Silicon Powers Superior 1100X CF

Final Score: 88 out of 100

As we have shown in this review the Silicon Power Superior CF 1100X is indeed worth its weight in gold – actually… more as it only weighs 10 grams. The combination of faster NAND with a lifespan that few will ever fully expend makes the Superior CF 1100X perfect for everyone from professionals who need both burst speed capacity and durability, to those who simply want to buy one card and don’t want to deal with a sudden death of a card (and the precious photos stored on it). Trust us it does happen, but it is a lot less likely to happen with a SLC based storage device than an MLC one. Simply put the Superior CF 1100X is the card to buy if you own a camera that uses CompactFlash and want the best. It is just that good and is indeed worth the effort to track down instead of just blindly opting for better known brands.

With all that said Silicon Power’s Superior CF 1100X is far from perfect. It is hard to find, RMA’s on this side of the pond will be more expensive than Lexar or SanDisk, and serious consumers will need to pick up a plastic storage case for it if they want to carry more than one of these at a time. Most of these are perfectly acceptable as it is worth tracking down, and we have yet to actually bother with RMA’ing any CompactFlash card. When they die we replace them as the hassle with all companies is not worth the cost it takes to replace them… plus this model is a heck of a lot more robust than most making it even more unlikely to ever need RMA’ing.

The last two issues though are tougher to ignore. A one dollar accessory not being included smacks of either inexperience or corner cutting. We like to think it is the former not the latter, but if it is because they had to cut somewhere to keep the price in check… so be it. We rather a drive that can take a beating and not come with a plastic carrying case than one that is relatively fragile. The last issue though will be the sticking point for most. This model costs a lot more than the typical CompactFlash drive. As it is relatively expensive buyers can literally purchase two 64GB Lexar 1066X cards and have money left over for a Pelican case.

This is the issue that is going to keep a lot from wanting to risk it on a lesser known brand. It is the issue that will keep people from taking time and making the effort in tracking it down. Incredible value for the professional or not, this is what we in the industry call a ‘tough sell’. With that said, we would still recommend thinking long and hard before writing off this model as it is a one-time purchase vs. buying new CompactFlash cards every couple years, but if you simply don’t need this level of robustness it is going to be overkill. However, for semi-pro and professional photographer this model is a veritable no-brainer. Or to use Silicon Power’s moto… memory is personal, and everyone’s personal needs are going to be different. As such we strongly suggest thinking long and hard about your specific needs and if they align with the strengths of this particular model. If they do there are few that will match its abilities.