What is a Micro SD Card?
Devices such as camcorders, mobile phones, tablets, laptops etc have internal storage capabilities and for the most part the device will operate well. As a device ages and technology moves on, it is often the case that the processes within the device slow down and the storage capability of the device also lessens as over a period of time, we accumulate data, files, pictures, videos etc. that we do not delete and perhaps want to keep.
Our storage reaches its limit and we then have to look to delete files and pictures which can be a cumbersome task in itself. What to delete and the time that we are going to have to take to undertake this mammoth task. For those who are organised, it is not the same issue but for the most part, most of us collect rather than delete! This is where the Secure Digital (SD) card is useful, an SD card increases the memory capacity of your computer or device. The Micro SD card, as its name would suggest, is a smaller version of the SD card and is used in smaller devices such as phones.
Finding the best Micro SD card
- Size is going to be important. In days of old, several Megabytes would have been considered to be a lot of storage and in fact, one of the first computers had a storage capability of 4MB. We moved from Megabytes (MB) to Gigabytes (GB) and commonly mobile phones have 64GB / 128GB, we have come a long way. When shopping for a new computer it is not uncommon to see storage now in Terabytes (TB) and it is not planned to stop there, Petabytes (PB) is the next generation of storage. If you consider the approximate conversions, you will see how our storage requirements have changed over the years!
1GB = 1000MB
1TB = 1,000,000MB
1PB = 1,000,000,000MB
1GB has the capacity to store several hundred pictures depending on the resolution and 1TB is the capacity of some of the newer computers. We have gone from the MB to the GB to the TB and progress is now being made towards the PB.
When buying or using Micro SD cards in bulk quantities you need to look at your storage needs and decide on the best fit for your needs, after all, there would be nothing worse than running out of storage space at an important time. Cost may be a factor to calculate your needs carefully, you are however best to err on the side of choosing a larger storage capacity as needs can increase.
- Like anything that you buy, you want to make sure that the quality is as you would expect it to be. You might want to make sure that you are buying your Micro SD card from a trusted seller as there are plenty of unscrupulous dealers around and as such plenty of fake cards on the market. Using a reliable source will alleviate this concern for you. If you are purchasing your card online you might want to check the reviews of the company and of the particular card that you have chosen to buy.
- Once you have decided on the size and the quality, speed is the next important factor and it is also a factor that is overlooked by many as a lot of people assume that one SD card is the same as another but such is not the case. Speeds are indicated on the card.
You want to have a fast processing speed so that your device can read any data from the card and write any data to the card in as fast away as possible as there is nothing worse than having the time delay of data moving very slowly.
Time lags can be difficult to read the front of the card carefully and investigate card speeds to decide if the card that you are about to purchase will satisfy all of your requirements. We all do so many things with our computers and often never give it a second thought until something goes wrong!
- Most cards will be shockproof, waterproof and x-ray proof and these are very important qualities, check that this is the case with the card that you are about to buy as you don’t want any of your precious data to be lost or damaged. Some manufacturers will use this factor as a selling tool but in fact, most cards have the qualities.
- Make sure that the MicroSD card that you purchase is going to be compatible with the device that you have. It is the case that not all SD cards are going to be compatible with all devices and if you have an older device it is even more important that you check the compatibility factor. If in doubt, ask the manufacturer of your device whether the hardware will support particular cards. It is often the case that the seller of the card will be able to help you with this aspect too.
There are a wide variety of Micro SD cards available on the market and all you have to do is a quick Google search to see that. Try to look behind the banner headlines and check the price and look for reviews that relate to the quality. Cards will come with all sorts of features highlighted by the manufacturer as a way of enticing a buyer so look beyond that.
Educate yourself and remember if you are making your purchase from a reputable company, the company will be able to offer you advice and guidance relating to the Micro SD card that will suit your needs best. Micro SD cards are small so care should be taken with their handling so that they do not become damaged or lost. A Micro SD card, properly looked after should last for many years and many of the manufacturers will offer complete peace of mind warranty.