Related
I was going to pick up a 128 meg SD module today, but am nor sure what brandname to get. Seems like Sandisk and Pny are the big ones at my local staples, and since they pricematch, I'll find it dirt cheap online. LOL
Recomendations?
There aren't huge differences. Sandisk is slow, Lexar is fast. Not sure about PNY. In normal use, I don't notice the speed difference. It's only visible when copying large files with the card inside my laptop's PCMCIA slot. I'd be comfortable with any of them.
I went over to Staples today and couldn't believe they had a Pny 256 SD for $69! I was only looking to get a 128 but couldn't pass up that price.
They had Sandisk 256 SD for $69 with a $15 mail in rebate, but I read nothing but bad things about Sandisk.
Might be a good idea to check out your locals Staples and see if they have any of the PNY 256's in stock.
I think the memory is probably manufactured by a few makers and then badged by the resellers, I have had cheap cards and expensive cards, the speed has never been a problem and I have never had a card fail. Maybe I have been lucky, but brand names have never really impressed on me the idea that they are a better quality product. Remember, it is you that has to bear the cost of all that expensive advertising for the big boys in business. :mrgreen:
I usually shop @ www.newegg.com but they don't seem to have any 16gb cards for sale. searching online turns up a few questionable vendors so I was hoping someone could recommend a reputable site that carries them at a reasonable price.
I live in the US If that makes a difference.
Have you seen at Ebay?
There are several major memory dealers (based in the US) there, normally I buy from them (even if I'm in europe), their price is hardly beaten by any "normal" site.
Be sure to buy ONLY from very trusted sellers, you'll see that they have many thousand feedbacks.
Take a look ar this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Sandisk-16G...3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:3|65:2|39:1|240:1318
and this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sandisk-16GB-Mi...3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:3|65:2|39:1|240:1318
Both of them are in US, both have optimum prices and I bought from the later once.
good luck
Thanks for the recommendation, but after doing some more research it seems that the only 16gb cards out right now are Class 2 at the $50-55 range and I can get Class 6 8gb cards for about $15.
So for about $20 less I can get 2 8gb cards with much faster transfer speeds.
I'm not sure how much difference the card speed makes with phone use, but I also don't wanna have to switch cards too often so I'll have to decide which way to go.
You can also wait for SanDisk Mobile Ultra microSDHC 16GB
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/sandisk-shipping-mobile-ultra-16gb-microsdhc-m2-cards/
As far as I can tell It's Class 4
hmm...
I guess I can wait a bit longer, see if these come out anytime soon. I've got 2873MB left atm should last me a little while.
You're welcome turnstar.
I did bought two 8GB ones in fact. always carry one GPS app, several utilities, about 2GB (but wanted to load more) of music, many installing CABs (to provide my friends with something they want), a couple of dictionaries, few games, etc. In just 4GB! Well, let's say that two 8GB cards will do the trick for me, and for about 20 euro, that was a good deal (versus 40 of a single 16GB card).
Hey guys,
I'm interested in getting a 32gb card. I will be watching movies off it and just basically reading books. Is there a huge diff between the two? I googled and I found the diff write and read speeds but my question is how relevant is it to the user? Like will the movies be choppier or books open slower? etc
Julian2103 said:
Hey guys,
I'm interested in getting a 32gb card. I will be watching movies off it and just basically reading books. Is there a huge diff between the two? I googled and I found the diff write and read speeds but my question is how relevant is it to the user? Like will the movies be choppier or books open slower? etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly, to throw a wrench in your question, there is authority behind the class markings. Basically, there is nothing stoping makers for marking a card Class 10, even when it can barely do 1MB/s writes. So, how does that answer your question?
It comes down to brand. Sandisk by far makes the best microSD cards, which almost always outperform their rating. I have an 8Gb Class 2, that constantly benches at 5MB/s sustained write, and 12MB/s sustained read. I also have an 8GB Kingston clas4, that can barely hold 2MB/s write, if it is lucky. The other issue few talk about is random reads, where again, the Sandisk is much faster (and random reads are not part of the class specifications)..
So, if you get a decent brand (again, Sandisk), a class 2 should be suitable for all music, and most movies. If you can afford it, class 4 will give you wiggle room.
How about adata? Have you had any experience with them?
Julian2103 said:
How about adata? Have you had any experience with them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
personal experience no, but i haven't heard alot bad (actually, better than Kingston in many cases). I know they have decent prices on their cards.
With what i was saying before, it is fair to mention that while slow, my Kingston does still work. But saving things to it was painful, and so i avoid its use. Even if you don't get the fastest card, i think the biggest pain will be filling it once.. after that, using it should be ok..
I see. What about the performance? Saving stuff to it isnt much of an issue to me I think. Im more concerned on the performance. Like running movies off it and launching programs etc the sandisk sounds awesome but the price is much higher
For the use you are planning(movies) the big factor will be sequential read speeds. The class system is too easy for the manufacturers to game. Check the specs for the card you are looking at...if they don't tell you, it's likely because they suck. Sandisk class 2 cards are, as stated, usually better than the class 2 they are rated.
so you guys would recommend a class 2 32gb sandisk over a class 4 adata card of the same size yeah?
Can't really say one way or the other. From reading reviews at Newegg...seems like Adata tech support might be a bit iffy...then again those reviews are usually posted by those who have issues or feel like they have to defend their purchase(ie...fanboi's).
One thing I can see for myself...Adata is the only manufacturer on Newegg to actually list their full specs. Even on the manufacturers pages...only Adata has manned up and posted specs. otherwise they all just fall back on the SDHC specifications for class...which as stated can be gamed a bit.
At the end of it all..it's your cash...spend it the way you feel like...do some research for yourself first.
I have a scandisk class 4 32GB and it is way slower then a smaller class 6 that I have. For me, I don't think I could stomach anything slower then the class 4 for large files.
Divine_Madcat said:
Sadly, to throw a wrench in your question, there is authority behind the class markings. Basically, there is nothing stoping makers for marking a card Class 10, even when it can barely do 1MB/s writes. So, how does that answer your question?
It comes down to brand. Sandisk by far makes the best microSD cards, which almost always outperform their rating. I have an 8Gb Class 2, that constantly benches at 5MB/s sustained write, and 12MB/s sustained read. I also have an 8GB Kingston clas4, that can barely hold 2MB/s write, if it is lucky. The other issue few talk about is random reads, where again, the Sandisk is much faster (and random reads are not part of the class specifications)..
So, if you get a decent brand (again, Sandisk), a class 2 should be suitable for all music, and most movies. If you can afford it, class 4 will give you wiggle room.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sandisk is great. I was originally running Nookie Froyo from a class 2 Sandisk. It was actually pretty solid. I moved up to a Transcend class 6 and it's been good too. Both seem to perform well over their class specification when I'm transferring files and have been very stable.
On the other hand, my friend has a Kingston class 10 which seems pretty buggy. A lot of force close errors, looping boots, etc. Though these could just be a coincidence. Haven't seen him transfer any files though, so I can't judge the speed.
SD Cards..
You should be aware that Sandisk, Adata and others do not actually manufacture flash memory chips, they mostly package and test it - the big boys in the game are Intel, Samsung, Toshiba and Hynix. Depending on where or from whom Sandisk buys the basic chip the specs may be different.
Divine_Madcat said:
Sadly, to throw a wrench in your question, there is authority behind the class markings. Basically, there is nothing stoping makers for marking a card Class 10, even when it can barely do 1MB/s writes. So, how does that answer your question?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually there is a requirement if you're in the SD Association. But in reality anyone can stamp a C10 on a card, especially no-name brands.
Julian2103 said:
so you guys would recommend a class 2 32gb sandisk over a class 4 adata card of the same size yeah?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely. AData are junk in my experience.
Kingston and SanDisc are the only ones that are reliable for all devices that I've owned. Others are hit and miss, PARTICULARLY Patriot. I've had 3 Patriot cards that were JUNK in most devices. I had two Patriot SD cards for a camera that were fine but couldn't work right in anything else, and I (stupidly) purchased an 8G uSD card a few years ago for a phone and it was junk there, and I've periodically tried it in new devices for giggles and it's been junk in every single one.
I'll bet a SanDisc C4 out classes any other brand C10 in device like a phone or tablet.
Side note: All 3 Patriot's work just fine on my computer. I did tests particuarlly on the 8G uSD over and over and over and it was fast and reliable in my card reader. Every device locks up or goes slow as hell if it's in 'em. My guess is that they didn't follow specs closely.
So a Sandisk Class 4, 8GB would be a good pick?
I Am Marino said:
So a Sandisk Class 4, 8GB would be a good pick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently bought this on and have found it to be an excellent performer. Loading/watching mp4 movies. The 30 day return window is pretty generous.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sandisk-32GB-Mi...352023?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item2eb43c6317
SD cards are a complicated topic... not to throw another wrench into the system but you also want to be careful WHERE you buy your card. SanDisk counterfeiting is RAMPANT since a vendor can take a blank card, less than a pennies worth of ink and then charge you some percentage of the SanDisk price while still reaping a huge profit. As unfortunate as it is, real SanDisk cards always seem to just work while the other cheaper cards can be hit or miss. Honestly though the only real problem with off brand cards and the NC I have had is that they don't always boot so good. So I use my SanDisk 8GB C2 (bought from Costco) to boot and my Patriot 16GB C10 to watch movies and store stuff. Buying from Retail, Newegg, or Amazon (Amazon itself, not a sold through vendor on Amazon) should help make sure whatever you buy is the real thing. Good Luck!
I'm buying a nook color as a quick entry into the world of tablets. I plan on using it for reading on the bus etc. But I'm also interested in rooting so I can customize it as well. So I'm planning to dual boot CM7 from the SD card but leave it stock otherwise. With that in mind, what do I need to purchase as a first time Nook buyer interested in modding?
Here's my list:
- Nook Color (of course)
- Aegis Series Enclosure System
- rooCASE (would the nook fit in cases like these with the body armor on?)
- Transcend 8 GB microSDHC Class 6 (read that the class is important when modifying)
- Kingston Flash Memory Reader (to read/write to the SD card)
if your flashing to the emmc class isnt as important, ive been using a plain old class 2 from wallyworld for about a month with no issues.
I have a Sandisk 8GB class 2 form walmart which works fine since I installed the ROM on EMMC.
The speed of the memory card can be a factor with things like video playback, transferring data too and from, etc. Honestly, I would recommend just getting a class 10. The price difference is so nominal that you may as well get something with a little speed. Also, a 16gb isn't much more than an 8gb. So my recommendation...16gb class 10. Something I'm picking up today myself to replace my 8gb class 6 card.
16GB Class 10 for $27.99
16GB Class 6 for $29.99
8GB Class 10 for $19.75
8GB Class 6 for $15.50
I thought about that, but the reviews for larger cards weren't that good so I suck with the 8GB.
The bigger issue is, should I buy it now or wait for B&N announcement later this month?
1) The announcement from B&N about a new Nook on the 24th didn't mention if it was color or not; personally, I'm betting on an update to the original, since the color's only been out for 6 months.
2) Please please *PLEASE* heed my advice on this - if you're planning on running off the μSD card, do NOT buy a class 6 or class 10 card unless you've seen small-block write speed benchmarks. Card Class refers to large-block, sequential R/W speeds, which is good when you're transferring big files on and off of the card, but doesn't factor in quick access or small R/W like you need when you're running an OS from it. I bought a Kingston 8GB class 6 the same day as my NC, 10 days ago, and I almost got to the point of wanting to return the device because of how disappointed I was in it. Then I found this thread -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1005633
and learned about the various card speed tests. I switched to a Sandisk 16GB class 4, and it was like a whole new device. I couldn't be happier with it now.
So, yeah, this is seriously important - read through that thread. And if you live near a RadioShack, they're running a 50% off sale on the good Sandisk cards for the rest of the week.
chinly43 said:
2) Please please *PLEASE* heed my advice on this - if you're planning on running off the μSD card, do NOT buy a class 6 or class 10 card unless you've seen small-block write speed benchmarks. Card Class refers to large-block, sequential R/W speeds, which is good when you're transferring big files on and off of the card, but doesn't factor in quick access or small R/W like you need when you're running an OS from it. I bought a Kingston 8GB class 6 the same day as my NC, 10 days ago, and I almost got to the point of wanting to return the device because of how disappointed I was in it. Then I found this thread -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1005633
and learned about the various card speed tests. I switched to a Sandisk 16GB class 4, and it was like a whole new device. I couldn't be happier with it now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strongly agree with this. I got the Transcend C6/8Gb, and had a huge amount of problems (forced closes, and erratic launcher behavior) when running cm7 off of the SD that have completely disappeared since switching to the Sandisk C4/8GB on sale at the Shack. Some radioshacks seem to carry the C2 cards, and some the C4 cards. They are the same price, so it might be worth checking out a few stores if there are several in your area.
If you are just using this as a normal SD card and will be running CM7, froyo, nooter, whatever off of the emmc, then the Transcend is perfectly fine.
hoteladriano said:
Strongly agree with this. I got the Transcend C6/8Gb, and had a huge amount of problems (forced closes, and erratic launcher behavior) when running cm7 off of the SD that have completely disappeared since switching to the Sandisk C4/8GB on sale at the Shack. Some radioshacks seem to carry the C2 cards, and some the C4 cards. They are the same price, so it might be worth checking out a few stores if there are several in your area.
If you are just using this as a normal SD card and will be running CM7, froyo, nooter, whatever off of the emmc, then the Transcend is perfectly fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also strongly agree about SD cards. I just bought NC, used a PNY 4gb class 4 to boot off CM7 and it worked but not well, just like hoteladriano - forced closes, erratic behavoir. Will try again with the recommended Sandisks.
I've been using a Patriot 8GB class 10 for a month or so without any problems. Must have gotten lucky. Bought mine at Newegg after being told that a lot of the SD cards at Amazon are fakes, for whatever that's worth.
I"m using a 16 gig class 2 with no issues
I'm using a C6 8 GB Transcend. Saw lots of people rave about them. I'm running the Phiremod/Honeycomb dualboot and see pretty good success with it. Certain apps don't work right and cause force closes (Android Comic Viewer, Pulse) and once those crash I need to reboot to get everything work again. Other than that, its worked fine for me.
That being said, I would agree with everyone here that the Sandisk is your best bet. I may run out to radioshack tomorrow to grab myself another card, just to see how improved my experience would be!
chinly43 said:
1) The announcement from B&N about a new Nook on the 24th didn't mention if it was color or not; personally, I'm betting on an update to the original, since the color's only been out for 6 months.
2) Please please *PLEASE* heed my advice on this - if you're planning on running off the μSD card, do NOT buy a class 6 or class 10 card unless you've seen small-block write speed benchmarks. Card Class refers to large-block, sequential R/W speeds, which is good when you're transferring big files on and off of the card, but doesn't factor in quick access or small R/W like you need when you're running an OS from it. I bought a Kingston 8GB class 6 the same day as my NC, 10 days ago, and I almost got to the point of wanting to return the device because of how disappointed I was in it. Then I found this thread -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1005633
and learned about the various card speed tests. I switched to a Sandisk 16GB class 4, and it was like a whole new device. I couldn't be happier with it now.
So, yeah, this is seriously important - read through that thread. And if you live near a RadioShack, they're running a 50% off sale on the good Sandisk cards for the rest of the week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After reading what you suggested and hearing from others I think I'll take your advice. Question is, is it the lower the class the better the performance when running an OS? I'm look at a SanDisk 16 GB Class 2. What do you think?
If I recall, from everything I've read a class 2 Sandisk should be okay, but a class 4 Sandisk would be ideal. If you try radioshack, look through the cards to find a class 4 one. They're not very careful, so they mix the class 2 and class 4 together.
rnp614 said:
I"m using a 16 gig class 2 with no issues
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
I have a 16gb Sansisk uSD class 2 and everything is good. No FC with apps installed on uSD. I don't store movies on it because I can stream it with CifsManagers and MoboPlayer. I recommend 16gb over 8gb. A lot of games required extra downloads which can range up to 100MB+. Backups can take up space as well.
Midgets... and lots of them
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
For_the_moves said:
Question is, is it the lower the class the better the performance when running an OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That ends up really generally being true, because the small-block write speed is precisely what's sacrificed to get better large-block speed, but things can vary so much that I'd stick with either something that's been tested or something from a store with a good return policy.
Without extra details or benchmarks, I would buy a class 2 before I bought a 6 or 10.
ebubar said:
I'm using a C6 8 GB Transcend. Saw lots of people rave about them. I'm running the Phiremod/Honeycomb dualboot and see pretty good success with it. Certain apps don't work right and cause force closes (Android Comic Viewer, Pulse) and once those crash I need to reboot to get everything work again. Other than that, its worked fine for me.
That being said, I would agree with everyone here that the Sandisk is your best bet. I may run out to radioshack tomorrow to grab myself another card, just to see how improved my experience would be!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll love to hear your experience with the new card once you test it.
Yeah, this thread schooled me. I bought a Patriot class 10 card 16gb and OMFG the speed was dismal. It's going back and I think I'm going to order a cheaper Sandisk class 2 for close to half the cost.
For_the_moves said:
After reading what you suggested and hearing from others I think I'll take your advice. Question is, is it the lower the class the better the performance when running an OS? I'm look at a SanDisk 16 GB Class 2. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read the linked thread and you'll learn all you need to know. It's the small-block random writes that are important for running an OS, and while it's generally poor in higher-class cards, it varies considerably between models at the class 2/4 level. Also, be sure you're not buying from Joe Blow in Beijing--there are a lot of counterfeit cards out there.
For_the_moves said:
I'm buying a nook color as a quick entry into the world of tablets. I plan on using it for reading on the bus etc. But I'm also interested in rooting so I can customize it as well. So I'm planning to dual boot CM7 from the SD card but leave it stock otherwise. With that in mind, what do I need to purchase as a first time Nook buyer interested in modding?
Here's my list:
- Nook Color (of course)
- Aegis Series Enclosure System
- rooCASE (would the nook fit in cases like these with the body armor on?)
- Transcend 8 GB microSDHC Class 6 (read that the class is important when modifying)
- Kingston Flash Memory Reader (to read/write to the SD card)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Aegis case for Nook Color, and it's awesome. I've never taken mine off as you have access to all ports including the SD slot, and I've heard that repeatedly taking it off and putting it on again stretches it out and results in a poorer fit. Unfortunately, I bought an Aalto case from B&N thinking it would fit with the Aegis still on, and it doesn't. I don't know about the rooCases, but I've been told that the Rocketfish "Case for Most eReaders" will fit the NC inside the Aegis case, and have ordered one from ebay for $6.99 after shipping.
It's been well covered in general, and you should read the SD card thread everyone's mentioning, but in particular, if you're booting from SD, buy a SanDisk card with a good general rep for fast random small-block writes, then benchmark it yourself with CrystalDiskMark before using it.
Just got NC for early Father's Day! I luv ma fam!
Everything I been finding here talks about 2,4, or 8 gigs SD cards.
NC says it can use up to 32gig.
Anyone tried this? I figure SDHC 32 G class 6 would work.
MrGeek said:
Just got NC for early Father's Day! I luv ma fam!
Everything I been finding here talks about 2,4, or 8 gigs SD cards.
NC says it can use up to 32gig.
Anyone tried this? I figure SDHC 32 G class 6 would work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything I've read states the higher capacity cards don't do well running ROMs. Like you I'm new to the nook so I"m sure someone else with more experience will chime in.
I have a 32 gig card installed right now. Works just fine as a data card.
If you want to run custom ROMS off the card, make sure its a sandisk. That flapping sound about larger sized card being bad for Roms is a buncha crap in my opinion (and I have the benchmarks on this card to prove it), but the BRAND of card makes a huge difference when running Roms. Avoid transcend and PNY like the plague.
That said, if you just want the card for data, then yes, the NC can handle them just fine.
skwalas said:
I have a 32 gig card installed right now. Works just fine as a data card.
If you want to run custom ROMS off the card, make sure its a sandisk. That flapping sound about larger sized card being bad for Roms is a buncha crap in my opinion (and I have the benchmarks on this card to prove it), but the BRAND of card makes a huge difference when running Roms. Avoid transcend and PNY like the plague.
That said, if you just want the card for data, then yes, the NC can handle them just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What size Sandisk card do you recommend for running custom ROMs? I've read 8 but I really would like to run a 16.
With a sandisk, I can't see any reason why a 16 or even 32 gig card would give you trouble on roms.
Using the card to run your "operating system" seems to require a higher small-block read/write speed than most cards have. Two things seem to affect it: 1) brand (sandisk is currently the only way to go), and 2)it seems that higher classed cards sacrifice the small block performance a bit. This makes sense to me, since the classification related to large block sequential read/writes (iirc), so some trade-iffs are always expected.
See this thread for useful things.
And I think most people are buying the smaller card mostly because of price, and partly due to a herd mentality on threads like the above.
Sandisk 16gb is just fine for running the Rom off the sd card; that is my current setup.
LBN1 said:
Sandisk 16gb is just fine for running the Rom off the sd card; that is my current setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What class? I'm having a hard time finding class 4.
skwalas said:
I have a 32 gig card installed right now. Works just fine as a data card.
If you want to run custom ROMS off the card, make sure its a sandisk. That flapping sound about larger sized card being bad for Roms is a buncha crap in my opinion (and I have the benchmarks on this card to prove it), but the BRAND of card makes a huge difference when running Roms. Avoid transcend and PNY like the plague.
That said, if you just want the card for data, then yes, the NC can handle them just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny how all the Transcend cards in all 3 Nooks in my house are brilliant. I've used Transcend for years and have never had a problem, be it in my cameras to my phones.
Nburnes said:
Funny how all the Transcend cards in all 3 Nooks in my house are brilliant. I've used Transcend for years and have never had a problem, be it in my cameras to my phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was referring to the specific instance of using transcend for running cm7 for example. I understand transcend and patriot are decent when used for data, and I have PNY cards in our cameras, so they seem to work fine for data.
I have a wintec SDCH 16g class 4 and it works fine, but I only use it for data.
I've been looking into this, and here's what it boils down to:
Most MicroSD cards are set up for data transfer aimed at large files, such as video or high resolution pictures. The majority of the market these cards are manufactured for are digital camcorders, cameras, and smart phones with cameras.
They've gotten great at streaming media to and from the cards, and using them as storage mediums.
Running an operating system from the card requires a whole lot of small data transfers, which is not a specification that manufacterers pay much attention to. Most people would never notice improvement in this area of the manufacturing process, so the companies don't waste money on it.
Different manufacturers have different ideas of what their product should be capable of.
SanDisk is the brand that has consistently tested better for small data transfer then other card makers.
Running programs/operating systems from a MicroSD card is a new animal, something that hasn't really been done before now, and the tablet market is still in it's infancy.
I'm sure this issue will be addressed by the hardware makers of memory cards over the next year or so, but for now we are stuck with the task of trying to figure out what works for our purpose given what's available on the market right now.
All this being said, out of a handful of cards I own, my 16 gig SanDisk class 2 MicroSD card is my highest performing card - more then twice as fast as even 4 out of 5 of the 8 gig SanDisk cards I have.
Here is the link to the software we are using to test the cards: Crystal Disk Mark
Post 5 in this thread has a link that takes you to the one that has become our communal benchmark thread, and has a lot of info on this topic.
I would surmise that a 32 gig SanDisk brand card would probably be pretty good given that:
-Sandisk 8 gig cards (in class 2 and 4) are the general recommendation
-SanDisk 16 gig cards consistently test to a higher performance level then the 8 gig cards.
If this is the beginning of a pattern, and the larger capacity SanDisk cards are inherently manufactered to a higher small data standard, then theoretically the 32 gig card would be better.
But, this is only a theory. A 32 gig card is more then just a couple of bucks, and I don't think we have enough benchmarks on them yet to say one way or another.
Even with the SanDisk 8 gig cards, there is a wide range of what you could end up with on small data transfer speed. It's kind of pot luck. Even the slowest ones are many orders of magnitude faster then most other manufacturers, though.
This would be a good thread for people who do have 32 gig cards of any brand to chime in on, so we could keep the discussion about the largest supported capacity card on the Nook seperate from the other threads on this topic.
I saw a thread a week or so ago regarding testing class 4 cards and which were better. I just ordered a NC the other day. Anyone know the thread?
Blue6IX said:
I've been looking into this, and here's what it boils down to:
Most MicroSD cards are set up for data transfer aimed at large files, such as video or high resolution pictures. The majority of the market these cards are manufactured for are digital camcorders, cameras, and smart phones with cameras.
They've gotten great at streaming media to and from the cards, and using them as storage mediums.
Running an operating system from the card requires a whole lot of small data transfers, which is not a specification that manufacterers pay much attention to. Most people would never notice improvement in this area of the manufacturing process, so the companies don't waste money on it.
Different manufacturers have different ideas of what their product should be capable of.
SanDisk is the brand that has consistently tested better for small data transfer then other card makers.
Running programs/operating systems from a MicroSD card is a new animal, something that hasn't really been done before now, and the tablet market is still in it's infancy.
I'm sure this issue will be addressed by the hardware makers of memory cards over the next year or so, but for now we are stuck with the task of trying to figure out what works for our purpose given what's available on the market right now.
All this being said, out of a handful of cards I own, my 16 gig SanDisk class 2 MicroSD card is my highest performing card - more then twice as fast as even 4 out of 5 of the 8 gig SanDisk cards I have.
Here is the link to the software we are using to test the cards: Crystal Disk Mark
Post 5 in this thread has a link that takes you to the one that has become our communal benchmark thread, and has a lot of info on this topic.
I would surmise that a 32 gig SanDisk brand card would probably be pretty good given that:
-Sandisk 8 gig cards (in class 2 and 4) are the general recommendation
-SanDisk 16 gig cards consistently test to a higher performance level then the 8 gig cards.
If this is the beginning of a pattern, and the larger capacity SanDisk cards are inherently manufactered to a higher small data standard, then theoretically the 32 gig card would be better.
But, this is only a theory. A 32 gig card is more then just a couple of bucks, and I don't think we have enough benchmarks on them yet to say one way or another.
Even with the SanDisk 8 gig cards, there is a wide range of what you could end up with on small data transfer speed. It's kind of pot luck. Even the slowest ones are many orders of magnitude faster then most other manufacturers, though.
This would be a good thread for people who do have 32 gig cards of any brand to chime in on, so we could keep the discussion about the largest supported capacity card on the Nook seperate from the other threads on this topic.
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Thank you for a very informative post. As I mentioned earlier I'm new to the NC and your post has helped me considerably.
androidmonkey said:
I saw a thread a week or so ago regarding testing class 4 cards and which were better. I just ordered a NC the other day. Anyone know the thread?
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You might mean my thread on comparing speed results between different readers using the benchmark software.
It's more a look at the testing software and methods of doing so then the actual cards themselves.
The more people who post benchmark results in the thread skwalas linked to back in post 5, the better of an idea we'll have of what works for us.
The amount of information we've collected so far in such a short time is astonishing - this is a great community.
harpo1 said:
What class? I'm having a hard time finding class 4.
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Sandisk 16gb, Class 4; Got it from Radio Shack a month or so ago on sale for like $25.
32 Gig
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G7D0IW
Bought this one about a month ago. Transferred my 16G class 2 from Radio Shack to the 32G then expanded the partition. I run CM7 off the SD. Works GREAT!. I run movies, apps from the card with tons of room.
Thanks for all the replies! They been very helpful!
However...
Here is the link to the software we are using to test the cards: Crystal Disk Mark
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I tried downloading that and it got flagged as malware by Microsoft Security Essentials.
Rocking a 32 Lexar Class 10 here. Just download SD Tools from the market and its running 11 MB/s write and 25 MB/s read.
lucas993 said:
Rocking a 32 Lexar Class 10 here. Just download SD Tools from the market and its running 11 MB/s write and 25 MB/s read.
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IIRC, Lexar splits their Class X cards into two more classifications, a regular and an Ultra class. Which one was yours?
Also, Radio Shack currently has 8gb Sandisk C4 cards for sale at 14.99. Perfect for playing with an SD install. With Crystal mark and a cheapie USB reader I got 2.5mb/s read, 1.5 mb/s write (both of the small block ones). I believe these are the important ones for an SD card based ROM?
I suspect the main reason there's not much info out there on 32GB cards is that people are less willing to drop $50-80 on something that may not work (IF they're trying to run a custom ROM from the card). If you're not trying to set up a custom ROM install on the SD, get any card you want--you may appreciate that higher sequential read/write in the higher class cards when you're moving multiple GB of movies or music to and from the card.
From everything I've read, the size of the card makes no difference whatsoever. The only reason people harp on the 8GB and 16GB Sandisk cards is because those specific models (both class 2 and 4 in those sizes) have been tested many times and return both reliably high small-block random writes and positive anecdotal reports for running ROMs. The size, manufacturer and class are irrelevant in and of themselves: they just let us identify specific models identified as most consistently working well.
Also, CrystalDiskMark is not malware: just do a custom install and choose not to install whatever is bundled with it (do this always for all software, I'd say). It's whatever program they use to suggest other software that triggers the false positives in security programs.