This topic seems quite lasting in this forum.
As you write it’s the top option when wanting to format the sd card in the phone which in general is the way to do it.
I wonder if Google ever put close focus on this option which seem to rather introduce troubles than solve them. Why even use it if the risk is high to sooner or later having problems even with the potential risk of data loss.
Iirc the OS first does some kind of performance test before it states if the cards is sufficient and accepted or not. But to me it sounds that doesn’t happen. Even my 10+ year old Panasonic still picture camera does this.
I know for the FP2 there were more often compatibility issues with sd cards, but we have a great, most verified list of compatible cards here which is very helpful.
Being the top format option I assume many take it as a working default option or don’t know better or maybe not quite the difference between both ways of operation. I don’t know how much explanation at a glance there is provided with each format option, but generally the sd card “could” be taken out at any time and inserted in any other device with compatible slot.
I think default should rather be to format as external storage which should tend to work mostly reliable.
There are countless types of storage sold and even surprisingly much fraud going on with fake types not fully being quality tested and sold aside by scammers. It’s hard to even see when holding the pack in hand as they even have hands on original packages from OEMs. There are documentation broadcasts available stating this. I by random saw one about 4 years ago but there is more info to find (Fake-Speicherkarten: Wenn die Daten plötzlich weg sind - YouTube).
Lastly only a full storage test will proof if the item at least offers the stated capacity or not.
I use Windows h2testw_1.4 tool.
After all it’s a sensitive piece of electronics sensitive to ESD. Not made for dropping on any kind of surface (specifically carpet) or easily swapping between other individuals without attentive precautions like “grabbing each others hand, finger or just connect” or place the item gently on a solid surface from were some other can cautiously take it.
I’m always wondering when hearing about someone having a logically broken sd card. There are lots of fake cards around which can catch everyone meanwhile. But handling of them still is an important point. Sure, many manufacturers state their product could stand salt water, drops resisting ESD impacts, magnetic force fields up to a certain limit. But at the end there are open contacts which stay sensitive and should be treated accordingly.
Hardly one can tell afterwards why a sd card failed or in this topic the system got corrupt. Was it a fake card or one of low quality with very “limited” read/write cycles. Was it too often exposed to heat because the specifications weren’t so high…
In many cases the data is lost without any backup available, that’s most annoying I believe.
When using such a card as internal storage it have to come close to the specifications of the onboard storage. Key attributes such as the read/write data rate is first to mention otherwise the entire system performance will suffer. Again read/write cycles are important as they limit the lifetime of such an item. Going with cheap brands like Intenso shouldn’t be the way to go. There is a device at hand having cost several hundreds but the storage extension ought to be as cheap as possible, that’s not very rational.
At least well known brands possibly also giving long term warranty should be preferred. (There’s Kingston, AData). But other brands are well performing too. Just don’t go for cheap (no-name) brands if wanting to keep sensitive data for long time.
Relating transfer speed one should not only hold on to the big printed description on the pack. The first, often better, to read statement usually is the read speed which is by nature usually higher then the write speed (not in every case though as I could experience). But what’s having a more significant impact on performance is always the write speed as it takes more steps for writing and therefore takes longer. Also the price is an indicator of performance and quality. If advertisement puts more focus on capacity chances are high that realistic performance is poor and who knows how it looks about lifetime.
Better look more into technical specs or ask one who knows whats important, going by price is rather bad practice.
It should be about performance (things like picture series simply won’t work properly with a too slow sd card), then warranty and lastly the price.
In times of 64+ GB on internal storage I don’t really see a meaningful reason for formatting the sd card as internal extension unless there is an app not wanting to deal with external storage, then its data should be kept on internal storage and the data from other less intolerant apps rather on external storage.