# Recommend a microSD card? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405 "2020-08-18T13:15:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/1 "2020-08-18T13:15:11Z")
Holy cow there are a ton of options. When I search for one on Amazon, there are umpteen different brands, all with a dozen acronyms and terms describing what features they each have. Here’s what I need: - MicroSD card, 128gb or more - I have an adapter - but if there are regulations/specs that you think I’ll need, let me know - I’m using it to download movies from Vudu (the streaming service) so my kids have something to watch on my [chromebook](https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/student-chromebooks/Lenovo-Chromebook-C330/p/88LGCC31078) on a long car ride this weekend. - Video quality will range from SD to HD - and isn’t all that important. I just don’t want there to be any issues loading it up and watching. I imagine most of the specs for these things are in regard to the write speed? Because they’re used for recording video, etc., and need to be able to handle a ton of data all at the same time? (In other words, not what I’m doing.) Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/2 "2020-08-18T13:32:50Z")
I generally buy SanDisk cards for my cameras and other devices and I’ve never had any issues. For your intended use I used memory sticks as they are harder to lose and I find it convenient to keep them on my key chain so I can easily share files with other folks. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/3 "2020-08-18T13:35:02Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > For your intended use I used memory sticks as they are harder to lose Yeah, this is my second SD card, because I lost the first one. (I’m sure I’ll find it once Amazon delivers the new one…) I prefer the SD card only because a 4.5 year old is less likely to pull it out. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/4 "2020-08-18T14:57:25Z")
Amazon is replete with fake Micro SD cards. If the name is weird and the price is low, it is probably fake. ([See this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-noname-weirdname-microsd-cards/832782).) Legitimate brands include: SanDisk Samsung Lexar SiliconPower Kingston Gigastone Micro Center Be careful if you buy a Lexar–the quality of the card is good, the packaging sucks. Last year I bought around five Micro SD cards at once from different brands. I unpacked them pretty casually (mostly they just dropped into my hand when I removed the plastic bubble from the cardboard) but when I went to remove the most expensive card in the lot (a high speed rating Lexar 256 GB) it snapped in three pieces as I tried to lift it from the bubble. They wedge their cards in tight, something problematic for something that I discovered to be very brittle with zero room for flexing. Here is a guide to the confusing mess of speed rating systems: > **[A buyer's guide to microSD cards: classes, speeds, recommendations, and more...](https://www.androidpolice.com/2017/05/09/buyers-guide-microsd-cards-classes-speeds-recommendations-spring-2017/)** ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/5 "2020-08-18T15:54:37Z")
Unfortunately even if the name isn’t unfamiliar, it may be fake. I will only buy from the manufacturer (i.e. if you see ‘sold by Samsung’ or similar on Amazon) or from a vendor I can reasonably expect to be buying direct. The fakes are not straighforward to detect - so you can buy what you think is a 128gb Samsung card, plug it in and it will look like 128g; you can even copy 128gb of files to it and they can look like they made it there OK, but they are lost. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/6 "2020-08-18T18:03:49Z")
I have used SanDisk microSD in my phones and GoPro. For playing content I don’t think performance is nearly as important as for recording. I think that when a computer is playing a movie it loads the whole thing to memory first. If you have to use an adapter, why not just buy an SD card instead of a micro? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/7 "2020-08-18T18:05:13Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > If you have to use an adapter, why not just buy an SD card instead of a micro? Because I use a small adapter with this chromebook, since a normal sized SD card sticks out pretty far. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/8 "2020-08-18T22:28:17Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Unfortunately even if the name isn’t unfamiliar, it may be fake. I will only buy from the manufacturer (i.e. if you see ‘sold by Samsung’ or similar on Amazon) or from a vendor I can reasonably expect to be buying direct. I second this. I find it hard enough to sift through the chaff on Amazon that I will gladly pay an extra dollar or five to just buy one from Target or another store where I can be fairly confident about the supply chain being legit. I don’t want the worry or hassle of trying to figure out if the card I got was worth what I paid for it. Target has options from $27.99, Best Buy from $24.99. I didn’t do an extensive search, though. In addition to some of the brands Darren\_Garrison listed, ( Kingston, Lexar, SanDisk, Samsung) I would add PNY, Sony, and Hyundai. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/9 "2020-08-19T07:37:29Z")
Yup - I bought one (knowing it was a scam) branded Verbatim, from Wish (yeah, that helps). My results are here: [Testing a FAKE 512gb SD from Wish (SCAM Also On Aliexpress, eBay and even Amazon) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSepkrHJv14) So many people don’t understand that flash storage can easily be programmed by a seller to misrepresent its actual capacity - and they plug it in, check the properties, and think they got the real deal. You can even save files to the thing - it’s just that their contents disappear into the void ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/10 "2020-08-19T13:35:15Z")
I 'd like to point out how cheap card storage is these days, as well as how large. I adopted digital photography early on and those cameras used Compact Flash cards. I was buying **128 Meg cards** from Fry’s from California for about $100 and thought it was a deal. Now you can buy a 128 Gig micro SD from Amazon for under $20. Of course the CF card was harder to misplace. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/11 "2020-08-19T14:27:14Z")
128 MB? Oodles of room! For my first digital camera, I had [SmartMedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartMedia) cards as small as 8 MB. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/12 "2020-08-19T14:31:22Z")
You can buy cards from Amazon through the manufacturer. For instance, this Samsung card is sold to you by Samsung. > **[Amazon.com: SAMSUNG: EVO Select 128GB MicroSDXC UHS-I U3 100MB/s Full HD &...](https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Select-microSDXC-Adapter-MB-ME128HA/dp/B0887GP791)** > > Buy SAMSUNG: EVO Select 128GB MicroSDXC UHS-I U3 100MB/s Full HD & 4K UHD Memory Card with Adapter (MB-ME128HA): Micro SD Cards - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/13 "2020-08-19T15:22:55Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > You can buy cards from Amazon through the manufacturer. For instance, this Samsung card is sold to you by Samsung. Is there an easy way to limit search results to manufacturers? As I said, I don’t think it’s worth sorting through the chaff sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/14 "2020-08-19T16:27:17Z")
Yep, 128 Meg was as big as they made at the time. I seem to recall that the camera came with an 8 Meg card. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/15 "2020-08-19T18:36:29Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Is there an easy way to limit search results to manufacturers? As I said, I don’t think it’s worth sorting through the chaff sometimes. Not that I know of. The best option is probably to look at the Amazon Top Choice in each category. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/16 "2020-08-19T18:48:25Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > > You can buy cards from Amazon through the manufacturer. For instance, this Samsung card is sold to you by Samsung. > > Is there an easy way to limit search results to manufacturers? As I said, I don’t think it’s worth sorting through the chaff sometimes. Left side panel, there’s usually an option to choose brand/manufacturer. Or, on a specific product page, under the main title should be the seller. SanDisk SD Card by:[SanDisk](https://www.amazon.com/stores/SanDisk/page/CD971F4B-EE23-4EA1-96E3-567678AC9C0A?ref_=ast_bln) The seller link goes to the seller’s storefront. Also, buying anything Sold By Amazon is a pretty safe bet. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/17 "2020-08-19T18:50:18Z")
Actually, looking at it again, how do you know that’s being sold to you by Samsung? It says visit the Samsung store, up top, but it looks to me like it’s being sold by Amazon. (When you click on buying options, that’s the only seller I see.) And a similar Lexar card says visit the Lexar store, but also says down below that it’s being sold by Memories Direct US, fulfilled by Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/18 "2020-08-19T18:54:57Z")
Brand definitely doesn’t get you to things being sold by the manufacturer, nor does the brand listing/storefront over the title mean it is being sold by the manufacturer. See this example: > **[Amazon.com: Lexar High-Performance 633x 128GB microSDXC UHS-I Card with SD...](https://www.amazon.com/Lexar-High-Performance-128GB-microSDXC-UHS-I/dp/B012PLSIJ6)** > > Amazon.com: Lexar High-Performance 633x 128GB microSDXC UHS-I Card with SD Adapter, Up To 100MB/s Read, for Smartphones, Tablets, and Action Cameras (LSDMI128BBNL633A) : Everything Else ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/19 "2020-08-19T18:58:33Z")
The Lexar link goes to Lexar’s storefront. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405/20 "2020-08-19T19:28:49Z")
Yes, and the Amazon page shows that the item is being sold by a third party, Memories Direct US. On the page I see, this info is just below the buy it now button, but I have my phone set to open Amazon links in the app, so not sure where it is on the website. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-microsd-card/918405.md?page=2)