Micro SD Card for Camera and Hard Drive for NVR: Jordan 2026 Guide
A security camera is only as useful as the footage it keeps. Choosing the right micro SD card for camera recording, or the right hard drive for NVR and DVR systems, decides how many days of video you can go back to and whether a clip is still there when you need it. In Jordan, where homes, shops and farms often mix Wi-Fi cameras with full CCTV recorders, this small decision saves a lot of frustration.
This guide explains security camera storage in plain language: which card specs matter, how to calculate how much storage CCTV needs, when a desktop hard drive is enough, and how to back up important clips. Every product below is available at NaserTech with delivery across Jordan.
Quick picks
| Product | Best for | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| SD Memory Micro SD 100MB/s | Wi-Fi cameras and dash cams | U1 / Class 10, read and write up to 100MB/s |
| WD Green Internal Hard Drive | Home and small-office NVR/DVR | 3.5-inch SATA III, 500GB to 3TB |
| UGREEN 2-in-1 USB 3.0 SD/TF Card Reader (20250) | Reviewing camera cards on a PC | 5Gbps, reads two cards at once |
| UGREEN 2-in-1 USB-C OTG Card Reader (50706) | Laptops, tablets and phones | USB-C and USB-A plugs in one reader |
| UGREEN USB-C to TF Card Reader (80124) | Checking a card on your phone | Keychain design, up to 104MB/s with UHS-I |
| UGREEN USB to SATA Converter Cable (20611) | Connecting 3.5" or 2.5" drives to a PC | 12V 2A power adapter included |
| UGREEN 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure (30847) | A backup drive from a spare laptop drive | Tool-free, up to 6TB, UASP |
| UGREEN Dual-Bay Duplicator / Cloner (50857) | Cloning or upgrading drives | Clones a SATA drive without a computer |
How to choose security camera storage
1. Card capacity: check what your camera supports
Cards above 2GB and up to 32GB are SDHC; cards above 32GB up to 2TB are SDXC. Every camera has a maximum supported capacity, usually stated in the manual, so check it before buying a large card. A bigger card means more days before the oldest footage is overwritten.
2. Speed classes: Class 10, U1, U3 and V30
The big "up to 100MB/s" figure is a maximum. For recording, what matters is the guaranteed minimum write speed shown by the small symbols: Class 10 and U1 mean at least 10MB/s, while U3 and V30 mean at least 30MB/s. A camera streaming at 4Mbps writes only about 0.5MB/s, so U1 / Class 10 has plenty of headroom for home cameras. Choose U3 or V30 when a device, such as a 4K dash cam, asks for it in its manual.
3. Endurance: why 24/7 recording wears out cards
Flash memory wears a little every time it is written, and a camera recording around the clock rewrites the whole card again and again. Cards sold as "high endurance" are built for this workload. Whatever card you use, treat it as a consumable: play back footage every few weeks and replace the card at the first sign of trouble, such as gaps in the timeline. Motion-only recording writes less, which extends both retention and card life.
4. How much storage does CCTV need? The formula
Find the camera's bitrate (in Mbps) in its video settings, often under "main stream", then use:
GB per day = bitrate (Mbps) × 86,400 ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000
A day has 86,400 seconds, dividing by 8 turns megabits into megabytes, and dividing by 1,000 turns megabytes into gigabytes. Worked example: a camera recording continuously at 2Mbps uses 2 × 86,400 = 172,800 megabits, ÷ 8 = 21,600MB, ÷ 1,000 = 21.6GB per day. A 128GB card holds about 128 ÷ 21.6 ≈ 6 days. Real results are slightly lower because usable space is a little less than the label. If your camera hides its bitrate, check how much of the card is used after 24 hours.
| Bitrate (one camera, 24/7) | Per day | 64GB | 128GB | 256GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mbps | 10.8GB | ~6 days | ~12 days | ~24 days |
| 2Mbps | 21.6GB | ~3 days | ~6 days | ~12 days |
| 4Mbps | 43.2GB | ~1.5 days | ~3 days | ~6 days |
For an NVR, add up all cameras. Four cameras at 2Mbps total 8Mbps, or 86.4GB per day, so 1TB holds about 11 days, 2TB about 23 days and 3TB about 34 days of continuous recording. Motion-only recording and H.265 compression, which typically needs less bitrate than H.264 for similar quality, stretch these numbers.
5. Hard drive for NVR or DVR: surveillance vs desktop drives
Most NVRs and DVRs use 3.5-inch SATA drives (some compact models take 2.5-inch), so check your recorder's drive bays and maximum capacity per bay. Surveillance-rated drives are designed for 24/7 operation and for writing many video streams at once; desktop drives are designed for typical computer use. For a home or small shop with a few cameras, a reliable desktop-class drive is a common, workable choice; for many cameras or business sites where footage is critical, a surveillance-rated drive is safer. After installing, initialize the drive from the recorder's storage menu and enable overwrite.
6. Backups: card readers, enclosures and SATA adapters
If a camera is stolen or a drive fails, the recording goes with it, so export important clips quickly. From a Wi-Fi camera, download the clip in the app, or power the camera off and read its card on a computer with a card reader. Some cameras save video in their own format or encrypt it, so you may need the maker's player or the camera's encryption password. From an NVR, export clips to a USB flash drive. Windows often cannot read a recorder's drive directly; if it offers to format it, cancel, or the recordings will be erased. Keep a second copy on a separate drive, such as a spare drive in an enclosure.
Recommended camera storage at NaserTech
SD Memory Micro SD 100MB/s
This microSDHC/microSDXC card carries UHS Speed Class 1 (U1) and a Class 10 video rating for smooth Full HD recording, with read and write speeds up to 100MB/s. It complies with the SD Association's specifications and works with devices that support SDHC and SDXC.
Good for: Wi-Fi cameras and dash cams that record to microSD.
WD Green Internal Hard Drive
A 3.5-inch SATA III internal drive in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 3TB capacities, designed for low power consumption, quiet operation and long-term use. It is listed for desktops, backups and DVR/NVR recording, and needs a SATA connection (it is not a portable drive).
Good for: home and small-office CCTV recorders and PC upgrades.
UGREEN 2-in-1 USB 3.0 SD/TF Card Reader (20250)
Reads SD and microSD (TF) cards at the same time at up to 5Gbps and supports cards up to 2TB. It is plug and play on Windows, macOS, Linux and Chrome OS with no driver or extra power, and UGREEN lists it for dash cams and security cameras.
Good for: copying clips from a camera card to a desktop PC.
UGREEN 2-in-1 USB-C OTG Card Reader (50706)
Combines USB-C and USB-A plugs in one slim reader, so it suits USB-A computers as well as USB-C laptops, tablets and phones. It transfers at up to 5Gbps, reads SD and microSD cards at the same time, and supports cards from dash cams and surveillance cameras.
Good for: homes with a mix of USB-C and USB-A devices.
UGREEN USB-C to TF Card Reader (80124)
A thumb-size microSD (TF) reader that plugs directly into USB-C OTG phones, tablets and laptops, with transfers up to 104MB/s with UHS-I cards. It has a zinc alloy body and a keychain so it is hard to lose.
Good for: checking a camera's card on your phone at the installation spot.
UGREEN USB to SATA Converter Cable (20611)
Connects a 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD to a computer over USB 3.0 at up to 5Gbps with UASP. It includes the 12V 2A power adapter that 3.5-inch drives need, supports drives up to 20TB, and is hot-swappable.
Good for: backing up to a spare desktop drive or checking a used drive.
UGREEN 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure (30847)
Turns a 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD up to 6TB into a portable drive with a built-in USB 3.0 cable, 5Gbps transfers and UASP. Installation is tool-free; the drive itself is not included.
Good for: reusing an old laptop drive as a backup for exported footage.
UGREEN Dual-Bay Duplicator / Cloner (50857)
A dual-bay USB 3.0 dock for two SATA drives that can also clone one drive to another without a computer, with LED indicators showing progress. It supports UASP and drives up to 24TB, powered by a 12V 3A supply.
Good for: moving data to a larger drive or keeping a full duplicate.
Setup tips and mistakes to avoid
- Format a new card inside the camera or its app before first use.
- Power off the camera or recorder before inserting or removing a card or drive.
- Enable overwrite (loop recording) and play back a clip after the first day.
- Avoid suspiciously cheap high-capacity cards; fake cards report more space than they have.
- Keep the NVR in a ventilated, hidden spot away from direct sun: Jordan's summer heat is hard on hard drives, and a thief should not be able to take the footage with the recorder.
- Use a UPS for the recorder where power cuts happen; sudden power loss can corrupt recordings.
Frequently asked questions
What micro SD card do I need for a security camera?
One within your camera's supported capacity, rated at least U1 / Class 10. For 24/7 recording, a high endurance card lasts longer.
How many days does a 128GB card record on a security camera?
At 2Mbps continuous recording (21.6GB per day), about 6 days. Motion-only recording lasts much longer.
How much storage do I need for a 4-camera CCTV system?
Four cameras at 2Mbps use about 86GB per day, so 1TB keeps around 11 days and 2TB around 23 days.
Can I use a normal hard drive for an NVR or DVR?
Yes, a desktop-class drive works for small home systems. For many cameras recording 24/7, a surveillance-rated drive is safer.
Why does my camera say the SD card is abnormal?
Format the card in the camera's app, confirm its capacity is supported, and reinsert it with the camera off. If errors return, the card is likely worn out.
How do I watch camera recordings on my computer?
Use a card reader for microSD cards, or export clips from the NVR to a USB flash drive. Some brands need their own player software.
Browse our storage for camera systems collection for hard drives and micro SD cards, or our card readers collection for backup tools. Still choosing cameras? See our guide to solar-powered 4G and Wi-Fi security cameras in Jordan and our DORI guide on how resolution affects what a camera can identify.
