Samsung EVO Plus 128GB microSDXC Memory Card Review

TweakTown's Rating: 94%

The Bottom Line

You can't go wrong with the Samsung EVO Plus lineup and the addition of 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB U3 solutions all with 10-year warranties is a win for consumers.

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Back in late 2016, Samsung launched its EVO+ lineup of microSD solutions. We were lucky enough to have a look at the 256GB solution, and Samsung is now back with upgraded models that now carry the U3 Class designation and updated branding from EVO+ to EVO Plus.

Capacity options start at 32GB, a low capacity solution for today's standards suitable for HD video with performance hovering around 95 MB/s read and 20 MB/s write. Additional capacities include 64GB and 128GB with a 256GB card on the horizon. These solutions are UHS-I U3 certified, offering read performance up to 100 MB/s and write performance up to 90 MB/s. These solutions are Samsung's mainstream offerings and are perfect for 4K video and high-resolution photography.

The MSRP of the Samsung EVO Plus 128GB comes in at $99.99 with a ten-year warranty.

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Packaging, for the most part, has stayed the same apart from branding being updated along with performance numbers. The front of the package houses capacity at the bottom right and specifications in the center above the adapter.

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Easing the transition between form factors, the SD adapter has become commonplace for microSD solutions. We still have the same familiar aesthetic when it comes to EVO solution, orange, blue and white. The capacity is listed in large font to the left with UHS branding is in a light orange font.

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The backside of the card houses model number and origin information.

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Above, we have a better look at the card itself.

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Capacity for the 128GB Samsung EVO Plus comes in at 119GB useable. It is formatted in the exFAT filesystem.

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Diving right in, this solution produced 98 MB/s read and 88 MB/s write on our Z270 system. This puts it right with the 256GB EVO as the highest performing microSD we have ever seen.

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Taking into account the price of the EVO Plus 128GB at $99.99 at the time of writing and its performance both read and write, this solution comes in at 96.39%, just below the 256GB EVO+ of late last year.

When it comes to NAND flash, you can always bet Samsung will bring high performance, high capacity, and low cost together with their EVO lineup. They have done just that with the 128GB EVO Plus solution. Adding to this is Samsung's impressive 10-year warranty on these solutions, making them even more attractive to potential buyers.

Performance for me was a success. This 128GB solution performed with the best we have seen at 98 MB/s read and 88 MB/s write next to only the 256GB version of this same card. Price / Performance too was good for the 128GB EVO Plus reaching 96.39%, missing the top 5 in my charts by just .01%.

For me, 128GB solutions are the sweet spot for those getting into 4K video and high-res photography. More often than not they offer performance rivaling 256GB solutions while being more budget friendly and nowhere is this more evident than with the very solid 128GB EVO Plus.

Tyler's Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS Maximus IX Hero (buy from Amazon)
• CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K (buy from Amazon) / (Read our Review)
• Memory: G.SKILL TridentZ DDR4 3200 (buy from Amazon)
• Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Hybrid (buy from Amazon)
• OS Storage: Intel 730 480GB SSD (buy from Amazon) / (Read our Review)
• Secondary Storage: MyDigitalSSD BP5 512GB SSD (buy from Amazon)
• Case: EVGA DG-86 (buy from Amazon)
• Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 P2 (buy from Amazon)
• Networking: ASUS PCE-AC88 AC3100 (buy from Amazon)
• Networking: ASUS ROG 10G Express
• Networking: ASUS Thunderbolt EX3 (buy from Amazon)
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 (buy from Amazon)