Sony Adds Cheaper Cards to Its Ultra-Fast CFexpress 4.0 Type A Lineup

Sony introduced two new CFexpress 4.0 Type A Tough memory cards, expanding its lineup of ultra-fast memory cards with more affordable, lower-capacity offerings.

Sony’s two new CFexpress 4.0 Type A Tough cards, the CEA-G480T (480 GB) and CEA-G240T (240 GB), join the previously released CEA-G1920T (1920 GB) and CEA-G960T (960 GB) capacities, giving enthusiasts and pros more memory card options to choose from. Per Sony, the new cards are rated for read speeds exceeding 1,800 MB/s and write speeds of 1,700 MB/s, placing them among the fastest CFexpress Type A memory cards on the market.

The new cards are compatible with Sony’s latest Cinema Line and Alpha mirrorless cameras, including models such as the FX6, FX3, a7 IV, a7R V, a9 III, and a1 III. With their high sustained write speeds, the cards are well-suited for demanding applications, such as high-bitrate video recording and rapid burst photography.

However, it is worth noting that no Sony cameras yet support the faster speeds of CFexpress 4.0 cards. The new, fast cards are not any faster in current cameras compared to top-end CFexpress 2.0 memory cards. The real advantage comes in post-production, where pairing a CFexpress 4.0 card with a CFexpress 4.0 compatible reader can significantly speed up file transfers. So while Sony’s new CFexpress Type A cards are compatible with the CFexpress 4.0 standard, the practical advantages remain limited for now.

CFexpress 4.0, announced in 2023, doubles the maximum theoretical bandwidth compared to CFexpress 2.0 by moving from PCIe Gen 3 to PCIe Gen 4. This change enables higher sustained read and write speeds, which is particularly valuable when dealing with large amounts of data.

Undoubtedly, future camera models will incorporate the necessary hardware to take full advantage of fast CFexpress 4.0 memory cards, but the industry is not there quite yet.

Pricing and Availability

Sony says the new cards will begin shipping next month. The new 240GB Sony CFexpress 4.0 Type A card, the CEA-G240T, is priced at about $260. The 480GB card, the CEA-G480T, is $360.

For reference, the 960GB and 1920GB versions that are already available are $585 and $950, respectively.

The accompanying Sony CFexpress 4.0 Type A memory card reader, which the company released alongside its 960GB and 1920GB Tough cards earlier this year, is available now for $150.

Image credits: Sony