Thread: Which is the limitation to the SD/microSD card size for Garmin devices ?

@sergio2
I agree that the card size itself seems to be of little consequence. It's the number of map image files and map tiles that's the limitation as you said [see post #64, my reformatted 64GiB also works fine in nuvis too]. I think Garmin just has to keep a cap on this because if they broadcast that 64GiB cards formatted in FAT32 are usable, ppl will fully load them up and then Garmin will be swamped with queries as to why maps don't work.

An interesting aberration seems to be the new Oregon 600/650t, listed as having a 64GB [really 64GiB] MicroSD SDHC limit. You cannot buy such a card. That's a 64GiB SDXC which can only be bought pre-formatted to exFAT. Do they mean that the new oregons can read exFAT? Or is their referring to 64GB SDHC just a strange way of saying that you must reformat to FAT32.. ? Anyone got a 6x0t?

Yes, that's a reasonable assumption when they say it's got a 64GB size limit. But 64GB SDHC, wottheheck are they talking about?

Lolypop000 and other users' experience corrected table

This size of working SD card in Garmin models report users who try this card.
If somebody use larger SD card that is writen in original Garmin table or in table above let us know and we will add this data.
This will help other users to know what SD size goes into their device.

eTrex Vista HCx - 4 GB Micro SD Card (Transcend TS4GUSDHC6)

NOTE:
Tested w/v3.20 firmware & currently using the unofficial v3.40 provided by [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] in the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] thread.

Originally Posted by WknThDg

eTrex Vista HCx - 4 GB Micro SD Card (Transcend TS4GUSDHC6)

All old handhelds (only gmapsupp on SD) works with 8Gb SD Card without problem on latest available Garmin SW!
All new handhelds (without limitation maps with name) works with 16 GB SD Card without problem on any Garmin SW!
P.S. It was tested on Kingston 4 class a thousands times!!! However any others SDHC cards works with above device but I do not punctual statistics.

Nuvi x0, x2, 1xxx, 2xxx, 3xxx, 2x5W, 465T and dezl 560 read Sandisk Ultra 64Gib SDXC reformatted as FAT32. Tested in 40, 42[40 convert], 50, 52[50 convert], 1300, 1350, 1390, 1450, 1490, 1690, 255W, 265W, 465T[255W convert], 2350, 2460, 3790, 3490[3790 convert], 3590, 3597 & 560[2460 convert].

All units with latest fw and all operate normally, except for being slow in loading maps on boot and lag after pressing map Info/MyMaps [not unreasonable when so much to process]. 1690 was the slowest to load the maps, taking about 35 seconds.

SP 26x0 fw v4.80 accepts 2GiB CF card and maybe 4GiB would also work. 2GiB tested in 2610. 4Gib CF works in sp2610 related hardware Honda GoldWing Navi 2006-2008. Tested in 2006 GW fw v2.50. Later GW Navi 2009-2010 accepts minimum of 4GiB SD by others' reports, not tested personally. Reasonable assumption would be that 2012-on dual-SD navi accepts at least 4GiB cards and probably much larger, but no reports known to me.

@mullerh
Interesting that you have that 'contrary' result with cards in the 60csx. It is true what you heard, the class of the card is in fact indicative of it's minimum write speed. The read speed should be the same, but only when new and nonfragmented. I guess where you put the speed of the 32GiB Ultra as (1) you mean UHS-1, which is sort of equivalent to Class 10 i think. Interesting that your 8GiB card is only Class 2, i wasn't aware 8GiB cards were made with such low write speed.

Did you also find those same differences using the various cards in your 885?

Is it possible that the apparent difference in read speeds is due to the relative age and therefore use levels of your cards? Flash memory has a long but not infinite life. The more 'use', i.e. writing, formatting, and also the more fragmented the data on it becomes, then the slower it will get in both read and write.