GO 500 - What size Micro SD card to buy?

[fred9]

Just bought GO 500 (Best Buy $149.99). Now downloading updates (says over 3 hours). Am I correct to say that right now the SD card can be used only for maps?. For example, buying a map for a trip to Europe.

If so, what is the minimum size card?

Thanks

 

[fred9]

My initial update did not load the 9.40 map. Said I needed to add an sd card because the map was 5GB+ and the PND had only 2GB free. It indicated I could remove some items but I couldn't figure out where to select them. Sooooo, I guess I will buy 8 - 16 GB, 6 + speed micro card unless someone has a better idea.

 

[Arno]

A month ago I bought 2 Lexar 32 GB class 10 cards for CAD 14.40 at Walmart.
Should even be cheaper State side.

 

[canderson]

You can use the uSD card for massive POI files ... well, some time in the future, anyway. Right now, it's only useful for maps, yes.
Regarding maps -- they keep getting bigger. Any two maps will fit on 16GB cards today, and should into the future for quite a while. However, you're safe with 8GB internal for one map of either North America or Europe for a while, so even an 8GB card would be enough for the other map. Use minimum Class 6 card, though I think you'll find Class 10 easier to find and probably as cheap or cheaper.
Me? I'd toss a 16GB Class 10 at it. Cheap and dirty.

 

[fred9]

Thank you both for your input.
But I'm surprised that an add on card is NEEDED on a current model and not supplied or at least alerted to. That is, what if the unit was purchased right before a long trip. I would find myself using a year old map, v920.5244.

 

[fred9]

This morning I tried again to load the new map and it worked (without an sd card). So I was wrong in my post above. An sd card is NOT needed initially.

 

[canderson]

Correct, it's not needed initially. You have 8GB of internal storage, which is plenty to hold either the full NAM or European map. As noted above, "However, you're safe with 8GB internal for one map of either North America or Europe for a while, so even an 8GB card would be enough for the other map.

And UNLESS you really need to hold them both in the unit at the same time, MyDrive allows you to swap them back and forth off your computer if you have purchased the 2nd map already. These days, TomTom knows the maps to which you are entitled, and MyDrive lets you flop them back and forth at will if necessary. Takes a while to unload/load them onto the unit, but it's one approach...

 

[fred9]

Thanks Canderson. I started this thread yesterday because my inaugural download did not complete. That is, it said there was not have enough free space on the HD. This morning I tried again and it did install the current map. So I'm good now but it is nice to know that I can use an 8 or 16 GB micro sd card to allow me to have a second map such as one for Europe.

 

[Arno]

Don't look for a 8 GB class 6 card.
Ask what the best price is for a band name class 6 or 10 card with 16 or 32 GB. (I do not see 8 GB advertised in the papers any longer.)

 

[canderson]

Maybe not, but there are still plenty out there not in newspaper ads... http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=8gb+micro+sd+class+10
That said, go for price. 8GB or larger, Class 6 or faster. Whatever is cheapest above and beyond that is just gravy.

 

[Arno]

Don't know how it is State side but amazon.ca ships by Courier and at that price free shipping is not included.

They wanted CAD 460.0. for a Dyson DC35, shipping included, which Sears sells for 349.95 and Walmart for 348.00.
Ten minute walk to Sears, 8 minutes to Walmart.

When they had the sale, 7.20 each for 2 off 32 GB wasn't too bad and, I didn't have to wait for it.