Lexar Armor Gold SD Card Review

There is no sense in spending thousands on cameras and lenses, with the latest 4k recording and highest megapixels, only to put in a cheap, low-quality SD card that can’t keep up. I want memory cards that can keep up with my adventures, so I was keen to see that Lexar upgraded the SD card with a more durable, full metal design in the Lexar Armor Gold.

This is the Armor series, a new take on the classic SD card. I was sent an Armor Gold by Lexar themselves to test, along with the Armor 700 SSD. So I can see how it stands up, and if it’s something travellers should consider for their cameras. As always with my reviews, any opinion is strictly my own. Lexar have had no influence on what I have said and has not seen the review before it has been published.

The Lexar Armor series cards are rated for a drop resistance of 5m, so unless you’re scaling up cliff faces to get the perfect shot, this will be more than enough. It can be easy to drop an SD card occasionally when switching. My Sony A7CII only has one SD card slot, so I frequently switch between cards. Not necessarily because they are full, but it’s more about making sure the photos are backed up safely if a card fails. I think moving 

Being made of metal makes this SD card a lot more resistant to water. Now I don’t intend to get my tech wet anytime soon, but with the IP68 rating, it is reassuring. Accidents do happen, and not just out on a shoot. Drinks get spilt, things get dropped, life just happens. A rating of IP68 means the Armor SD card is resistant to a maximum depth of 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes. Much higher than any other SD card I have seen on the market, and more than enough for any photographer. 

Lexar really went above and beyond to emphasise how dust resistant the Armor Gold SD card is. At their booth, they had the SD card submerged in sand. As mine is a loaner I can’t test it to destruction, but I’m confident with the IP68 rating. I don’t intend to bury cameras or SD cards for that matter in the sand, however,, should I bet at the beach and fumble the SD card when I need to swap, I certainly won’t be worrying about lost footage.

The thing about SD cards is that what you save in money, you lose in time. Cheap SD cards will fail, and you will lose photos and potentially memories. Always buy a reliable brand you can trust. Lexar has always been a brand that represents value for money for me. They offer performance that rivals Sandisk, but at prices that are reasonable for all budgets.

The price of the Armor series varies depending on the model and capacity. The Silver is a little bit cheaper than the gold. Sandisk sent me the Pro Gold 128 GB capacity card, which at the time of writing retails at £79.99. For comparison, I usually shoot on the Lexar Pro Silver 128 GB, which has an RRP of £40. These are two slightly different models, so to make it easier, I have made two tables below for the Gold and Silver, so you can see how they compare to the older model.

So I attached the comparison table above so you can see how the Armour series compares with the Lexar Professional series, which is their plastic equivalent. You can see that there isnt any difference in the read or write speed when you’re comparing the Silver and Gold. The real difference is in the build quality and durability of these cards. I am pretty happy with the speeds as they are, of course faster is always better, but the difference in price is well worth the step up in durability. 

So at the time of this review, Lexar only provides the option of a standard SD card size. Fantastic for photographers, but it’s a shame there isn’t a Micro SD card option. Considering the majority of my action cameras and drones use Micro SD cards, they are the most vulnerable to the elements.

Knowing your SD card would be recoverable if your drone crashes or your action camera falls from its mount. Having the peace of mind that whatever happens, you have a much higher chance of recovering some footage is amazing. I think a stainless steel Micro SD card would be a game changer there.

I feel a bit mad to say I was excited about an SD, but when I saw this advertised, that’s exactly how I felt. Apart from adjustments to read and write speed over time, for as long as I can remember, SD cards have remained the same. Finally, the mould has broken, and we have a memory brand leading the way with something new to look at. 

As I mentioned at the start of this article, Lexar sent me the Armor Gold SD card as a loan, which means I had to return it once I had taken my photos and completed my testing. But I will happily put my money where my mouth is, the day I sent this back to Lexar, was the same day I put in an order and bought one for myself.