Weekly poll: how much storage do you use on your phone? Are microSD slots still important?

19 June 2022
Camera resolutions keep rising, phones can now record 8K video, mobile apps are becoming more complex - all of that takes up more and more space on your phone.

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AnonF-1006353, 19 Jun 2022Fully agree until the point of removable batteries. What do... moreAhh... Sorry, I mixed my words. I meant, "The concept of non-removable batteries didn't prove to be the advantage it was claimed to be".

And ya, I agree that removable battery would've better solution for the consumer, for the world, for the environment. Again, its one of those choices which don't affect anyone negatively, not even consumer who's ok with sealed battery... I mean, just don't open the cover, what else?

    • B
    • B52
    • gLC
    • 20 Jun 2022

    Worth to mention that V60-V90 cards are really fast.

    For example a Sandisk Extreme 1TB card can do 160MB/s read and 90MB/s write speed, and costs around 350EUR. And it is just a V30 card...

    One of the most intense writing task is video recording with high resolution.
    S20 Ultra records 8K-24fps (in H.265) with about 10 MB/s bitrate.
    Using H.264 instead would mean around 20-25MB/s.
    H.264 and 60FPS can result a bitrate around 60-65MB/s.
    In H.265 it would be about half of that...
    So you can also use that not-the-fastest V30 card and still have a lot of reserve.

    Lets say that switching from a 13 Pro Max 128GB to a 1TB version costs you about 600EUR and you will loose that storage when switching your phone to a newer one.

      Rkm, 20 Jun 2022Yeah, so true. I was able to watch a 2hr long video in 1hr ... moreExtremely weak attempt. But ok, it's Monday.

        • D
        • AnonD-1037771
        • 0Ca
        • 20 Jun 2022

        NO SD card slot = NO BUY!
        I don't care about the rest of the specs if the SD slot is not available.
        SD card speeds are quite irrelevant because people use them mainly to store data or make backups, not for installing or running apps from it. It's not 2010.
        Samsung lost me as a customer and is basically inviting me to go buy a Sony, which still has even the 3.5mm jack. Now that's a huge bonus for me because I absolutely hate wireless headphones!
        PS For everyone complaining about the speeds or corrupted SD cards, just go buy an ORIGINAL SD card next time, not a cheap replica. I highly recommend SanDisk Extreme Pro (black and red colors). Again, ORIGINAL, not fakes!
        Peace! 🌈👽💋

          To the die hard fans of microSD: iPhones sell great since 2008 and they never had expandable storage. I wouldn't think people care nearly as much as you'd might want to 🤷‍♂️

            Anonymous, 20 Jun 2022To those complaining about "slow" sdcard: it'... morecan shut up those people by linking them to the required sustained speeds to handle writing 4k60 content. then if they persist in calling it trash, point out UHS-II cards. and if that's not enough, Samsung MAKES easily affordable UFS CARD. it's a shame they don't support them in their phones.

            samsung really got the 256 GB and 12GB RAM BASE MODEL right when they released the NOTE 10+ and Note 10. since then it's just been regression. fingers crossed for the S23U but it's likely a lost battle

              • R
              • Rkm
              • FY0
              • 20 Jun 2022

              Olympus Oms, 20 Jun 2022You still haven't tried your phone without card, as yo... moreYeah, so true. I was able to watch a 2hr long video in 1hr 15min and listen to a 5 min song in 3.5min because I moved it from my sd card to internal memory 👍👍👍 .

                Khamis1990, 20 Jun 2022The problem of a mobile withouth sd card slot is that all y... moreWell said.
                I can't say I miss SD cards now that it has been a wile for me, and I use a C port drive of 128GB to transfer and backup my data :)

                An SD is easier to carry because, well, it is inside the phone, but installing apps on an SD is a gimmick so might as well carry it with my keys or simply use it once a while.

                  • M
                  • Milad
                  • 0U%
                  • 20 Jun 2022

                  one of the must important things for me when im chosing phone is micro sd dedicated slot !
                  its hardbut i do !
                  please let it be

                    The problem of a mobile withouth sd card slot is that all your content will be in the internal memory meaning that if the phone get damaged you loses everything & like mobile phone with sd card slot you will have all your media in the external memory meaning when the phone get damaged you just remove your sd card & you have all your things.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • pLh
                      • 20 Jun 2022

                      To those complaining about "slow" sdcard: it's not as if those using sdcards don't use their "fast" internal storage. It's like having an SSD and HDD. You can put frequently accessed files on SSD (or internal storage in our case) and less frequent ones on HDD (or the sdcard in our case). This is effective and given other benefits of sdcards, this isn't an excuse to abandon it.

                      Also, these people complaining clearly haven't used an sdcard and just repeating part of the information they managed to retain from online. When it comes to reading/accessing everyday files, sdcard don't nearly feel as slow as they try to make you think. Writing is a different story but that's never a frequently performed task. Either way, having sdcard doesn't negatively affect your phone in any way.

                      Finally, if slow sdcard is your problem, would you switch sides if a faster sdcard technology was developed? Why not push for a faster sdcard technology which would be an actual innovation as opposed to getting rid of it altogether?

                        osiristheone, 19 Jun 2022Take the L, MicroSD is dead 😁Not really, it will never be. Just because popular top brands are doing it doesn't mean it's dead. If anything, people looking at older phones with such support only shows just how important it is in the first place.

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                          • Bharathvajha
                          • EKy
                          • 20 Jun 2022

                          I can't live with a phone that has no SD card slot. It is one of the main reasons I am still using my Samsung galaxy note 9 with a 1TB SD card in it. No matter how fast and big the internal storage is SD card is a must. People argue that internal storage is faster. Nothing comes as versatile as a storage expansion. A phone without an SD card is a BIG NO for me.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • 6wN
                            • 20 Jun 2022

                            I had 128GB Sandisk Ultra micro SD with my Sony Z3 which had only 16GB storage. Now I use Samsung A52. It has micro SD slot but I don't use it as 256GB phone storage is already great.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 3it
                              • 20 Jun 2022

                              YUKI93, 20 Jun 2022Smartphone camera nowadays is so advanced that a lot of peo... morePhones will never ever be as good as DSLR/Mirrorless cameras. It's simple physics. And with older DSLRs it is SO SO useful to have SD-card on Your phone. Just pull the card from the camera and transfer to the phone for quick PS/Lightroom corrections and sharing. Even if newer cameras have Wi-Fi for transfer, this can clog up Your memory SO quickly. Esp. video files. If You think videos on phones are large - try raw footage from a DSLR.

                                unxpctd, 19 Jun 2022Somebody finally gets it! Way too many people out here c... moreCouldn't agree more. Just because they don't use it doesn't mean it's not relevant. It's way better to have flexibility than to have nothing.

                                  Smithravi, 20 Jun 2022Anyone who says there's no need of SD card definitely ... moreI am low end users, but how is your logic if most phones under $300 still have an SD slot? also there are still many people who buy microsd I saw in the online shop.

                                    Olympus Oms, 20 Jun 2022Am I the one who can't live without a slow card? Am I ... moreEven installing a full desktop Linux OS inside a microSD card is a full possibility*. Only people like you would only care about trivial non-important stuff like the millimetric speed difference.

                                    *https://www.systranbox.com/how-to-install-linux-on-a-microsd-card/

                                      MasEnha, 19 Jun 20221TB or even 2TB is too small for my collections. NAS is man... moreThe problem with NAS is that they have never been cheap in the first place. I like the idea of NAS for my home use, but it cost too much to set up in the first place.

                                        YUKI93, 20 Jun 2022More like you don't want to accept the true real-world... moreAm I the one who can't live without a slow card? Am I the one claiming sd cards are just as fast as the internal storage? Am I the one scared of using a phone without a slow sd card? How's that for reality.

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