CFexpress: The Ultimate Storage for Professionals

CFexpress is a high-speed removable storage standard launched by the Compact Flash Association (CFA) in 2017. It relies on the PCIe interface and NVMe protocol, which gives it significant advantages in transmission speed and latency control. It is widely used in professional photography, video recording and other fields. The following is a detailed introduction:

Diversified Applications: In addition to professional photography equipment, it is also used in Xbox S|X game consoles for storage expansion, and in industrial control, communication and other fields due to its low power consumption and high reliability.

Version IterationsVersionRelease TimeKey UpgradesMaximum Speed1.0Q2 2017Adopted the XQD form factor (Type B), equipped with PCIe 3.0 x2 interface and NVMe 1.2 protocol.2 GB/s2.0Q1 2019Added Type A and Type C form factors. The NVMe protocol was upgraded to 1.3, and the interface specifications covered PCIe 3.0 x1/x2/x4.1.0 GB/s (Type A), 2.0 GB/s (Type B), 4.0 GB/s (Type C)4.0Q3 2023Upgraded to PCIe 4.0 interface, and the NVMe protocol was updated to 1.4c. The speed was doubled compared with version 2.0.2.0 GB/s (Type A), 4.0 GB/s (Type B), 8.0 GB/s (Type C)

Form FactorsCFexpress has three form factors to adapt to different device requirements, and the number of PCIe lanes supported increases with the size of the card:

Type A: The smallest type with dimensions of 20.0×28.0×2.8mm, supporting 1 PCIe lane. Its size is similar to that of an SD card, which is suitable for entry-level devices with limited space.

Type B: The mainstream type with dimensions of 38.5×29.8×3.8mm and 2 PCIe lanes. It is backward compatible with some XQD devices with upgraded firmware, and is widely used in mid-to-high-end cameras.

Type C: The largest type with dimensions of 54.0×74.0×4.8mm and 4 PCIe lanes. It has the highest transmission speed and is mainly used in professional fields such as 8K video recording and high-performance industrial equipment.

Core Advantages and Application Scenarios

Extreme Performance: It supports full-duplex transmission, and high-end products can achieve read and write speeds of over 3000MB/s. It can meet the needs of professional scenarios such as 8K raw video shooting and high-speed continuous shooting of cameras without frame loss.

Strong Compatibility: Type B cards can be compatible with some XQD card slots after the device firmware is upgraded, which reduces the replacement cost for users.

Stable and Durable: Many CFexpress cards can work in extreme temperature environments (-10°C to 70°C for ordinary models, and -40°C to 85°C for industrial models). They are also equipped with technologies such as ECC error correction and data protection to ensure data security.