How to Choose the Best microSD Card for your Android Device

There are many Android devices in the market and unfortunately most Android devices still come with 16GB internal storage by default. Fortunately, most mid-range or low-end smartphones come with an SD card slot. However, there are many types of microSD cards on the market, each with different parameters and capacities. Choosing the right microSD card is very important to get the maximum value out of the card. In this article, We tell you everything you need to know to choose the best microSD card for your Android device:

Features and Compatibility

There are three main types of microSD cards available in the market:

• SDSC or SD (Secure Digital Standard Capacity) — Capacities range from 128MB to 2GB. They use the FAT16 file system and work with devices that support SD, SDHC or SDXC. For example, SanDisk 2GB microSD It is the cheapest SD card available in the market.

• SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) — The capacities of these cards range from 4GB to 32GB and use the FAT32 file system. Because SDHC works differently from SDSC cards, this new format is not backward compatible with devices that only accept SD cards. For example, Lexar 32GB microSD it is a good class 10 SDHC card. When you buy an SDHC card, be sure to pay attention to the SDHC logo.

• SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) — Capacities range from 64GB to 2TB and use the exFAT file system. Because the exFAT file system works differently from SDSC and SDHC cards, this new format is not backward compatible with devices that only accept SD or SDHC cards. For example, SanDisk 200GB microSD is the class 10 SDXC card you can buy. Again, pay attention to the SDXC logo when purchasing an SDXC card.

brands

You should always buy a microSD card from a reputable brand. It’s easy to buy a cheap generic microSD card on eBay or the black market, but you risk corrupting your data if you do. According to this report from fakeitreport.com, eBay calculates maximum fake microSD cards. While you can get a fake microSD card from Amazon, check review, seller profile and authenticity of reviews with fake point.

Shopping from a reputable online electronics store is also a safe bet. With a branded microSD card, you can expect better performance, reliability, protection against shock, water and even airport x-rays. Moreover get warranty and access recovery software, in case of failure of the SD card. Some of the popular brands are SanDisk (SanDisk Ultra, SanDisk Extreme), SAMSUNG ( Samsung EVO) and Transcendence (Ultimate Premium, Transcend Ultimate).

Capacity

The oldest SD specification format supports cards with capacities up to 2GB. SDHC Announced in 2006, the format supports cards with capacities up to 32GB. On the other hand, SDXC formatAnnounced in 2009, supports Cards up to 2TB. At this point, the vast majority of Android devices support SDHC. SDXC is newer, but slowly gaining more and more popularity.

When it comes to Android device with microSD card support, you should see the maximum capacity it can support. The manufacturer mentions them on the spec sheet and says something like “expandable storage up to 128GB via microSD card”. This means your Android device supports SDXC format with a maximum capacity of 128GB. So you can buy a 128GB microSD card or something less than that.

Since SDXC format is backward compatible, you can also purchase an SDHC compatible microSD card with a capacity of up to 32 GB. For example – Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 256GB, Moto G4 Plus 128GB and HTC 10 support cards up to 256GB.

Speed ​​Class Rating

There are large differences in memory card transfer speeds between different SD memory card manufacturers and brands. Variable speeds make it difficult to determine which card will provide reliable speed. this SD Association It is a system that establishes standards for these products, does not specify exact speeds, but instead provides guidelines and displays them within “speed classes”. The term speed class defines two specific protocols:

• SD speed class

They include speed class 2, 4, 6, 10 and Specifies minimum write speeds in MB/s. A class 2 microSD card has a minimum write speed of 2 MB/s, while a class 10 write speed is 10 MB/s. Classes 2, 4, 6 all have similar apps and work well if you just want to take and store photos, occasionally record high-definition videos (720p max) or store music and videos.

Grade 2 cards are too slowso even for the cheapest digital cameras you may want to avoid them at all costs. Class 4 and 6 cards can be a cost-effective option if you have basic needs. While there is no harm in using Class 10 cards, it is more of a value issue than technique.

10th grade card It lets you capture full HD video recording (1080p) at 60fps, HD still sequential recording and RAW photos. It makes sense to buy a Class 10 card, as all budget Android devices today support HD video recording. It performs better when taking photos, taking multiple burst photos, and transferring files.

Determining the speed class of an SD card is easy – you’ll see it at the online store listing or on the card’s packaging. For example, you can see a class 4 and a class 6 microSD card in this photo.

• UHS Speed ​​Class

The smartphone camera is developing faster. You can record 4K UHD video, take high-resolution photos with optical image stabilization and high dynamic range, and record slow motion video at over 60fps. In 2009, the SD Association introduced the UHS speed class designed for SDHC and SDXC cards. UHS is a new bus Interface with higher theoretical read and write speeds.

• IHS I – Has bus speeds of 35, 50 and 104MB/s
• UHS II bus speed — 152 and 312 MB/s

UHS-I and UHS-II cards can use the UHS Speed ​​Class rating with two possible ratings: 1st Class for minimal read/write performance at least 10MB/s (symbol “U1” indicating number 1 in “U”) and 3rd Class for minimal write performance at least 30MB/s (symbol ‘U3’ containing 3 in ‘U’).

If you shoot and save a lot of high-resolution photos and 4K videos, a microSD card with UHS-I speed class 3 is sufficient. You don’t need a UHS speed class card for a budget smartphone. There is No smartphones that can take advantage of the UHS II card, so you can safely avoid it. For example – SanDisk Extreme Pro It is a 64GB, class 10, UHS-I class 3 card (you will see a symbol with a 3 in the ‘U’). Samsung EVO It is a 32GB UHS-I class 1 card (you will see a symbol with a 1 in the ‘U’).

Android Version

Android has always had limited support for the microSD card. You can use it to store photos, music, or videos, or as a temporary storage for apps and game-related data. However, Android 6.0 Marshmallow changed that with the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Acceptable storage capabilityThis lets you format a microSD card to work like internal storage.

When you adopt a new storage space, becomes part of the system and can no longer be removed. The platform runs a series of benchmarks and compares its performance to internal storage. If your microSD is significantly slower, the platform will warn you of a potential corruption experience with your phone. Well, it is important to choose a microSD card in the highest capacity and speed class. If your Android device supports 32GB, choose 32GB SDHC class 10 card. For example – Samsung Evo is 32GB UHS-I class 1 SDHC card.

File System Support

FAT32 is the recommended file system for SD and SDHC cards. If at any point you plan to use your microSD card in PCs and Macs, you should leave it as is. FAT32 offers nearly universal interoperability With every computing system, including PCs and Macs. FAT32 does not support files larger than 4GB and volumes larger than 2TB, so the only downside.

However, most microSD cards are not available in such high capacities except SDXC, which supports the exFAT file format. exFAT file system supports files larger than 4GB and supports macOS 10.6.6 and above or Windows 7 and above. If you plan to use the SD card on your Android device, you don’t have to worry about the file system.

SEE ALSO: 18 Essential Smartphone Accessories You Can Buy

Considerations When Purchasing a microSD Card

Concluding this article, there are many things to consider when purchasing a microSD card, and this guide will give you an idea of ​​which card to buy. If you stick to a reputable brand and understand your needs, you shouldn’t face any problems with your purchase.

Are you using a microSD card or want to share something you know? Let’s find out in the comments section below.