Delkin Black CFexpress Type-B Memory Card Review

The Delkin Black CFexpress Type-B represents the top-tier offering from Delkin, built to tackle any challenge with ease. With read speeds reaching 1700MB/s and write speeds up to 1530MB/s, it effortlessly manages high-resolution content, ensuring a steady 1300MB/s sustained speed for smooth performance.

Delkin Black 150GB CFexpress Type-B

Delkin Black 150GB CFexpress Type B cards have a rated write speed of 1530MB/s and a rated read speed of 1700MB/s.
Tested Write Speed: 1528MB/s
Tested Read Speed: 1545MB/s
Tested Sustain: 1421 MB/s

Warranty: Limited Lifetime / 48hr Replacement

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New Delkin G4

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Note: Delkin has a new Delkin Black G4 set of cards. These come in two different setups – 325GB and 650GB/1300GB sizes.

Key Features:

• Capacity: Available in 150/325/650GB
• Read Speed: Up to 1700 MB/s
• Write Speed: Up to 1530 MB/s
• Sustained Speeds: 1300 MB/s
• Bus Type: PCI-Express 3.0

Both sets have a rated write speed of 1700 MB/s and a read speed of 1800 MB/s. But where they differ is their sustained speeds. The Delkin Black G4 325GB has a rated sustain of 1450 MB/s and the 650GB to 1300GB cards have a sustain speed of 1560 MB/s. For this Delkinn Black CFexpress Type B memory card review, we’re only looking at the Gen3 cards.

Benchmarks – USB-C Speed Tests.

I use the AJA System Test for simulating different video codecs, currently focusing on 16-bit RGBA. I run tests on 4GB files to capture the peak scores as this is typically how big a lot of camera buffers are today. To gauge the true sustained speed, I conduct repeated 64GB file tests and record the slowest speed.

For these tests, I’m using the Prograde USB 3.2 2×2 CFExpress Type-B reader.

In my tests, the Delkin Black Gen 3 cards showed sustained speeds of 1421MB/s, nearly matching their write speeds of 1425MB/s. This performance is ideal for video work, particularly when recording high-bitrate Internal RAW footage on Nikon or RED cameras.

During the Nikon Z8 Memory Cards Speed Tests, the Delkin Black cards achieved in-camera write speeds of 700MB/s, making them the fastest option for the Nikon Z8, albeit marginally. Other leading brands hovered around 698 MB/s, indicating that the slight speed advantage may be due to Nikon’s processing limits rather than the cards themselves, in other words, they are all performing about the same.

In-camera testing I do only reflects buffer speeds from sequentially shot images, which does slow down the speeds due to the processing requirements of each file. For instance, while Nikons 8k60p NRAW operates at 722.5MB/s, the buffer tests show a bottleneck at approximately 700MB/s, but I can continuously record NRAW to a Delkin Black card without any issues.

Sustained Disk Writes

The Delkin Black does not have the VGP-400 rating like the Lexar Diamond CFexpress Type-B card does, meaning it lacks the certification to guarantee a minimum sustained speed of 400MB/s. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything as many cameras today are demanding much faster data rates than 400MB/s. So the VGP-400 rating is a fairly useless certification for high-end video.

Using the AJA System Test, the chart indicates a peak write speed of approximately 1533MB/s. Impressively, this speed remained consistent during the entire 64GB write cycle. Repeated tests have confirmed that there is no decline in performance.

Compatibility:

Tailored for CFexpress Type-B cameras such as the Nikon Z9 or GFX100 II, this card is up to the task for any current camera demands. It smoothly supports NRAW, REDRAW, high bitrate H.265, and even ProRes HQ formats.

Compare to other CFepxress Type-B memory cards.

Durability:

Delkin Black memory cards are built with a rugged design.

If you want a card that will last for years, rugged Black cards by Delkin, or even the Hoodman Steel 1TB CFeB cards are solid options.

Operating Temperature: 32 to 102°F / 0 to 70°C

Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty and a 48-hour replacement guarantee upon registration with Delkin.

Conclusion:

For photographers in need of top-notch CFexpress Type B memory cards, Delkin Black CFexpress Type B cards stand out as exceptional. They deliver seamless performance, whether you’re snapping photos or filming videos.