Product Name: MT Plus
Brand: MAXBY
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Features - 8/108/10
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Performance - 8/108/10
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Value - 8/108/10
Summary
The MAXBY MT PLUS lineup of microSD/TF cards is a solid option for things like dashcams and cameras that rely on sequential performance – though it’s not ideal for portable gaming (i.e. Nintendo Switch).
Overall
8/10Pros
- SD adapter included
- Decent sequential I/O performance
Cons
- Limited capacity options
- Weak random I/O performance
Unboxing & Walkaround
Today we’re looking at a new brand entering the storage market. MAXBY, based in China, presents its new MT PLUS series of TF cards (better known as microSD) to us to take a spin – it is currently available in three capacity options comprising 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB. Cut the packaging open to access the plastic shroud, then simply tear it open.
Regardless of which one you get, an SD card adapter is included in case you need to use it in larger gadgets, such as cameras. Simply push the TF card into the slot and you’re good to go. Note, the cards themselves are UHS-I compliant, so the SD adapter itself is designed accordingly (it lacks the extra connections required for UHS-II speeds).
Specifications
MAXBY MT PLUS TF Card (32GB, 64GB, 128GB)
| Capacity | 32GB, 64GB, 128GB |
| Form Factor | TF/microSD (with included SD adapter) |
| Interface | UHS-I / microSDXC |
| File System | exFAT |
| Performance Classes | Speed Class C10 (>10MB/s sustained) Video Speed Class V30 (>30MB/s sequential) UHS Speed Class U3 (>30MB/s sustained) Application Performance Class A1 (>1500 IOPS read, >500 IOPS write, >10MB/s sustained) |
| Rated Performance | up to 80MB/s read, >30MB/s write |
| Operating Temperature | -25°C to 85°C |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Performance
*Note: all tests are measured via Transcend RDF9 UHS-II card reader.
CrystalDiskMark
MAXBY’s performance ratings generally point to at least 30MB/s of guaranteed sequential (and sustained) write performance, though our results suggests that the card is even more capable than that. Granted, SD cards’ performance ratings are meant as a guarantee, so it’s not uncommon for SD card makers to overbuild them in order to reach said speeds – you don’t want performance drops in something as mission-critical as a film production, after all.
AS SSD Benchmark
Pretty similar numbers observed in AS SSD benchmark, matching what we saw in CrystalDiskMark earlier on. We should note that random 4K read/write speeds are fairly slow – 4MB/s random 4K write is unlikely to be sufficient if you’re looking to use this for Nintendo Switch, where write workloads such as saving games and downloading data might be slower than expected (that said, its read speeds are fast enough to meet Nintendo’s official requirements, so game loading shouldn’t be an issue).
Anvil’s Storage Utilities
Same deal in Anvil’s Storage Utilities – all three cards reach 75MB/s sequential write, with sequential read approaching 90MB/s. Again, random I/O is quite weak, despite its strong sequential performance.
ATTO Disk Benchmark
Lastly, ATTO Disk Benchmark investigates the card’s performance behavior based on different block sizes. 64KB and bigger is where the card performs best, though as we have mentioned earlier, 4KB random is important for gaming performance, and this test shows exactly the same result as we have observed thus far.
Verdict
The MAXBY MT PLUS lineup of TF cards is available at the following prices: 32GB at RM45, 64GB at RM80, and 128GB at RM150. Fairly cheap, all things considered, though what you’ll want out of your next TF card will sway your purchase decisions here. For your dashcams? Go ahead – it’s plenty capable for it. Gaming? We suggest looking at other options. Keep its performance characteristics in mind, and you can decide from there.
Special thanks to MAXBY for providing the MT PLUS TF/microSD cards for this review.
