R4 SDHC Details

The R4 SDHC is a modified version of the R4v2. All its functions are very similar to the R4v2 except with one crucial difference: It is able to accept Micro-SDHC cards and can take up to 32GB of memory. Although slightly slower than the R4v2, the bootup time for the R4 SDHC is still pretty fast. It is not the 'original' R4 adapter, but is made by some of the same development team. The original R4 adapter ceased production in 2008, and this is its direct (and authentic) descendent.

Compatibility: DS and DS Lite
Pros: Good performance and reliability, Quick loading times, Takes up to 32GB memory.
Drawbacks: No obvious drawbacks - a good all-rounder.
NDS-Gear's Recommendation: For users who want a good overall performance adapter, at a good price ("The Jack of All Trades"), for the DS or DS Lite.

Download R4 SDHC Firmware / R4 SDHC Software from NDS-Gear.

Want to read more detailed information about this adapter? Check out the NDS-Gear Review of the R4 SDHC.

Still not sure which card to buy? Check out our handy Guide to Choosing a DS Card.

Buy R4 SDHC Card

The R4 SDHC card was the first ever DS card on the market to exceed 2 gigabytes as a micro SD capacity. The name R4 SDHC is derived from this because higher capacity micro SD cards are often referred to as micro SDHC cards (the HC standing for high capacity).

It is now commonplace that Micro-SD cards have these higher memory limits but the R4 SDHC was the first card that began the trend. 8GB Micro-SDHC cards were just beginning to drop to a reasonable price when the R4 SDHC was introduced, and the card obtained a viral popularity that made it one of the fastest selling DS cards of all time alongside the trusty original R4v2 card as well as the outside contender, the DSTT card. The only noticable downside to using the R4 SDHC card was that because of the increased maximum memory, R4 SDHC loading times were approximately five seconds longer than those on the DSTT or R4v2.

New R4 SDHC v2.10T Card

In June of 2010, the R4 SDHC team re-released the card as a completely fresh, new design in light of many DSi compatible cards making the old DS models somewhat redundant. For a short while the public were somewhat confused since the packaging of the new card was gold in colour (similar to the fake R4i Gold card). The text on the box itself was also changed from "R4 Revolution" to "R4 Renovation", denoting the 'renovation' the card has gone through. The electronic architecture of the card was completely changed, and the R4 SDHC team wanted to differentiate the old box from the new one as much as possible, which explains the stark difference in appearance.

The loading times on the new R4 SDHC v2.10T were slashed to a rather impressive 3 to 4 seconds, and the card itself is made of a stronger yet lighter plastic with components rearranged to give the card additional mechanical stability. The interface was also changed to very closely mimic the official R4i SDHC card (the sister card of the R4 SDHC that is compatible on newer DSi and 3DS consoles). The functionality of the card itself has remained identical, but the software is now compatible with newer applications and games in addition to being faster.

R4 SDHC Summary

In summary, the newest addition option for customers considering whether to buy R4 cards is an extremely welcome one indeed. With many newer Nintendo DSi and 3DS compatible cards coming out, support for many of the older, regular DS and DS Lite cards has declined or even ceased to exist. For example, the EZFlash IV, R4v2 and the DSTT all no longer have software updates being released for them. With these reasons in mind, the new R4 SDHC v2.10T card is a great reminder that the R4 SDHC team want to capitalise on this and secure the DS / DS Lite market amongst consumers who have yet to buy (or are not considering) the Nintendo DSi or 3DS just yet.