microSD Cards for AT&T LG Optimus G - AT&T LG Optimus G

Good day everyone:
I've just purchased this great device, at least spec wise, LG Optimus G (E970 for AT&T) and now I'm just waiting for it to arrive in the mail. For the record, I got a great deal on it from Walmart Wireless online for the upgrade price of $9.99 with 2-year contract and paying no taxes on the original retail price. That's the best deal ANYWHERE as far as I was able to find over the past month or so.
Anyway, on to the purpose of this thread. I've been looking t get the largest capacity and fastest speed microSD card that this smartphone would be compatible with right out of the box. To my surprise, other than basic general verbiage like "support for up
to 64 GB of expandable memory", I couldn't quickly find any detailed specs on what types of microSD cards and in what file format would work with this phone. Well, after much searching and compiling info from different sources, thought 'd share my findings with the rest of the members here so that they would have a definite answer in one spot.
I started with researching on the official site for the LG Optimus G E970 and grabbed the technical specifications PDF which states:
www DOT lg DOT com/us/support/products/documents/especsheet_lg_optimus_g_final DOT pdf - Link to LG Optimus G E970 technical specifications PDF
Internal Memory: 32GB total memory (16GB built in
memory and 16GB microSD card), and support for up
to 64 GB of expandable memory.
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Click to collapse
So, now knowing the maximum size in space that the phone will support (64GB), I looked up the best rated 64GB microSD card. This of course is debatable, yet I concluded that SanDisk made the best microSD cards in this size.
kb DOT sandisk DOT com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2520 - SD/SDHC/SDXC Specifications and Compatibility
SD Extended Capacity (SDXC™) card is an SD™ memory card based on the SDA 3.0 specification.
SDXC capacities range from 64GB to 2TB
Default Format: exFAT
Because SDXC uses a different file system called exFAT and it works differently than standard SD cards, this new format is NOT backwards compatible with host devices that only take SD (128MB to 2GB). Most host devices built after 2010 should be SDXC compatible. To ensure compatibility, look for the SDXC logo on cards and host devices (cameras, camcorders, etc.). NOTE: Internal card readers on laptops from 2008 and prior may NOT support SDXC cards. SDXC cards will work in SDHC compatible readers (not SD readers) if the computer OS supports exFAT. For more information on exFat see: Operating Systems that support the exFAT File System
Ultra High Speed, Phase I (UHS-I) bus design for SDHC and SDXC cards was added in SD spec 3.0. This is a design enhancement to increase the performance of SDHC/SDXC cards.
UHS-I specification defines two bus architecture options for up to 50MB/s (UHS-50) and 104MB/s (UHS-104) data transfer rates. These are theoretical maximum limits and actual maximum performance for a specific card is defined on it label or in advertising.
UHS is an enhancement to the original SD interface specifications. Host devices will obtain the UHS maximum speed when both the card and host device support UHS. Otherwise, the host device and card will use the slower SD maximum speed obtainable.
There is no compatibility problem using a UHS card with a non-UHS device.
Speed Class & UHS Speed Class Rating
Speed class ratings define a minimum guaranteed speed of SDHC/SDXC cards. Speed class rating is important for HD video mode or camcorders, where the device is actually saving a steady stream of data. The resolution and format of the video determines the amount of steady stream data. You should consult your camera user manual for minimum speed class requirements for HD video modes.
Speed Class (SD Bus):
Class Minimum Speed
2 2MB/s
4 4MB/s
6 6MB/s
8 8MB/s
10 10MB/s
UHS Speed Class (UHS Bus):
UHS Class Minimum Speed
I 10MB/s
For a more detailed explanation of speed class see: Difference between Speed Class, UHS Speed Class, and Speed Ratings...
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Click to collapse
Thus with this info, I settled on the SanDisk Ultra® microSDXC™ UHS-I class 10 64GB card within included Android app for file management (Product Number #SDSDQUA-064G-A11A). This is the product number I'd verify when purchasing this item from an American retailer.
**NOTE** there are slightly different product numbers for the same exact item when being sold in different continental areas
Now, the last thing I had to verify was if the LG Optimus G E970 was designed to have Android support the exFAT file system that is the default for this microSD card. I found that LG Electronics through a partnership has the Tuxera exFAT file system integrated into LGE Mobile flagship products starting with the LG Optimus G smartphone in November 2012. www DOT tuxera DOT com/news/lg-optimus-g-smartphone-line-ships-with-tuxera-exfat/ - You can check out the article here. This was the last piece of confirmation that I needed to be satisfied that SanDisk's 64GB mircoSD card products would work in this phone and all future LGE mobile smartphone devices. Happy happy, joy joy!
So, to make this long post short, yes, based on what I've researched, the LG Optimus G E970 will natively be compatible with the 64GB sized line of mircoSD cards. In fact, according to the last link I posted, the phone will even except microSD cards much larger than 64GB once they are more commonly found consumer retail locations. Of course, only time will tell if this is true.

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I purchased that exact MicroSD and it works unless you flash a non-stock ROM. After that, you have to format it to something else (I think mine is formatted as EXT4)

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EXFAT fix.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2181460

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Great to Know exFAT is Still Usable in Non-Stock ROMs
adfurgerson said:
EXFAT fix.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2181460
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed this thread as well during the research I've been doing here is deciding on purchasing this phone. I'm completely new to rooting and and flashing ROMs so until I do more studying on this I'll have to stick with the stock setup. My ultimate goal though it to at least root it so that I can use wifi tethering function without getting the stupid additional monthly charge from AT&T. I was able to do this on my current Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket without rooting thanks to FoxFi, but I've been reading that FoxFi doesn't work on Android OSs after ICS. If I do decide to flash another non-stock ROM then I'll mos def be looking more in depth at your thread link. Thanks!

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As the author of that thread let me tell you that information is obsolete. All 4.3 roms I've tried read and write and mtp to my exfat cards just fine, right out of the box.
Samsung 64gb uhs1 hovering around $60 on Amazon. I've tried SanDisk too but had nasty failure rate. Had good luck with the Samsung that I bought a second one. They write 15-20 Mbps and read up to 70 Mbps in a USB 3 card reader, about half that in the phone. It's faster than the phone's built in storage.
Sent from my Optimus G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

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onyxwavex said:
I noticed this thread as well during the research I've been doing here is deciding on purchasing this phone. I'm completely new to rooting and and flashing ROMs so until I do more studying on this I'll have to stick with the stock setup. My ultimate goal though it to at least root it so that I can use wifi tethering function without getting the stupid additional monthly charge from AT&T. I was able to do this on my current Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket without rooting thanks to FoxFi, but I've been reading that FoxFi doesn't work on Android OSs after ICS. If I do decide to flash another non-stock ROM then I'll mos def be looking more in depth at your thread link. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's plenty of people that would help you unlock and put on a custom rom on the lgog granted you did a little research yourself first. It's always a pain babying someone through it, but as long as you have an idea what you're doing before you start, there's plenty of us that can help. It's very hard to fully brick the lgog just so you know. If you ever want faster answers our IRC channel is probably the best way.

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onyxwavex said:
So, to make this long post short, yes, based on what I've researched, the LG Optimus G E970 will natively be compatible with the 64GB sized line of mircoSD cards. In fact, according to the last link I posted, the phone will even except microSD cards much larger than 64GB once they are more commonly found consumer retail locations. Of course, only time will tell if this is true.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, and they are on sale at best buy now for $65, and they are the minimum 20mb/s write variety. Buy it in store or online with "i'll pick up in store" and if you have any of the failure rate issues you can just replace it on the spot. Just my two pennies. It's $5 more than amazon but you get the faster rated speed one (lot of prior gen were class 6/uhs I) and the convenience of instant return/swaps.

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onyxwavex said:
I noticed this thread as well during the research I've been doing here is deciding on purchasing this phone. I'm completely new to rooting and and flashing ROMs so until I do more studying on this I'll have to stick with the stock setup. My ultimate goal though it to at least root it so that I can use wifi tethering function without getting the stupid additional monthly charge from AT&T. I was able to do this on my current Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket without rooting thanks to FoxFi, but I've been reading that FoxFi doesn't work on Android OSs after ICS. If I do decide to flash another non-stock ROM then I'll mos def be looking more in depth at your thread link. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Benchmark from SDTools of the SanDisk I picked up at best buy yesterday, 20MB sustained in the phone is pretty good for write speed.
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[r.]GimP said:
Yes, and they are on sale at best buy now for $65, and they are the minimum 20mb/s write variety. Buy it in store or online with "i'll pick up in store" and if you have any of the failure rate issues you can just replace it on the spot. Just my two pennies. It's $5 more than amazon but you get the faster rated speed one (lot of prior gen were class 6/uhs I) and the convenience of instant return/swaps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
$65 is way more than I want to spend. lol, I'm looking to get 2 of them for under $50 each, thus I'll probably end up getting them off eBay some time within the next week or two.
[r.]GimP said:
Benchmark from SDTools of the SanDisk I picked up at best buy yesterday, 20MB sustained in the phone is pretty good for write speed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's good to know. I get my two new LG phones (Optimus G E970 & Optimus G Pro) in the mail tomorrow, and then I'll be picking up new 64GB microSD cards for both of them within a couple weeks, so I report back on how the cards are working for me then.

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sawdey21 said:
There's plenty of people that would help you unlock and put on a custom rom on the lgog granted you did a little research yourself first. It's always a pain babying someone through it, but as long as you have an idea what you're doing before you start, there's plenty of us that can help. It's very hard to fully brick the lgog just so you know. If you ever want faster answers our IRC channel is probably the best way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It'll probably be at least another month or two of studying the threads before I decide to jump into unlocking and flashing a custom ROM on my 2 new LG phones. Right, now my main focus will be to root them both so that I can get the most usage out of both the Root Explorer and SQLite Editor apps.
lol, and don't worry, I'm one that likes to try and research the hell out of something first, and then find at around 5 other people who've said that they have successfully done something a certain way before I attempt it. And what ever I learn, I'll mos def post it here in the forums (at least if it isn't posted already) if I think it can help others out.

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I've been an avid SanDisk user. For a 64gb formatted in fat32, here. Only had 1 failure with a 32gb and that was by applying the JB update on the Atrix HD with the card in.
Sent from my Paranoid 4.3 LG-E970

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Went through all the posts..
Wondering, I got a Sandisk Ultra 32 GB card. I used with Galaxy S3. Now I am getting Optimus G E970. (In couple days). Its formatted to Fat 32 currently. shouldn't be a problem right?

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this phone is very easy to root and unlock bootloader. anyone that ever had an HTC phone and know what the "wire trick" means know what im talking about. i say u need about 2 hours of reading before getting to business.

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I have the same exact card works fine here
Sent from my Optimus G using XDA Premium HD app

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NHS2008 said:
Went through all the posts..
Wondering, I got a Sandisk Ultra 32 GB card. I used with Galaxy S3. Now I am getting Optimus G E970. (In couple days). Its formatted to Fat 32 currently. shouldn't be a problem right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It'll work just fine. Same with 64gb cards. EXFat might not work on all ROMs, though.
Sent from my Optimus G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

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Exfat works with the zip on every aosp rom I've tried recently and most of the recent 4.3 roms support exfat out of the box now that CM added it in, so anybody that clones a cm 10.2 repo will get native exfat support without a flashable zip.
Sent from my Optimus G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

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32 GB
Is it possible to get such write speeds of 20MBps with a microSDHC card?
Because I cudn't find any 32GB sdxc cards only sdhc ones?

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Lol, sdxc is 64gb and up.
Sent from my LG Optimus G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 09:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:07 AM ----------
Also, I pre-ordered the 128gb card. I'll let y'all know how it works out when it shows up.
Sent from my LG Optimus G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

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Did anybody have any problems with the default Kingmax 16GB Class 6 card?
Is it more or less reliable? Just wondering, because such size is sufficient for me but I prefer not to lose my data accidentally

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128 GB microSD card
Has anyone tried out a 128 gb microSD card yet?