ProGrade’s New 120GB CFexpress 2.0 Type A Card Is Its Cheapest Offering

Aug 27, 2024

Two ProGrade 120 GB CFexpress memory cards are standing side by side on a wooden surface in front of a camera lens. The cards have a read speed of 900 MB/s and a write speed of 450 MB/s. The labels on the cards display these specifications prominently.

ProGrade Digital, a fully compliant member of the Compact Flash Association, has announced a new capacity for its popular CFexpress Type A Gold-class memory card series. Joining the existing 240GB and 480GB cards is a more affordable 120GB option.

Update 8/28: The 480GB card’s price was incorrectly written as $239.99. The correct price is $339.99.

The new 120GB Gold card promises the same features and performance as its larger-capacity siblings, including the CFexpress 2.0 standard, NVMe host interface, PCI Gen 3 x1 interconnect, and VPG 200 certification. The series promises maximum read speeds of up to 900 MB/s and sustained write speeds of 450 MB/s. However, the cards can deliver up to 800 MB/s write speeds in short bursts.

A close-up of a Sony α7 camera with a large lens attached, placed on a wooden surface. Next to the camera are two ProGrade memory cards labeled 120 GB. The background is blurred, drawing focus to the camera and memory cards.

As evidenced by the VPG 200 certification, ProGrade’s Gold-series CFexpress Type A cards are 100% guaranteed to deliver at least 200 MB/s sustained write speeds, without exception. While less swift than VPG 400, VPG 200 is sufficient for all current video recording capabilities on Sony’s mirrorless cameras.

Additional features include thermal throttling to protect the cards against overheating during strenuous, extended use, and laser-etched serial numbers to track key components and manufacturing information for what ProGrade calls “the highest quality control.” The ProGrade Gold series promises resistance to X-ray radiation and shocks, and come with a three-year warranty.

Close-up of hands inserting a 128GB memory card into the slot of a black DSLR camera. The camera's screen and various buttons are visible. The background is blurred with a mix of green and orange colors.

The ProGrade Digital CFexpress 2.0 Type A Gold memory cards now come in three capacities: 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB. Unsurprisingly, the new 120GB option is the most affordable, priced at $159.99. This is much less than the 240GB card ($239.99) and 480GB CFexpress card ($338.99). On a price per gigabyte basis, the 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB cards offer 1GB per $1.33, $1.00, and $0.63, respectively.

A Sony Alpha 7 camera body is shown alongside a detached FE 1.4/85 GM lens, a card reader, and two ProGrade memory cards, each with a storage capacity of 128 GB. The items are arranged on a gray textured surface.

For users demanding even more performance, ProGrade Digital announced its Iridium CFexpress Type A cards in April. The Iridium series, which also comes in a CFexpress Type B format, utilizes CFexpress 4.0 technology. While not yet supported by any cameras, CFexpress 4.0 pays dividends when transferring data using a compatible CFexpress 4.0 card reader — which ProGrade Digital also announced in the spring.

The CFexpress 4.0 Type A Iridium cards, which are still VPG 200 certified despite the move to CFexpress 4.0 technology, are priced at $311.99 for the 480GB version and $479.99 for a larger 960GB card. The cards are currently available at a discount, bringing their prices down closer to the Gold series options.

Sony photographers and videographers certainly have plenty of options to choose from these days.

Image credits: ProGrade Digital