I think you've noticed that manufacturers have gradually begun to abandon smartphones with memory cards. Of course, inexpensive models with a small amount of memory continue to be equipped with a corresponding slot, but the flagships have memory cards less and less. There is a logical explanation for this, and I will tell you about it. And I’ll also tell you why I don’t buy smartphones with a memory card myself, or simply don’t install them. I am sure that many will agree with me, because in personal conversations after I presented my arguments, almost everyone agreed with me. Of course, memory cards have their advantages, but as for me, they have much more disadvantages. So why don't I advise overpaying for more memory?
A memory card is important, but you shouldn't rely on it too much.
How much memory should be in the phone
When we choose a smartphone, first of all we look at its price. By driving a device model into Yandex Market, we see the price of a particular model and understand that it costs so much. Then we start to look closely at it and notice that you can pay a few thousand extra and get more memory. On the one hand, it is attractive, but on the other, why is it necessary, if the minimum value should be enough. Moreover, you can insert a memory card up to 512 GB and not know grief.
I stopped doing this a long time ago. I believe that we should take as much memory as possible. Our Vanya Kuznetsov disagrees with me, but it's even good. In a dispute, truth is born. Moreover, it is always somewhere in between.
First of all, you need to understand that when you buy a smartphone and they tell you that it has 32 GB of memory installed, you will get a maximum of 20 GB. About 10 GB will be occupied by the system. Apps will eat up another 5-10 GB. As a result, you will have a maximum of ten gigabytes for content. This is very small, especially if you have a good camera and the images take up a lot of space.
I am often approached by acquaintances who have exactly 32 GB of memory and do not understand where the gigabytes have gone if “I rarely take pictures, but I have no games”. You start looking and see that only the most necessary applications are really installed in the smartphone, and there are more photos than you might think. As a result, there is no room.
From myself, I recommend choosing at least 64 GB, because now this option is available in almost every smartphone, even among the most inexpensive ones. Personally, I now have 512 GB, and before that it was 256 GB. Of course, I don't use all this volume, but when I was shooting 4K video on a trip, it was very useful to me. I was not worried that the place would run out and I would have to look for something to remove.
Such a memory card is inexpensive, but the built-in memory is still better.
Why the memory card does not work
The only plus that I see in using a memory card for a smartphone is the ability to change it on the go. For example on vacation. You can shoot a video on it as soon as it is over, insert a new one, and then easily and quickly throw photos and videos onto your computer through a card reader. This feature is useful. This is why I don't mind a card slot in a smartphone. I just don't want to use removable memory as the main one.
I had such that the memory card broke and stopped working. I don’t know what happened to her, but in the end I lost quite valuable photographs. To be fair, that card was “noname” and I bought it at a souvenir kiosk in one of the ski resorts. Therefore, its breakdown is not surprising.
There can be many reasons for a memory card failure, from an assembly defect to file system problems and physical damage. The main thing is that in the end it doesn't work, and you lose data. I have already told you what to do if the smartphone does not see the map. In some cases, there are chances to revive it, but they are not so great.
One of the readers in the comments confirmed that one should not expect great reliability from memory cards.
Why you can't install apps on a memory card
Also, I strongly advise against installing applications on a memory card. Usually it is not as bad to lose them as photos and videos. After all, now all data is usually stored in the cloud, so all you lose is the shell, which can be easily downloaded and logged in again.
The main problem is that the built-in memory of even an inexpensive smartphone is faster than a memory card. This affects the speed of writing and reading data. If you can wait ten minutes instead of eight while copying photos, then applications will stably slow down and load longer. Therefore, even if you use a memory card, store applications on the built-in memory, and use the card for data. If you still can't convince you, we know how to transfer applications to a memory card.
Which memory card to choose for the phone
If you still decide to choose a memory card for your smartphone or want to use it as a removable disk for photos, videos and movies on the road, choose a good option.
The difference between something incomprehensible and a reliable memory card of a good brand will be very small. By adding a little more, you can buy a fast card of the same eminent brand. The principle is simple – within the same volume, the more expensive the better.
Having paid 500 rubles more once, you can have fun for a very long time. If you want to discuss the brands and speeds of memory cards, let's do so in the comments. I think we'll find something to tell each other.
This is convenient, but it happens less and less.
Either way, a memory card costs money. If you want to buy a smartphone and the difference between the two memory sizes is no more than two thousand rubles, do not even hesitate, take a larger volume. At least half of the difference will be spent on purchasing a memory card. If it breaks, you will have to buy another one and you will not get any profit. If the difference is greater, then you should think about it, but not from the point of view of saving on the card, but whether you need such a volume.
Write in the comments how you feel about memory cards. We also have a Telegram chat. There is a lot to discuss there too.
The only amount of memory for which, as it seems to me, you shouldn't overpay is 512 GB. Even 256 GB makes sense to take, but there are already options. But you will have a stock
For myself, I decided. Only built-in memory, and cards in order to remove something and immediately throw it off, but not for permanent storage. I advise you to do the same, but everyone chooses his own path.