The format is targeted at high-definition camcorders and high-resolution digital cameras. It offers target read and write speeds from 1 Gbit/s to about 5 Gbit/s[1] and storage capabilities beyond 2 TiB.[2][3][failed verification]
The cards are not backward compatible with CompactFlash or CFast cards, and despite the name similarity, has no connection with the xD-Picture Card. XQD and CFast were both designed as a replacement of the 1994 CompactFlash standard.
The format was first announced in November 2010 by SanDisk, Sony and Nikon, and was immediately picked up by the CompactFlash Association for development.[4] The final specification was announced in December 2011.[1][5]
XQD version 2.0 was announced in June 2012, featuring support for PCI Express 3.0 with transfer rates up to 8 Gbit/s (1 GB/s).[6]
On 7 September 2016 the CFA announced the successor of XQD, CFexpress.[7] This new standard uses the same form-factor and interface but uses the NVMe protocol for higher speeds, lower latencies and lower power consumption.
Support
In January 2012, the first XQD card was announced by Sony, declaring a 1 Gbit/s read and write speed.[8][9] In July 2012, Lexar (owned at the time by Micron) announced plans to support the XQD format.[10]
As of 2012, SanDisk and Kingston had not announced plans to produce XQD cards.[11][12]
In addition to Sony, as of August 2018, Nikon and Delkin are also manufacturing XQD cards.[citation needed]
In late 2018, Lexar – by then under new ownership – [13][14] announced that it would discontinue support for the XQD format in favour of CFexpress, citing problems with control, licensing and product availability.[15]
Hosts
Sony has said their broadcast camcorders (XDCAM and XDCAM EX) will support the XQD cards. For their broadcast products the XQD card will be classified as a secondary media as XQD is based around consumer technology. Nonetheless, the cards will support acquisition in the broadcast quality MPEG HD422 50 Mbit/s format. On 4 September 2013, Sony released the PXW-Z100, a 4K prosumer camera that records onto XQD cards.[16] Additionally, Sony’s PXW-FS7 and PXW-FX9 cameras also support XQD cards.
^"CFA 5.1 Press Release"(PDF). September 7, 2016. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 21, 2016. CFA has developed [card standards including] CompactFlash®, CFast®, and XQD® formats. [..] CFexpress is the next evolution in an open standard format for a broader set of applications
^"Lexar Quits XQD Cards, Accuses Sony of Preventing Progress". October 25, 2018. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2019. Lexar has abandoned the XQD memory card format and is now focusing its attention on pushing for CFexpress as the future standard. [..saying that..] "the product availability of XQD has been held up by multiple parties including Sony (who owns the IP) which is preventing us from moving forward"
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