What the Speed Symbols on an SD Card Actually Mean
An SD or microSD card can carry several speed symbols at once: perhaps a 10 inside a broken circle, a 3 inside a U, and a mark such as V30. It is easy to assume that these numbers are competing estimates of the card’s maximum speed. They are not. Most of these marks are speed classes: standardized ways to state a minimum level of write performance under defined conditions. Different class systems were introduced for different generations and uses, so one card can legitimately qualify for several of them.