearly five times more than LCD panels. On the TV front, Samsung has focused on making QLED models, which are cheaper than OLEDs.

Samsung has 6.1 percent of the OLED TV market, according to market research firm Omdia. LG Display's sibling LG Electronics is said to be out in front with a 54.6 percent market share while Sony has 26.1 percent. An LG Display deal could help Samsung overtake Sony in that realm or at least to better compete with Chinese manufacturers that are selling lower-cost LCD televisions. 

The reported deal could help LG Display to turn its business around after four straight quarters of losses. LG Display also makes smartphone screens for Apple, as well as OLED panels for Sony and LG Electronics. However, its OLED manufacturing facility hasn't been running at full capacity. That, according to Reuters, is due to a drop in demand for new TVs and a "limited customer base." Analysts suggest that the Samsung pact could help LG Display max out its manufacturing capacity and account for between 20 and 30 percent of production in the first year. The agreement could add north of $1.5 billion to LG's bottom line next year.

Vincent Teoh of HDTVTest suggested to Engadget that Samsung might have taken this path to resolve volume and screen size availability issues. “QD-OLED panel production from Samsung Display is still limited in quantity at the moment, and the motherglass has to be cut to cater for both monitors (e.g. 34-inch 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitors which are greater in demand) and TVs (e.g. 55-inch QD-OLED TV).

"QD-OLED is also only available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch screen sizes at the moment, while the WOLED panels supplied by LG Display can go up to 83 and even 97 inches, or as small as 42 and 48 inches," Teoh said.

After launching in North America and Taiwan, Logitech's unusual and relatively expensive G Cloud Gaming Handheld is coming to Europe, the company announced. It's now available in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, with special launch goodies like six months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. 

With a seven-inch 1080p touchscreen and gamepad controls, the Logitech G Cloud resembles handheld gaming devices like the Razer Edge and Ayaneo Air Pro, or even a smaller version of the Switch or Steam Deck. However, it only packs middling specs like a mid-range Qualcomm 720G SoC, 4GB or RAM and Bluetooth 5.1/WiFi 5. That's because it's specifically designed for cloud gaming from services like Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now, and can also be used to stream console/PC games remotely. 

Given the limited specs, the $350 price raised some eyebrows, though it normally retails for about $300. Since it shipped in December, Logitech has added a number of new features like virtual button mapping for touch-based mobile games, control customization settings and dead zones, and official support for Shadow PC. The latter service allows you to effectively "rent" a reasonably powerful PC starting at $30 per month and play games on it. 

In any case, the G Cloud Gaming Handheld has apparently seen enough success for Logitech to bring it to territories outside North America. As mentioned, Logitech is throwing in up to six months of Xobx Game Pass Ultimate (depending on the country), along with a month of NVIDIA GeForce NOW Priority and a month of Shadow PC. It'll be available starting May 22nd for €359 / £329. 

Apple wants to go beyond streaming live music to helping you find it in real life. The company has added concert discovery features to both Apple Maps and Apple Music. In Maps, you'll find over 40 curated "Guides" that spotlight hot concert venues in 14 major cities around the world, such as a techno club in Brooklyn and symphony halls in Vienna. This could help you decide where to go when you're new in town, or highlight an unfamiliar scene. You can also browse upcoming shows at those venues through a Shazam discovery module that taps info from Bandsintown.

Apple Music, meanwhile, also includes the Shazam module to let you browse a musician's upcoming shows. If a favorite artist is playing soon, this could help you land tickets. There's also a Set Lists section where you can listen to tracks played at certain tours (such as Sam Smith's and Kane Brown's) while learning about the productions.

Both experiences are available today. The additions aren't completely surprising. Apple has long emphasized human curation in Music, such as many of its custom playlists and DJ mixes. The integrations expand on that strategy to cover in-person gigs. Maps has also had curated Guides for food, shopping and travel. A coordinated push for Maps and Music is relatively unique, though — the company is clearly betting that it can raise interest in both services by using concerts as a hook.

When we first reviewed Apple’s HomePod mini in 2020, we had some reservations. While it was a much better value than the original HomePod, it still had some of the same limitations of its bigger sibling. Siri wasn’t as bright as Alexa or Google Assistant, the HomeKit ecosystem was limited and there were no real alternatives to Apple Music for on-demand tunes. You bought a mini for Apple’s tight integration, and not much else.

Fast-forward to 2023 and it’s a different story. Apple has significantly expanded the HomePod mini’s functionality. It now has active temperature and humidity sensors, smoke and CO2 alarm detection, access to third-party music services (however modest) and support for the Matter smart home standard. With the recent 16.4 software update, the speaker can also make use of a revamped Home architecture that’s said to be faster and more reliable. The odds are that Apple has addressed at least one of your pet peeves in the past few years.

The market hasn’t stood still, however. Amazon has improved both Echo speakers and Alexa in the years since, and Google’s Nest Audio has received upgrades like a guest mode. Then there’s competition from Apple itself — now that the company has introduced a second-gen HomePod, the smaller model may not be as compelling as before. With that in mind, we’re revisiting the HomePod mini to see if it’s still a viable option.

Smart home upgrades

Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget

Ask HomePod users about their top gripe and they’ll probably point to basic reliability. It’s easy to find complaints of unresponsiveness, broken commands and generally buggy behavior that can make it difficult to consistently control a smart home. The 16.4 software and its overhauled Home architecture appear to have addressed these glitches in my month-long stint with the HomePod mini. Siri is quicker and more reliable, as expected, and there haven’t been any glitches interacting with other smart home gear (including an Apple TV 4K). While some users say they still have issues, it seems like Apple has ironed out some kinks.

The most practical upgrades are the unlocked temperature and humidity sensors, though — I’m getting far more use out of them than I thought I would. My HomePod mini test unit sits in my infant son’s nursery, and the readings let me check conditions in the room without reaching for the baby monitor. It’s about as accurate as that monitor, too. You can use the sensors to automatically toggle smart home devices (such as closing blinds when it gets too hot), although I didn’t have equipment that would benefit from the feature. Before you ask: Amazon’s Echo already has a temperature sensor, but it’s good to see this functionality spread to other platforms.

Other improvements are more subtle, but still welcome. The 16.3 update added the option of setting up recurring automations using Siri. I can turn on my Hue lights every day at dusk, if I’m so inclined. And while there’s no Pandora access in Canada, it’s good to know I can use Deezer as well as radio services like iHeartRadio, Radio.com and TuneIn. Just don’t expect Amazon Music — that was promised in 2020, but hasn’t materialized. Smoke alarm detection works as promised, although I’d rather have a connected alarm (such as Google’s Nest Protect) if I was truly worried about fires breaking out while I’m away.

Matter support also makes a difference. I’ve largely relied on Amazon Echo speakers in my home precisely because the range of HomeKit-compatible devices is still small. Matter opens the door to devices that were previously off-limits, including Google’s Nest lineup. While the list of Matter-ready hardware is currently modest, it’s growing quickly enough that I can comfortably recommend a HomePod mini to someone who wants compatibility with major-brand security cameras and thermostats.

Does the sound quality hold up?

Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget

The HomePod mini design hasn’t changed since launch apart from a wider choice of colors, like my test unit’s orange. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. As we explained in 2020, the mini punches above its diminutive weight. While it’s only somewhat larger than the third-generation Echo Dot in my nursery and the Google Home Mini in my office, it blows them away — the sound is comparable to the larger, more powerful second-gen standard Echo in my living room. There’s a surprising (though not awe-inspiring) amount of bass, detailed highs and distinct instrumentation.

The mini isn’t the loudest smart speaker in its class, and I typically set the volume to 50 percent or more if I want to listen from another room. However, it also maintains the fullness of its sound across volume levels, even at the 15 percent I use for lullabies in the nursery. While I would rather have the regular HomePod and other louder alternatives for a house party, I’d be happy to use the mini as an office or bedroom speaker.

With that said, the HomePod mini fares better with some music genres than others. A jazz tune like Ahmad Jamal’s live take on “Poinciana” sounds surprisingly immersive, while a treble-rich classical work like Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2” sparkles. Mid-range rock like Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” also plays well. However, the speaker sometimes strains to handle the mids of dance tunes like Above & Beyond’s “Gratitude,” and sounds a bit hollow with rap like Run the Jewels’ “Close Your Eyes.” Updates like lossless audio support haven’t improved matters, either.

The sound is nonetheless enjoyable, and holds up well next to my standard Echo. While the HomePod isn’t as loud, it provides more consistent detail. The problem, as you might guess, is that a roughly comparable sound isn’t a draw by itself. Apple has a size advantage, but that’s about it. And it’s safe to say that you’re better off spending extra for higher-end speakers like the regular HomePod or Sonos Era 100 if you care about fidelity or tricks like the HomePod’s support for spatial audio.

Some things are still broken

Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget

As much as Apple has improved the HomePod mini over time, certain elements are just as frustrating as they were three years ago. For one, Spotify support is missing. That’s not under Apple’s control at this stage, and we wouldn’t expect Spotify to warm up when it’s still engaged in an antitrust battle over pricing and app integration. Nonetheless, it rules out the most popular streaming music service on the planet unless you’re willing to use AirPlay.

And no, Siri isn’t much brighter than before. Most of the updates since launch have revolved around Apple TV support (such as playing a movie), Find My friend locations and compatibility with the cheaper Apple Music Voice Plan. Siri does a solid job with straightforward tasks like playing music or checking the weather, but it has neither Alexa’s third-party skills nor Google Assistant’s talent for answering general knowledge questions.

For that matter, the HomePod mini isn’t necessarily the best speaker for a nursery or shared bedroom. You can adjust Siri’s volume or peg it to that of your voice, but there’s no Alexa-style whisper mode that responds in hushed tones. If you’re not careful, you’ll inadvertently startle someone by cuing up a playlist — trust me, I know. You can tap your iPhone on the HomePod to silently transfer music (still one of Apple’s best tricks), but that’s not much help if you’re rocking a child to sleep.

Support for other platforms remains non-existent. You still need an iPhone or iPad just to set up a HomePod mini, while the absences of Bluetooth audio and a line-in jack rule out even basic connectivity with non-Apple devices. While Matter support improves the range of smart home devices you can use, the mini remains a no-go if you use Android.

A better value, for the right person

Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget

Even with all those hangups in mind, the HomePod mini is a better value now than it was in 2020. It’s more useful and reliable in a smart home, and you aren’t as locked into Apple’s ecosystem as you were before. You’ll be pleased with the sound quality for the money, especially if you want a smart speaker that doesn’t occupy much space on an end table.

Moreover, the HomePod mini may be appealing precisely because it’s not part of the Amazon and Google ecosystems. My Echo speakers irritate me by peppering Alexa responses and notifications with unwanted pitches — no, I don’t want to subscribe to Amazon Music or rate the power cords I bought last month. Google isn’t as egregious, but it frequently offers unwanted tips. While the HomePod’s functionality is more limited, I’m tempted to switch just to escape the annoyances of its rivals.

These days, the HomePod mini is also tempting if you’re particularly privacy-minded. I’m not too fussed about it myself, but it’s no secret that Apple’s rivals generally collect more data. Amazon and Google grab personal profiles and contact information Apple doesn’t, for instance. Both likewise use queries to help target ads, and Amazon defaults to collecting voice recordings for service improvements where it’s strictly opt-in for Apple and Google. HomePods still have to gather some data, such as IP addresses and device names, but I’d feel more comfortable with the mini than its alternatives if I wanted to keep info sharing to a minimum.

Having said this, the mini is still best-suited to Apple devotees. It makes the most sense if you subscribe to Apple Music, and the proposition gets better the more Apple hardware you have. HomePods just aren’t as alluring in mixed-platform households. You may also want to wait for more Matter-compatible devices if you’re going to use this speaker as the cornerstone of an elaborate smart home setup.

This is still a stronger purchase than the high-end HomePod for most people. You’re getting the same environment sensors and voice assistant features, and the sound is pleasing if you’re either a casual music listener or tend to listen to spoken-word content like podcasts and news radio. The more expensive model is strictly for buyers who want the best possible audio quality from an Apple speaker, or want to try spatial audio without spending $450 on the Sonos Era 300.

Versus Amazon and Google, it’s more complicated. We noted in our smart speaker buying guide that the fourth-generation Echo and Nest Audio are both louder and punchier than the HomePod mini, although they pay for that with larger enclosures and less consistent sound across frequencies. They aren’t tied to one mobile platform, however, and they have rich smart home ecosystems even without Matter playing a part. Throw in more flexible voice assistants, wider hardware variety (there’s no Apple equivalent to an Echo Dot or Nest Mini) and well-established ecosystems and they’re the safer choices.

If you want to add storage space to a Nintendo Switch, GoPro or Raspberry Pi, you need a microSD card. But while several cards will be fast enough for most use cases, some inexpensive options will perform better than others. To help you find a reliable storage booster, we recently put a dozen microSD cards through a range of benchmark tests.

What to look for in a microSD card

Capacity

The first thing to figure out when buying a microSD card is how much space you need. Modern cards are usually available in sizes ranging from 32GB to 512GB, while a handful offer 1TB models as well. 2TB cards are theoretically possible but still in the prototype stage.

For most, a 128GB or 256GB model should be the sweet spot between price and capacity. But if you need more room – say, for stashing a bunch of games on a Steam Deck – a 512GB card could make more sense and often provides a better cost-per-GB ratio. These days, you can find a decent 128GB card for around $15 or less, a decent 256GB card for less than $30 and (with sales) a decent 512GB card could be as little as $40 (though most cost closer to $50 or $60). There’s a starker increase when you go up to 1TB cards, which typically cost around $100.

Note that a microSD card’s performance may differ depending on what capacity you buy. SanDisk says its 128GB Extreme card delivers sequential write speeds up to 90 MB/s, for example, while the higher-capacity models in the same line offer up to 130 MB/s.

When we talk about microSD cards today, we usually refer to cards that use the microSDXC (eXtended Capacity) standard, which have a capacity between 32GB and 2TB. Your device needs to support this for it to work with a microSDXC card. This will almost never be an issue these days, but some older devices (a Nintendo 3DS for instance) are only compatible with microSDHC (High Capacity) cards, which range from 2GB to 32GB.

Read and write speeds

MicroSD cards are primarily judged on their read and write speeds, which are usually measured in megabytes per second (MB/s). Generally speaking, most microSD cards have faster read speeds than write speeds. These metrics can then be broken down into sequential and random performance. Sequential read and write speeds matter when you’re trying to access or save long, constant streams of data, such as opening a large video or copying a big batch of files from a PC. If you want to use a microSD card for media storage, this is particularly important.

Random performance, meanwhile, is about how quickly a card can read and write small files scattered throughout the device. Since random read/write speeds are much lower than sequential ones, storage device makers tend not to advertise them as loudly. But they’re important if you use a card with a gaming device or a single-board computer like the Raspberry Pi, where it often has to rapidly save and access small bits of data in random locations.

SD Association

Speed ratings

If you look at a microSD card, you’ll see a buffet of numbers, letters and symbols. Most of these refer to the card’s speed class and performance ratings, which are determined by the SD Association.

A card’s Video Speed Class, or V-rating, details its minimum sequential write speed, which is especially important when recording video from a camera. It ranges from V6 to V90. Most of the cards we tested had a V30 rating, so they have a sequential write speed of at least 30 MB/s. This should be enough to support up to 4K video at lower bitrates. Higher-rated V60 and V90 cards are usually better for capturing 8K, but they come at a much higher cost.

The UHS Speed Class, or U-rating, also refers to a card’s minimum sequential write speed. It comes in two varieties: U3, which mandates a minimum of 30 MB/s, and U1, which is rated for 10 MB/s.

The older Speed Class rating overlaps with the other two systems. It’s signified by a C symbol and goes from Class 2 to Class 10, with the number (again) indicating minimum sequential write speed. This rating is less relevant nowadays, but you may still see a “C10” logo on some cards.

The Application Performance spec, marked by an A symbol, is an indicator of random read/write speeds. This is measured in IOPS, or input/output operations per second, rather than MB/s. There are two categories here: A1 cards offer a minimum random read speed of 1,500 IOPS and a minimum random write speed of 500 IOPS, while A2 cards bump those up to 4,000 IOPS and 2,000 IOPS, respectively. Both ratings also guarantee sequential write speeds of at least 10 MB/s.

Most people should look for a card with V30, U3 and A2 ratings. It’s totally possible to get a solid card without those: A U1 card might be worth it if you just need a cheap option with a high capacity to hold files, for example. V60 and V90 cards are worth a look if you’re serious about shooting high-resolution photos and video as well. But generally speaking, cards with the certifications above should provide the best blend of price and performance today.

It’s important to emphasize that these ratings are baselines. Many V30 cards offer significantly higher write speeds than 30 MB/s, for instance, and some A1 cards can outperform some A2 models in practice. The speeds advertised by manufacturers aren’t always 100 percent accurate, either: Sometimes the card will be slower in real-world use, other times it may actually be a bit faster.

UHS bus speeds

The other spec to note is the card’s bus interface. Most microSD cards available today are UHS-I, which have a theoretical maximum speed of 104 MB/s. There are also UHS-II cards, which have an extra row of pins on the back and can reach up to 312 MB/s. (A newer UHS-III standard exists as well but hasn’t seen wide adoption just yet.) These are labeled on the card with a Roman numeral I or II.

The absolute fastest microSD cards right now are UHS-II cards, and they’re usually the ones with V60 or V90 ratings. If you shoot lots of 4K to 8K video or frequently use burst mode to capture ultra high-res photos, the performance gains of a good UHS-II card can save you time.

But these are much more expensive than UHS-I cards: This 128GB model from ProGrade Digital, for example, is a relative bargain at $55. You need a device that’s compatible with the UHS-II interface to see any benefits, too, and as we were putting this guide together, stock for UHS-II cards was spotty. For now, the higher speeds aren’t worth the price premium for the vast majority of people, so we mostly stuck to UHS-I options.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

A note on card readers, the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck

While the UHS-I spec has a theoretical maximum of 104 MB/s, some UHS-I cards can exceed that speed through proprietary extensions. You need a compatible card reader and host device to take advantage of that extra performance, though. If you find a UHS-I card advertising speeds higher than 104 MB/s, this is what’s going on. You can see these limits in action with a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck: Both of those gaming devices support the UHS-I interface and don’t go beyond its official speed, flattening any sequential gains some cards may have elsewhere. The broader takeaway: Your microSD card will only be as fast as the slowest link in your chain.

Warranty

Many microSD cards are designed to be durable, with protection from water, extreme temperatures, X-rays and drops. Still, in case of catastrophe, a long warranty is always good to have. Many manufacturers offer lifetime limited warranties, though we’ve noticed that “endurance” cards marketed to withstand more hours of writing are usually covered for a much shorter period of time.

Avoiding counterfeits

The memory card market has had a particular problem with scammers selling fake products. To guard against this, only buy from a known brand and a reputable retailer such as Best Buy, B&H Photo or Adorama. If you shop at Amazon, only buy if the shipper and seller is Amazon.com. (Though a handful of users have reported receiving counterfeits even from Amazon directly in the past.) Remember: If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of any retailer offering significantly a lower price than others.

Once you receive a card, check its packaging for any irregularities. You can run benchmark tests like CrystalDiskMark or BlackMagic Disk Speed Test to verify its speeds aren’t drastically lower than what’s advertised (or possible, given its specs). You can also use software that’s designed to verify the true capacity and performance of your card, such as H2testw and FakeFlashTest.

How we tested

We put 12 microSD cards through a series of tests to verify their sequential and random performance. These included benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark, BlackMagic Disk Speed Test, ATTO Disk Benchmark and AJA System Test, as well as a few “real-world” tests. We copied and pasted a small folder of photos about 1.15GB in size to and from each card, then did the same with a larger 12.2GB folder containing multiple file types and subfolders, timing the process each time. We also checked how each card performed on the Steam Deck, downloading games of varying sizes – including Stardew Valley, Aperture Desk Job, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Apex Legends – then timing how long it took to launch each game and load save files.

We used a Kingston USB 3.2 UHS-II reader to test each card on both Windows 11 and macOS Ventura. For the former, we used an Alienware gaming PC with an Intel Core i9-10900F, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. For the latter, we used a 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro with an Apple M1 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. To use our card reader on the MacBook, we used Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.

We tested the 128GB version of each card wherever possible, though for a couple of cards – the SanDisk Extreme and Samsung Pro Plus – we were only able to test their 256GB models. We also reformatted each card before testing with the SD Association’s Memory Card Formatter tool.

Best for most: Samsung Pro Plus

The Samsung Pro Plus offered just about the best sequential write performance of the cards we tested (around 130 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark) and topped them all in terms of random read/write speeds, so it should work well whether you’re buying for a camera, tablet or gaming handheld. Unsurprisingly, it has all the requisite ratings: U3, V30 and A2. Its sequential read performance isn’t quite as quick as some of our alternate picks below, but it’s not far behind. In our large file transfer test, for instance, it was only four seconds off the fastest models.

The Pro Plus currently costs $19 for 128GB, $30 for 256GB and $60 for 512GB, so it’s not the cheapest option available, but it’s still affordable. Samsung also sells the card with a USB reader that’ll help it reach its maximum speeds. Either way, it comes with a 10-year limited warranty.

If you opt to buy the Pro Plus, make sure you get the latest-generation model, which Samsung launched in April 2023. At the moment, the company is still selling the prior iteration of the Pro Plus, which looks identical but isn’t as quick, especially when it comes to random read/write speeds. (Look for the model with sequential read speeds rated at 180 MB/s and sequential write speeds rated at 130 MB/s.) We tested the 256GB version of the Pro Plus due to stock issues with the 128GB model, but this shouldn’t have a major impact on real-world performance, as Samsung rates both cards identically.

Runner up: Kingston Canvas Go Plus

If the Samsung Pro Plus is unavailable or you just want to save a few bucks, the Kingston Canvas Go Plus is a strong alternative. It delivered the highest sequential read speeds of any card we tested across CrystalDiskMark, ATTO and the BlackMagic Disk Speed Test, just edging out SanDisk’s Extreme and Nintendo Switch-branded cards. It effectively tied with those two cards in our large file transfer test. Its sequential write speeds (just over 100 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark) are where it lags behind the Pro Plus, but they should still be quick enough for many uses. Its random read/write speeds were only bested by Samsung’s card, too, so it’s still a good option for apps and games.

This is a U3-, V30- and A2-rated card backed by a lifetime limited warranty. At $17 for 128GB and less than $30 for 256GB, it’s slightly cheaper than the Pro Plus and about as affordable as most cards with this level of performance. A 512GB model is available too, though, it’s often priced in the high $60 to $70 range. At that point, you should get one of our alternate picks if they’re cheaper.

Best value: Samsung Evo Select

The Samsung Evo Select is a step behind our top picks, particularly when it comes to sequential write speeds (just under 70 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark), so it’s not an ideal pick for a camera. Still, it’s perfectly usable for many needs, and it’s often available for cheap at both Amazon and Samsung’s online store. As of this writing, its 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models are available for $12, $21 and $40, respectively. All of those are about on par with the SanDisk Ultra, a frequently recommended cheapo card, despite the Evo Select having higher V30, U3 and A2 ratings.

The Evo Select’s sequential read speeds were just about in line with its advertised peak of 130 MB/s, which will be totally fine for many. Its random read/writes clearly trailed the Pro Plus and Canvas Go Plus, but were about on par with pricier cards like the SanDisk Extreme, Lexar Professional 1066x and SanDisk microSDXC for Nintendo Switch. Like the Pro Plus, it’s backed by a 10-year warranty. If you just want to save a few dollars on a chunk of extra storage, it’s a good value.

Another good option: SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch

The SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch is another worthwhile option if you see it available for less than the Pro Plus and Canvas Go Plus. Its sequential read speeds were about the same as the Kingston card in our benchmarks, but its sequential writes were slightly slower (and farther behind the Pro Plus). Its random read/writes were a step behind according to CrystalDiskMark, as well. The 128GB version of this card is usually priced a smidge higher than the Canvas Go Plus, but lately the 512GB version has gone for $10 or so less. SanDisk backs the card with a lifetime warranty, too. Note that we tested the Apex Legends version of the 128GB card. SanDisk also sells a Super Mario model, but we can’t speak to how that one performs.

Another good option: Lexar Professional 1066x

Similarly, the Lexar Professional 1066x is a decent alternative to the Pro Plus if you want to save a little cash. It’s another V30, U3 and A2 card, and like the Pro Plus, its sequential write speeds were a bit faster than the Canvas Go Plus and SanDisk Switch card in our benchmarks. Those write speeds weren’t as quick as Pro Plus, and its sequential reads trailed all three cards. Random read/writes also lagged behind the Pro Plus and Canvas Go Plus, and we noticed its speeds peak and dip more noticeably in our file transfer test. Still, it’s not slow.

The card’s 128GB and 256GB models are currently available for $17 and $22, respectively. The latter in particular might be a good bargain compared to the Pro Plus if you want better write speeds than the Kingston card can offer. The 1066x also comes with a lifetime limited warranty.

Other notable microSD cards

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

We didn’t use it ourselves, but if you’re willing to pay for a more powerful UHS-II card built for heavy-duty video recording, the Delkin Devices Power has tested well elsewhere and should deliver significantly faster sequential write speeds than our picks above. It’s one of the few UHS-II cards we could actually find in stock, but it costs a ton, starting at $55 for just 32GB.

The SanDisk Extreme effectively matched the Pro Plus in a few of our sequential write tests and delivered sequential reads about on par with the Canvas Go Plus, but that was partly due to us only being able to secure the card’s 256GB model, which is higher-rated than the 128GB version. Its random performance was well behind the Samsung and Kingston cards, too — and at $26 for a 128GB unit, it’s more expensive as of this writing. In general, stock for the Extreme looks to be spottier at most retailers. If you can find it on sale from a reputable seller, however, it’s another quality option.

The SanDisk Extreme Pro, meanwhile, is rated for even higher speeds (up to 200 MB/s sequential reads), but it also appears to be unavailable at most trusted retailers as of this writing.

The PNY Elite-X wasn’t far off the random read/write performance of the Pro Plus and Canvas Go Plus in CrystalDiskMark, and it often goes for cheap, but it was well behind in our sequential tests.

Samsung will start rolling out an update for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro that will give users more control over how much ambient sound they want to hear. After the software updates goes out, users will find two additional levels on top of the original three for their ambient sound volume settings under the Laboratory menu of the Galaxy Wearable app. And they can customize how much ambient sound to let in for each ear, since it's possible to adjust the volume for each earbud independently. 

The settings page already offers users the capability to customize their ambient tone range, with five stages from soft to clear. But the update will introduce a new section called "adapt ambient sound," which adds even more clarity to the environmental sounds getting into the earbuds. Samsung says it unveiled an enhancement to ambient sounds on Global Accessibility Awareness Day for people who could benefit from sounds amplification. The update, however, could also be useful for those with no hearing issues and simply just want to hear the world around them better so they could feel safe while they're running or walking outside. 

Samsung is releasing its enhanced ambient sound feature and will be rolling out a software update for it over the coming weeks.