Hi, guys, I’m considering purchasing a new Mac, and I noticed that some models support Micro SDXC card slots, but I haven’t had any experience with them before. Could anyone help me answer the following questions? I would appreciate it!
What is Micro SDXC?
What are the 4 types of SD cards?
Is microSDXC the same as microSD?
Is microSDXC backward compatible?
Micro Secure eXtended Capacity (MicroSDXC) cards refer to all microSD cards with a capacity greater than 32GB. It provides higher storage capacity and faster data transfer speed and is widely used in various devices such as smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, drones and other mobile devices. So if you need to store your photos, 4K videos, apps, and large files in HD, you can choose the MicroSDXC card.
SD cards can be divided into four types:
SD (Secure Digital): Capacity of 2GB and under. This was the first SD card type to be introduced and was primarily used for basic storage needs. You’ll find it in older devices, such as early digital cameras, MP3, and some low-capacity cell phones.
SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity): Capacity of more than 2GB, up to 32 GB. The SDHC card supports higher storage capacity, so it is suitable for devices that require more storage space.
SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity): More than 32GB capacity, up to 2 TB. SDXC cards also use the exFAT file system and support larger individual files. They usually have higher speed classes and are suitable for applications with higher performance requirements.
SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity): Over 2TB capacity, up to 128 TB. SDUC cards also use the exFAT file system, but SDUC is the latest SD card that supports large capacities and is suitable for storing large amounts of data and ultra-high-definition content.
Micro SDXC and Micro SD are not the same card and cannot be used interchangeably. Micro SDXC and Micro SD are both memory cards, but they differ in various aspects. The Micro SD has a maximum capacity of 2GB, while the Micro SDXC ranges from 32GB to 2TB, supporting larger storage requirements. In addition, the Micro SDXC card also has a higher speed class, supports the exFAT file system, and is suitable for storing files larger than 4GB.
Micro SDXC cards have some backward compatibility but with conditions. Since a Micro SDXC card is the same physical size as a Micro SD and Micro SDHC card, it can be inserted into devices that support Micro SD or Micro SDHC. However, to read or use a Micro SDXC card, the device must explicitly support the SDXC standard.
In addition, Micro SDXC cards often use the exFAT file system, while early Micro SD and Micro SDHC cards use the FAT32 file system. Therefore, if the device does not support the exFAT file system, the Micro SDXC card may not work properly. Hence, before using a Micro SDXC card, you must ensure that the device supports the SDXC standard and is compatible with the exFAT file system.