Why Heat Matters (Thermal Throttling)

MicroSD cards, especially in handheld consoles or high-resolution cameras, can get very hot. Like a CPU, a card's controller chip will slow itself down (throttle) to prevent damage if it overheats.

This is a likely cause of the **Lexar PLAY** card's failures. User reports of overheating line up perfectly with benchmark data showing its speed dropping off a cliff.

The **PNY PRO Elite Prime** was specifically noted for its excellent heat management, showing no signs of throttling even under load. This indicates a high-quality controller and build, making it a very reliable choice.

Decoding the Warranty

A warranty signals a manufacturer's confidence in its product's endurance (how many times it can be written to before failing).

• Full Lifetime (TEAMGROUP)

  The best you can get. They will support the product for as long as it is in production and often beyond.

• Limited Lifetime (PNY, Lexar 633x)

  Very good. This is standard for high-quality flash memory. It's "limited" by the product's lifespan or by regions where "lifetime" isn't legally definable (e.g., Germany, where it's 10 years).

• 5-Year Limited (Lexar PLAY)

  A major red flag. This is a very short warranty for a microSD card and shows Lexar has little faith in this product's ability to last. This is common for low-quality, budget, or defective product lines.