Silicon Power Superior Pro (SD)

Final Score: 76 out of 100

While we do have a problem with Silicon Power calling this SD media card series a ‘Superior Pro’ there is certainly somethings to like about it. Firstly, is its performance. Thanks to its use of MLC NAND we doubt the typical mainstream consumer will have any problems with the performance it offers. The same holds true of the durability it has to offer. While it certainly will not hold up to the demands a SLC NAND based model would laugh at, the fact of the matter is it doesn’t have to. MLC is more than reliable enough to be used in the typical entry level or mainstream camera and have it work for years to come. In these key areas Silicon Power has done a marvelous job creating a SD media card series that is every bit as good any of the competition.

Unfortunately going hand in hand with these positive attributes are a few issues that are going to greatly limit its appeal in the North American market. Firstly, with a price of $70 the Silicon Power Superior Pro SD 64GB is not going to stand out from the ‘old standbys’. This certainly is not the eyebrow raising asking price of the CompactFlash Superior 1100X… but price certainly is not going to be major deciding factor in why a potential customer would choose a relatively unknown – in the North American marketplace – with a more known quantity like ‘Lexar’ or ‘SanDisk’ who offer models at similar price points. This is especially true once potential buyers realize that it does not come with a plastic carrying case and they are expected to purchase one separately.

Lastly is finding one to purchase it. At this time Silicon Power’s availability is… ‘limited’ to say the least. This is all well and fine when dealing with a powerhouse like the Superior 1100X series which easily justifies spending the time finding a retailer who carries it, but with the Silicon Power Superior Pro 64GB the same can not be said. It simply is good, but not good enough to justify the hassle factor.

With all that said if Silicon Power is readily available in your country we strongly suggest giving it a chance. It is a good card and we would have little hesitation in grabbing this card and replacing a worn-out SanDisk or Lexar in one of our cameras while on holidays and putting a ton of memories on it. That is not something we can say about most SD cards these days as we have had many a SD card die on us… usually at the end of a holiday and taking all those irreplaceable photos with it.