It seems that some of Sony’s Tough memory cards aren’t so tough after all. Unfortunately, the company has had to issue a recall for some of its Sony Tough series CFexpress Type A memory cards.
What’s the issue?
Sony published the recall on its Japanese website. The company said, “We have discovered that in some CFexpress Type A memory cards in the CEA-G series, there are rare cases where the card is not recognized or writing does not finish in low-temperature environments near the lower limit of operating temperature (-10°C / 14°F).” The specifications for the cards state the operating temperature range as -10°C / 14°F to +70°C / 158°F.
Which cards are affected?
The recall applies to Sony’s CEA-G Tough CFexpress Type A cards in 80 GB, 160 GB, 320 GB, and 640 GB capacities. However, it appears only to be an issue with certain batches of cards. In addition, Sony has only published the recall notice in Japan so far. The serial numbers to look out for are:
CEA-G80T (80 GB)
- 1) Products with eight-digit numbers 22030050 to 23050157, except for products with the following numbers: 22030077, 22030094, 22040022, 22050028, 22050067, 22070075, 22110010, 22110015, 22110029, 22110037, 22110103
- 2) Products with the nine-digit number 220300500 to 230501570
CEA-G160T (160 GB)
- 1) Products with eight-digit numbers 22030127 to 24029999, except for products with the following numbers: 22040025, 22040068, 22050029, 22050068, 22070076
- 2) Products with a nine-digit number between 220301270 and 240299990
CEA-G320T (320 GB)
- 1) Products with eight-digit numbers between 22090001 and 24029999
- 2) Products with a nine-digit number between 220900010 and 240299990
CEA-G640T (640 GB)
- 1) Products with eight-digit numbers between 23010001 and 24029999
- 2) Products with a nine-digit number between 230100010 and 240299990
On July 1st, Sony added, “Please note that if the number starts with 3 and is 9 digits long (e.g.: 3 2xxxxxxx) or 10 digits long (e.g.: 3 2xxxxxxxx), it is not eligible for free repair”.
What is Sony doing?
Sony has apologized for any inconvenience caused to customers using the affected products. The company will also repair the affected products free of charge. You have until June 29, 2029, to send in your card for repair. If your memory card is eligible, you can start the repair process by following the links on the Sony website.
What we think
For many users, the problem with these memory cards won’t be an issue. Recording at -10°C / 14°F isn’t a regular situation. However, Sony’s marketing states, “You can rely on CFexpress Type A memory cards to work faultlessly in extreme temperatures,” so it is a little embarrassing for the company. If you use these cards, take time to check your serial numbers. If your memory cards are affected, then you should get them repaired as soon as possible.
