What's the BEST memory card for the Note 4?

[SONGUNDAM]

I'm getting a Note 4 next week and I wanted to know what the best memory card is at the moment. Thanks

 

[Rukbat]

SanDisk (they invented the technology) and Samsung are the only manufacturers of the chips used in the cards, so they're both going to be using the best chips in their own cards.

I find SanDisk a pleasure to work with (I've had to contact them a few times - not about bad cards, the only bad SanDisk card I've had in over 20 years is one I broke by mishandling). 5 year warranty on their cheapest cards, and all you do is fill out a web page to get a replacement if the card goes bad. (Or you can do a live chat with a tech from their site. They answer their emails quickly too.) I've had to deal with Samsung on other matters, and I'd rather deal with SanDisk. The cards may cost a few dollars more, but it's worth it. (Make sure you aren't buying counterfeit cards - a $20 128GB Ultra card on eBay probably isn't - either Ultra or 128GB. It's trivial to reprogram a card to say it's larger than it is, and with laser printers it;s just as trivial o counterfeit the look of the card - and the package. Buy from a known and trusted source.)

 

[SONGUNDAM]

Thanks for writing back. I'd really like a 128gb. It will only be for storing pictures, music and games. What's my best bet? Thanks again

 

[SONGUNDAM]

I really like the Samsung cards or the Lexar high performance. I won't be transferring data really so I just want the fastest card to read pictures and games from. Thanks again

 

[radiohawk]

SanDisk (they invented the technology) and Samsung are the only manufacturers of the chips used in the cards, so they're both going to be using the best chips in their own cards.

I find SanDisk a pleasure to work with (I've had to contact them a few times - not about bad cards, the only bad SanDisk card I've had in over 20 years is one I broke by mishandling). 5 year warranty on their cheapest cards, and all you do is fill out a web page to get a replacement if the card goes bad. (Or you can do a live chat with a tech from their site. They answer their emails quickly too.) I've had to deal with Samsung on other matters, and I'd rather deal with SanDisk. The cards may cost a few dollars more, but it's worth it. (Make sure you aren't buying counterfeit cards - a $20 128GB Ultra card on eBay probably isn't - either Ultra or 128GB. It's trivial to reprogram a card to say it's larger than it is, and with laser printers it;s just as trivial o counterfeit the look of the card - and the package. Buy from a known and trusted source.)

I've bought all of my cards from either Best Buy or Costco. I had great luck for years with SanDisk but the last 3 of them have crapped out on me. Currently using a Samsung pro version 64 gb and seems to be holding... And honestly seems faster, although ymmv.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[SONGUNDAM]

Here, let me make this easier. Which one is better for me and why?

1. Lexar High-Performance MicroSDXC 633x 128GB UHS-I/U3 (Up to 95MB/s Read) w/USB 3.0 Reader Flash Memory Card LSDMI128BBNL633R

Or

2. Samsung 128GB EVO Micro SDXC up to 48MB/s with Adapter (MB-MP128DA/AM)

 

[muzzy996]

Here, let me make this easier. Which one is better for me and why?

1. Lexar High-Performance MicroSDXC 633x 128GB UHS-I/U3 (Up to 95MB/s Read) w/USB 3.0 Reader Flash Memory Card LSDMI128BBNL633R

Or

2. Samsung 128GB EVO Micro SDXC up to 48MB/s with Adapter (MB-MP128DA/AM)

In terms of speed the Lexar has faster read speed. I'm not sure what the write speed is though.


Personally I'd rather go with an EVO Pro or a Sandisk Extreme Pro due to the high read AND write speeds. Those only go up to 64GB though so yeah having to look for a fast 128GB I'd say go with the Lexar . . note that for the Lexar the write speed is not specified other than "lower" than the rated 95MB/s read speed.

 

[SONGUNDAM]

Cool, thanks for the info. So either of those should be a good choice right? I guess I'm more concerned with the read speed.

 

[SONGUNDAM]

I just saw this one too. What's the best one out of the 3?

SanDisk Ultra 128GB Ultra Micro SDXC UHS-I/Class 10 Card with Adapter (SDSQUNC-128G-GN6MA) [Newest Version]

 

[Rukbat]

A U3 card will only outperform a U1 card if you're recording 4k video. The U3 card will be read from and written to as fast as the phone decides - which, except in the case of 4k video, is U1 speeds. (It's like driving a Porsche on a rocky dirt road. An old VW bus will go just as fast.)

Persojnally I prefer SanDisk - I've delt with a few companies over the decades, and SanDisk is a pleasure to deal with.

Radiohawk, I hope you went to SanDisk Online RMA Request and had your bad cards replaced.

 

[muzzy996]

A U3 card will only outperform a U1 card if you're recording 4k video. The U3 card will be read from and written to as fast as the phone decides - which, except in the case of 4k video, is U1 speeds. (It's like driving a Porsche on a rocky dirt road. An old VW bus will go just as fast.)

Persojnally I prefer SanDisk - I've delt with a few companies over the decades, and SanDisk is a pleasure to deal with.

Radiohawk, I hope you went to SanDisk Online RMA Request and had your bad cards replaced.

For what it's worth, I just benchmarked both a Samsung Evo 64GB U1 card and a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB U3 card in my Note 4 using A1 SD benchmarking app and the U3 card trounced the U1 posting 85MB/s read and 53MB/s write speeds vs 43MB/s and 21MB/s.

In practice depending on what one is doing with their phone I have to think that the speed difference can be noticeable. Sure for MP3 or video playback or general document handling one probably won't notice. From personal experience jumping in/out of camera/gallery is snappier though even if the first time "lag" between camera and gallery isn't completely eliminated. Also, transferring data to the card over a PC to phone USB connection is definitely faster if the card is faster. Whether this speed difference is worth the extra cost and the lower max storage size currently available is up to the user. For me it is only because I don't need 128GB of storage on my phone.


Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

 

[SONGUNDAM]

How would you compare the SanDisk Pro U3 to the other 3 I listed, especially the Lexar?

 

[Gunny94]

How would you compare the SanDisk Pro U3 to the other 3 I listed, especially the Lexar?

Lexar are great. however I use my DSLR and I shot in RAW and found the Evo Pro to be the best cards to carry around if you're processing big transfers.

I wouldn't discard both Lexar and Sandisk, because they are amazing and really close to Evo Pro and the rest in terms of benchmarks.. To be honest at the end of the day it depends what you see on sale because the differences of the high end cards usually is between 5% to 7% in terms of writing/reading.

Evo Pro issues are only on random writing that somehow gets slow, again randomly.

 

[hopefulfarm]

I had SanDisk cards in my Note 2 and (16 to a 32) would have a lot of issues, so I bought a Samsung 64 off Amazon one day when they were on special and I haven't had any issues like I had with my SanDisk cards. I think the 32G Sandisk was an ultra, as is the Samsung. Don't think the 16 was.

 

[radiohawk]

A U3 card will only outperform a U1 card if you're recording 4k video. The U3 card will be read from and written to as fast as the phone decides - which, except in the case of 4k video, is U1 speeds. (It's like driving a Porsche on a rocky dirt road. An old VW bus will go just as fast.)

Persojnally I prefer SanDisk - I've delt with a few companies over the decades, and SanDisk is a pleasure to deal with.

Radiohawk, I hope you went to SanDisk Online RMA Request and had your bad cards replaced.

Actually went to Costco, one the best return policies out there!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[SONGUNDAM]

Thanks fellas. I went with the Lexar due to the awesome read and write speeds and lifetime warranty. It was the most expensive but in my eyes the best. I appreciate all your input

 

[Tsepz_GP]

Been using a SanDisk 32GB MicroSDHC UHS1 in my Samsungs since the Galaxy S2 with no problem up to my Note 4. Just bought a 64GB MicroSDXC UHS1, will see how it goes when it arrives next week.

Sent from my Note 4 +64GB MicroSDXC via Tapatalk

 

[rexbitz]

What app are you guys using to test the read and write speed.

 

[muzzy996]

What app are you guys using to test the read and write speed.

This is the one I'm using: A1 SD Bench

My results thus far using the standard test, fresh reboot and letting the phone settle down for a few minutes:

Internal memory - 217MB/s read, 115Mb/s write
Samsung Evo 64GB U1 microSD card - 43MB/s read, 21MB/s write
SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB U3 card - 85MB/s read, 53MB/s write

Results vary as you run multiple tests. I did not take an average. Internal memory is clearly faster, and higher speed spec microSD cards that show a rated write speed are clearly faster than cards that hide their write speed spec in product literature.