When users insert a new micro SD6.1 card or portable SSD on the Windows platform, the system will automatically pop up a window that requires formatting, providing three different file formats: FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS.
Many users know very little about these three formats and only follow the instructions in the pop-up window. Windows also does not provide detailed explanations for the three formats. This article will provide a detailed explanation of these issues:
What is a file system?
The file system is the way in which files are stored and arranged by the system. Different formats of file systems are related to how data is stored on the disk, and there are also differences in file names, file permissions, and other attributes. The Windows operating system supports three different file systems: FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS. NTFS is a modern file system in the current Windows operating system, and is currently the most widely used. Most of the internal SSD (solid state drives) are in NTFS format. FAT32 is a relatively old file system that cannot support many modern file format attributes like NTFS format, but it has good compatibility with different system platforms and can be used universally on Linux, Mac, or Android system platforms. exFAT is an improved version of the FAT32 file format that can copy larger files (4 times larger than FAT32), and most devices and operating systems also support this file system.
The Difference between FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS
FAT32 format: A traditional file format on the Windows platform with good compatibility, but the disadvantage is that it has a limit on file size and does not support files larger than 4GB. So, for many large games, image files, compressed files, and videos, it is impossible to copy them. When formatting a micro SD6.1 card now, FAT32 is still the default operation, and the same goes for Windows 10, mostly due to conservative compatibility considerations. Due to its good compatibility, FAT32 can be used on many older devices, such as some older dash cams MP3, Game consoles, etc., have better compatibility than exFAT and NTFS.
PG brand 16GB and 32GB T cards both use FAT32 format.
exFAT format: The most suitable file format for micro SD6.1 cards, tailored by Microsoft for flash micro SD6.1, with advanced performance and technical support, as well as optimized protection for flash memory, which will not cause unnecessary damage. It is simpler than NTFS, larger than the single file supported by FAT32, and supported by systems starting from Vista. The main benefits include: enhanced interoperability between desktop/laptop and mobile devices, maximum 16GB per file, improved space allocation rows in the remaining space allocation table, up to 65536 files in the same directory, and support for access control. Due to its suitability for high-capacity micro SD6.1 cards, exFAT format may not be compatible with some older devices. exFAT is compatible with most modern devices, such as gaming consoles, drones, Android devices, IP cameras, smart wearables, etc. If compatibility is not possible, it may be due to your device being an older device. You can format the micro SD6.1 card using a computer and choose FAT32 format.
At present,PG brand 64GB and 128GB micro SD6.1 cards both use exFAT format.
NTFS format: The most widely used and currently the best format on the Windows platform, supporting large capacity files and super large partitions, and has many advanced technologies, including long file names, compressed partitions, event tracing, file indexing, high fault tolerance, data protection and recovery, encrypted access, and more. However, NTFS is still designed for high-capacity SSD and records detailed SSD read and write operations.
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