I want to buy a Clip+ and I’m not sure witch option I should take:
2GB Clip+ with 16GB microSDHC (class 2) = 18GB total
8GB Clip+ with 8GB microSDHC (class 6) = 16GB total
Both options are nearly the same price in Europe (option 1 is even slightly cheaper).
Option 1 looks better for me because i don’t have to separate my music on two drives (all files would fit on the microSD). That’s more comfortable and also I could easily use the microSD with all my music in other devices (i.e. my laptop). The problem is that 16GB microSD-cards are only affordable in class 2 (very low write speed). That’s why option 2 could be better (for speed issues).
Can anyone tell me if microSD-cards (class 2) are a lot more slowly than the internal memory? Concerning both: copying files to my clip and for updating the data base. Should i rather take a microSD-card (class 6) and live with worse usability?
Yes, thank you, you’re right. But for me it’s not a big difference between 18GB (2+16) and 24GB (8+16). If I really want more space then I’ll buy a 32GB microSD when it’ll be available one day. I’m more concerned about speed issues and usability. Hopefully someone with a 16GB microSD class 2 can tell me his experiences…
Always go with the largest available internal memory. That can never be changed like the memory cards can. You don’t have to use it, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly your music collection grows. Besides, you you want to use a format that takes up more space, but gives a higher music quality like OGG or FLAC rather than MP3, you’ll be thankful for the extra head-room.
Always go with the largest available internal memory. That can’t be changed like the memory cards can. You don’t have to use it, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly your music collection grows. Besides, if you want to use a format that takes up more space, but gives higher music quality like OGG or FLAC rather than MP3, you’ll be thankful for the extra head-room.
Thanks for your comments! But I still would love to hear some experiences of someone who uses a Clip+ with a 16GB microSD class 2 card.
I’ve got the old 8GB Clip that has a write speed of 4.4MB/s (30 minutes to fill the stick completely). I think that’s already kind of slowly. If a microSD class 2 card is even slowlier then it would take up to 2 hours to fill a 16GB microSD card!! That’s too long for me (although i won’t do this very often).
And for future use: I’m quite sure that 16GB/18GB will be enough for me. That’s why I only want to take one of these two options and don’t plan to upgrade them. More probably I would buy the next generation of the Clip oneday if space runs out…
Thanks for your comments! But I still would love to hear some experiences of someone who uses a Clip+ with a 16GB microSD class 2 card.
I’ve got the old 8GB Clip that has a write speed of 4.4MB/s (30 minutes to fill the stick completely). I think that’s already kind of slowly. If a microSD class 2 card is even slowlier then it would take up to 2 hours to fill a 16GB microSD card!! That’s too long for me (although i won’t do this very often).
And for future use: I’m quite sure that 16GB/18GB will be enough for me. That’s why I only want to take one of these two options and don’t plan to upgrade them. More probably I would buy the next generation of the Clip oneday if space runs out…
I use a SanDisk 16GB Class 2 card in my 4GB Clip+ (I previously used it with my 4GB Fuze), and it takes me about thirty to thirty-five minutes to fill a little over half the card with music. I get refresh times of around two to three minutes, usually. Don’t know if any of that is standard, but I pretty happy with it. I’m just happy to have an expandable Clip in the first place!
it takes me about thirty to thirty-five minutes to fill a little over half the card with music. I get refresh times of around two to three minutes, usually.
In other words: to write 8GB on a “SanDisk MicroSDHC Class 2” takes about 30 minutes, that is exactly the same speed than the internal memory (~4.4MB/s). Refresh times seems to be the same, too.
In Short: A microSD class 2 card isn’t slowlier than the internal memory, so all people who want a Clip+ with 16-18GB will go fine with option 1 (as long as they don’t plan to upgrade memory in future).
I want to buy a Clip+ and I’m not sure witch option I should take:
2GB Clip+ with 16GB microSDHC (class 2) = 18GB total
8GB Clip+ with 8GB microSDHC (class 6) = 16GB total
Can anyone tell me if microSD-cards (class 2) are a lot more slowly than the internal memory? Concerning both: copying files to my clip and for updating the data base. Should i rather take a microSD-card (class 6) and live with worse usability?
The SD Association has developed the specifications for SD cards including SD, SDHC and the future SDXC cards. These include specification for write speed and the classification system. According to their web site, the Class # of an SDHC card indicates the minimum guaranteed write speed of that card in MB/sec. The classes are:
Class 2: minimum guaranteed write speed of 2MB/sec
Class 4: minimum guaranteed write speed of 4MB/sec
Class 6: minimum guaranteed write speed of 6MB/sec
Note that the write speeds for any particular class are minimums. The write speed of your particular card may be higher than the minimum.
So, just going by the minimums, a Class 6 card would have a write speed 3 times faster than a Class 2 card.
@BigJohnL: I know the SD specifications. As you’ve said: they only guarantee the minimum write speed (that is 2MB/sec for class 2). This would be only half the speed of the Clip+'s internal memory. But like HulkSmashNow pointed out: the avarage write speed of a Sandisk 16GB microSDHC class 2 inside the Clip+ is about 4.4MB/sec (that is exactly the same speed than Clip+'s internal memory).
The other way round: if you use a microSDHC class 6 (minimum guaranteed write speed of 6MB/sec) inside the Clip+ you maybe still have the same write speed of ~4.4MB/sec because of the limitations of the Clip+ itself. I’d be happy if somebody could test this out for us! (For example to measure the time to completely fill a Sandisk 8GB microSDHC class 6 inside the Clip+.)
In other words: to write 8GB on a “SanDisk MicroSDHC Class 2” takes about 30 minutes, that is exactly the same speed than the internal memory (~4.4MB/s). Refresh times seems to be the same, too.
In Short: A microSD class 2 card isn’t slowlier than the internal memory, so all people who want a Clip+ with 16-18GB will go fine with option 1 (as long as they don’t plan to upgrade memory in future).
If time to fill is the primary concern, you can write to both at once (for max speed, you may need to put the card in a separate writer) so a balance between internal and card capacity would be optimum.
A larger internal memory gives more flexibility as long as some functions like record work only on internal memory.
If time to fill is the primary concern, you can write to both at once (for max speed, you may need to put the card in a separate writer) so a balance between internal and card capacity would be optimum.
A larger internal memory gives more flexibility as long as some functions like record work only on internal memory.
My primary concern is to have one memory for all my music. When i’ve 8+8GB it’s more difficult to check wether i’ve copied an album already to my Clip or not (because i’ve always to look on both drives). That is why I prefere 2+16GB and only use the 16GB microSD. –> better usability.
The only problem would be, if the microSD is slowlier than the internal memory (–> worse usability). But it seems like both have the same average write speed (as ulkSmashNow made clear), so that’s no problem.
Nevertheless you made another important point: Is it true, that some functions (i.e. record) only work with internal memory? If that’s the case, option 1 would be worse!
Nevertheless you made another important point: Is it true, that some functions (i.e. record) only work with internal memory? If that’s the case, option 1 would be worse!
I want to repeat my question: Can anyone who owns a Clip+ confirm, that you can’t record on the external microSD card?
From Sandisk’s point of view of course you should “go with the largest available internal memory” Since this player has a card reader, the version with smallest amount of memory is clearly the best option. Beside flexibility and savings (flash memory prices go continually down), I like not having to “wear and tear” internal flash memory which is not replaceable (OK, I know that I exaggerate little bit :), even if it’s MLC flash).
Since this player has a card reader, the version with smallest amount of memory is clearly the best option. Beside flexibility and savings (flash memory prices go continually down), I like not having to “wear and tear” internal flash memory which is not replaceable (OK, I know that I exaggerate little bit :), even if it’s MLC flash).