Best Memory Card GoPro Hero 10

Top 5 Recommendation SD Cards

These are the best memory cards for the GoPro Hero 10 with their corresponding benchmarks.

Previously GoPro cameras would have trouble with memory cards larger than 256GB, but now GoPro is saying their cameras going all the way back to the Hero7 can take 512GB cards including the Hero10.

GoPro Hero 10 can now shoot 5k at 60fps and 4k at 120fps, the bitrate still remains limited to 100mbps.

GoPro Hero 10 Capacity

The GoPro Hero10 Black takes micro sd memory cards up to 512GB in size. It is not recommended to use cards larger than this. In previous cameras, users would report issues with 512GB cards, but GoPro is officially saying they work in their memory card guide.

Now that the Hero 10 has improved battery life, it could be worth jumping up to a 256GB card, but the 512GB cards in previous models were overkill, especially since cameras like the Hero 9 would overheat if you did long takes.

I’ve personally found I never need a card larger than 128GB shooting POV videos or shooting videos with my kids going on trips.

GoPro Hero 10 Memory Card Compatibility

The GoPro Hero10 requires micro SD memory cards with a U3 speed class.

The U3 speed class guarantees a minimum write speed of 30MB/s. Since the Hero 10 shoots 100mbps or 12.5MB/s, you’ll need this minimum guaranteed to speed the U3 speed class provides.

Some cards simply do not work well with GoPro cameras so you should stick with the recommended cards tested above, and especially avoid specialty cards like the Nintendo Switch Sandisk cards since they would not work at all in previous cameras.

If you notice a lot of lost clips, battery life that doesn’t hold even when the camera is off, lockups, or any strange glitches, try switching out your card first. Often an incompatible memory card is the cause of most issues in GoPros. The same goes for using cards that are of higher capacity, if 512GB cards are causing issues, try dropping down to 256GB cards.

Can You Use UHS-II cards?

Yes, but they provide no benefit to in-camera speeds. Only buy them if you have a UHS-II adapter for faster transfer speeds to your computer.

SD Card Related Camera Specs

Best Size Memory Card For GoPro Hero10

The Hero10 has a maximum micro SD size of 512GB, at 5.2k 100Mbps, which means will be limited to about 683 minutes of video per card.

How big of a card do you need for real-world shooting? For a day trip with the kids, I can use about a 64GB card if I’m recording a lot. 32GB with moderate use. So a 128GB card is nice since it will allow you to go a few days if needed.

I recommend starting with a 128GB card, you probably won’t need more if you’re using the GoPro pretty casually.

GoPro Hero 10 Bitrates

These are the bitrates you can expect to find in the different record modes. These were taken from the Hero 9, I’ll update for Hero 10 once it arrives.

Use the Bitrate Calculator to see how much time each bitrate will record.

Micro SD Memory Card Speed Tests

Each card has been tested using the Samsung Galaxy S10+. This gives us a similar idea to how each card might perform in the GoPro Hero 10 since the smartphone also uses an ARM processor with micro sd components.

This table shows the results of our micro SD memory read and write speeds tests.

Best Memory Cards GoPro Hero10 | Conclusions

The GoPro Hero 10 is overall a slightly improved version than the Hero 9 with improved battery life, a larger sensor, and better reliability with fewer hitches and lockups than the previous model. 

GoPro has stated the camera can now take 512GB cards, from Sandisk or Lexar which is great news, although a 512GB card will likely be overkill for most people.

Stick with U3 micro SD cards and start with at least a 64GB card from one of the recommended cards above and you should get great results from the Hero 10.

Have an older GoPro?

Check out this guide to the Best Micro SD Cards For GoPro Cameras.