What’s the difference between the TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M?

Sony currently has two types of TOUGH SD Cards. So, what are the main differences between the TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M?

You can find out in this comparison guide for the two series.

Quick Summary

When compared to the Sony TOUGH-M Series UHS-II SD Card, the Sony TOUGH-G Series UHS-II SD Card has a slightly faster maximum reading speed in HD312 mode. The TOUGH-G is also nearly twice as fast at maximum writing speed in HD312 mode.

If you are using these cards with the SDR104 mode, then both have identical read and write speeds.

Furthermore, the G series has been rated at V90 while the M series has a rating of V60. This means that the G cards are more suitable for up to 8K for filming while the M cards are more suitable for up to 4K capture.

When it comes to capacity options, both versions offer 64 GB and 128 GB. The 32 GB option is limited to the TOUGH-G while the 256 GB option is only available for the TOUGH-M.

The two memory cards are identical when it comes to operating temperature range in addition to protections against dust and water.

SF-G vs. SF-M Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the UHS-II SD Cards below.

Capacity Options

The TOUGH-G is the only one of the two to offer a 32 GB capacity option while the TOUGH-M is the only one to offer a 256 GB capacity option.

You can get the 64 GB and 128 GB capacities for both series.

You can check out a breakdown of the available capacity options for the two products below:

Sony TOUGH-G series SD UHS-II Card:

• 32 GB
• 64 GB
• 128 GB

Sony TOUGH-M series SD UHS-II Card

• 64 GB
• 128 GB
• 256 GB

Model Numbers

You can also take a look at the model numbers for each SD card below:

• 32 GB TOUGH-G: SF-G32T
• 64 GB TOUGH-G: SF-G64T
• 128 GB TOUGH-G: SF-G128T

• 64 GB TOUGH-M: SF-M64T
• 128 GB TOUGH-M: SF-M128T
• 256 GB TOUGH-M: SF-M256T

Usable Capacity

When you compared the same capacities, the 64 GB and 128 GB versions of the TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M have identical usable capacity.

You can check out the amount of free space available for all of the SD cards below:

• 32 GB TOUGH-G: 28.8 GB
• 64 GB TOUGH-G: 57.6 GB
• 128 GB TOUGH-G: 115.2 GB

• 64 GB TOUGH-M: 57.6 GB
• 128 GB TOUGH-M: 115.2 GB
• 256 GB TOUGH-M: 230.4 GB

Interface

Both the TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M utilize the UHS-II interface.

Format

The 32 GB TOUGH-G uses SDHC as the format.

The 64 GB and 128 GB versions of the TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M, as well as the 256 GB TOUGH-M, use the SDXC format.

SD Speed Class

All the SD cards in this comparison guide have a Class 10 rating, which means that these devices have a minimum SD write speed of 10 MB per second.

UHS Speed Class

The Sony TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M have the same U3 rating. This means that both have a minimum UHS speed of 30 MB per second.

Video Speed Class

The TOUGH-G Series UHS-II SD Card has a V90 video speed class rating as it is able to achieve a minimum sustained write speed of 90 MB per second. This makes the card suitable for filming 8K videos.

The TOUGH-M Series UHS-II SD Card has a V60 video speed class rating, which means that it has a minimum sustained write speed of 60 MB per second. So, the M card is used mainly for capturing 4K videos.

Read/Transfer Speed in HD312 mode

The TOUGH-G has a higher maximum read/transfer speed than the TOUGH-M when using the HD312 mode.

According to Sony’s internal testing, the G card is 23 MB per second faster than the M card. This translates to an 8.30% advantage.

You can check out the HD312 read/transfer speeds below:

• Sony TOUGH-G series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 300 MB per second
• Sony TOUGH-M series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 277 MB per second

Read/Transfer Speed in SDR104 mode

The two SD cards in this versus guide have the same read/transfer speed when using the SDR104 mode.

You can check out the SDR104 reading/transferring speed specifications below:

• Sony TOUGH-G series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 95 MB per second
• Sony TOUGH-M series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 95 MB per second

Write Speed in HD312 mode

When it comes to maximum writing speeds in HD312 mode, the TOUGH G is 149 MB per second faster than the TOUGH M. Thus, the G series has a 99.33% advantage in this category.

You can check out the HD312 write speeds for both below:

• Sony TOUGH-G series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 299 MB per second
• Sony TOUGH-M series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 150 MB per second

Write Speed in SDR104 mode

The TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M have identical maximum writing speeds when SDR104 mode is used.

You can find the SDR104 write speeds below:

• Sony TOUGH-G series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 90 MB per second
• Sony TOUGH-M series SD UHS-II Card: Up to 90 MB per second

Supported Software

Both products support the following software:

• File Rescue
• SD Scan Utility

File Rescue will help you recover accidentally deleted files while the SD Scan Utility will help you check on the health status of your SD card.

Operating Temperature Range

The TOUGH-G and TOUGH-M have the same recommended operating temperature range of -13℉ to 185℉ (Non-Condensing).

Dust and Waterproofing

Both of the TOUGH SD cards in this comparison have been rated IP68. This mean that the cards are completely protected against dust particles as well as being able to withstand being dropped underwater at a depth of up to 16 feet for a maximum of 72 hours.

Resources:

• https://www.sony.com/electronics/sd-cards/sf-gt-series/specifications
• https://www.sony.com/electronics/sd-cards/sf-m-series-t-/specifications