XQD card
The XQD card is a memory card format primarily developed for flash memory cards. It uses PCI Express as a data transfer interface.
| Media type | Memory card |
|---|---|
| Capacity | Over 2 TB |
| Developed by | CompactFlash Association |
| Dimensions | 38.5 mm × 29.8 mm × 3.8 mm |
| Usage | Digital cameras |
The format is targeted at high-definition camcorders and high-resolution digital cameras. It offers target read and write speeds from 1 Gbit/s to about 5 Gbit/s and storage capabilities beyond 2 TB.
The cards are not backward compatible with CompactFlash or CFast cards, and despite the name similarity, has no connection with the xD-Picture Card. XQD and CFast were both designed as a replacement of the 1994 CompactFlash standard.
The format was first announced in November 2010 by SanDisk, Sony and Nikon, and was immediately picked up by the CompactFlash Association for development. The final specification was announced in December 2011.
XQD version 2.0 was announced in June 2012, featuring support for PCI Express 3.0 with transfer rates up to 8 Gbit/s (1 GB/s).
On 7 September 2016 the CFA announced the successor of XQD, CFexpress. This new standard uses the same form-factor and interface but uses the NVMe protocol for higher speeds, lower latencies and lower power consumption.