Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress Type B MK2 Introduced – 4TB and 1.3TB Capacities

by Olaf von VossApril 25^th, 2022

Angelbird has just introduced its latest CFexpress cards: The AV PRO CFexpress Type B MK2 4TB and 1.3TB models. 4TB on a single CFexpress Type B card sounds amazing, but a little scary at the same time. We discussed the details with Angelbird CEO Roman Rabitsch here at NAB 2022.

The new MK2 models (read our initial coverage here) are now available, and they come with massive capacities of up to 4TB. Therefore, these new models may not be suitable for everyone.

As Roman Rabitsch puts it, these cards are for professionals, not hobbyists. The 4TB is the capacity king, while the 1.3TB wins the speed crown.

Having 4TB on a single card may alarm some, but for documentary filmmakers, underwater or helicopter work where you can’t easily access the camera to swap out media, this kind of capacity could come in handy indeed.

Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress Type B MK2 4TB

Angelbird, as you may know already, does all the heavy lifting themselves. They don’t sell OEM drives that have been relabeled and rehoused, but source all the necessary components themselves and assemble them. They have full control, and this is of course to the filmmaker’s benefit.

Furthermore, they can issue updates to the controller firmware (each storage device usually has its own little processing unit) to adapt to the ever-changing market. They not only claim, but guarantee, that their products will work as specified. If something happens, you can send the card in for professional data recovery.

The risk of losing valuable footage due to a card failure because you’re recording an entire day’s worth of footage on a single card is no greater than it would be with multiple lower-capacity cards. That’s because, as Roman tells us, these new AV PRO cards are specifically designed to withstand the stresses they’re exposed to.

When recording 12K and beyond, a lot of heat is generated, and these cards get hot, but that’s not a problem because they’re designed to withstand the heat and still provide a sustained 1300 MB/s throughput.

• Y2 processor with exceptional power for RAW video and photo content creation.
• Stable Stream™ ensures uninterrupted read/write performance throughout the card’s entire capacity.
• Improved battery run time.
• Protects card and content against overheating.
• 3-year limited warranty.
• Data recovery service on hard- and software level

Angelbird AV PRO XT MK2 1.3TB

Angelbird also released a lower capacity AV PRO CFexpress Type B MK2 XT 1.3TB card for those who need even more high-end throughput but not necessarily a 4TB capacity. ‘XT’ stands for extended endurance.

Both cards offer read speed of up to 1785 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1600 MB/s (1320GB) and 1550 MB/s (4TB) with a sustained write speed (this is the critical value) of 1300 MB/s (4TB) and 1480 MB/s (1320GB).

Not all the cameras out there which take CFexpress Type B cards can also handle 4TB worth of storage. The RED VRAPTOR is one of them, but other manufacturers will follow shortly and issue firmware updates to support more than 2TB, I’m sure.

Other use cases

Since these cards now offer such huge capacities, and are also specifically designed for performance and endurance, another nice use case might be to simply pop them into your (mobile) editing suite and start post-processing your just-recorded footage directly from these cards. All you need is a decent card reader.

Pricing and availability

Both models, the new Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress Type B MK2 4TB and 1.3TB are available now. The 4TB model sells for $1,799.99. The same goes for the 1320GB model as it offers an increased max write speed of 1550 MB/s and a slightly higher sustained write speed of 1480 MB/s compared to the 4TB model.

Link: Angelbird

What do you think, do you use Angelbird cards for your capture and storage needs already? Share your experiences in the comments below!