Digital storage: How often you should be replacing your memory

Memory Has a Lifespan: Here's Why

All storage devices used in vehicle recorders rely on flash memory or mechanical components that degrade over time. With continuous use, such as recording daily vehicle journeys, the memory is written and overwritten constantly. Over time, this leads to wear, and eventually, the memory becomes less reliable or fails altogether.

This applies to:

• SD and microSD cards (commonly used in dashcams and compact units)
• Solid State Drives (SSDs) (used in high-performance MDVRs)
• Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) (used in large-capacity multi-channel MDVRs)

Capacity and Usage: Key Factors in Memory Wear

The rate at which memory wears out depends heavily on:

• How much it's used (e.g. hours of recording per day)
• How frequently it's overwritten
• The size (capacity) of the memory

For example, a 32GB SD card used in a dashcam will fill up quickly and begin overwriting data more often than a 1TB HDD in a large MDVR system. More frequent overwriting shortens the effective lifespan of the memory.

Many systems also automatically save footage from specific events, such as harsh braking, collisions, or impacts. This footage is stored separately to prevent overwriting, but the memory still degrades with overall usage.

Our Recommendation: Replace Memory Annually

To ensure reliable performance and avoid losing important footage, we recommend replacing memory at least once a year. This helps mitigate the risks of:

• Memory corruption
• Lost or unreadable footage
• Reduced write speeds or performance issues

This recommendation applies across all vehicle recording systems—dashcams, MDVRs, and any other solution where memory plays a key role in video capture and storage.

Tips to Extend the Life of Your Memory

• Choose the right type: Use high-endurance memory designed for continuous video recording and harsh environments.
• Use Reputable Brands: Such as Integral, Lexar and Toshiba. 
• Select appropriate capacity: Larger memory reduces how often files are overwritten.
• Format regularly: Use your device’s built-in formatting function to maintain file health.
• Monitor for warning signs: If you notice footage skipping, system lag, or error messages, it may be time to replace the memory.
• Avoid harsh handling: Especially important for HDDs, which are sensitive to vibration and shock.

Final Thought

Memory may be small, but it plays a big role in the reliability of your vehicle recording system. Whether it’s a single-channel dashcam or a multi-camera MDVR setup, regularly maintaining and replacing your memory ensures your system is always ready to record and protect what matters.