Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Video Game Talk
Reload this Page >

Are generic memory cards as good as the originals?

Video Game Talk The Place to talk about and trade Video & PC Games

Are generic memory cards as good as the originals?

Old 12-31-04, 09:41 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Special Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,774
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Are generic memory cards as good as the originals?

I need a new memory card for my Gamecube and for my PS2. The generic cards can be gotten off Ebay for a lot cheaper than buying the original. How good is the quality?
Old 12-31-04, 09:52 PM
  #2  
MrX
DVD Talk Hero
 
MrX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicago
Posts: 25,779
Received 245 Likes on 185 Posts
I don't know how they are now but I had one for my PS1 screw up the slot so no memory card would work in it
Old 12-31-04, 09:59 PM
  #3  
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've also had really bad luck with PS1 third party cards. Very weird stuff, one only worked with one game (even the mem. card manager could not read it for a while), on another a lot of important stuff vanished, leading me to become very angry and throw it to the floor. Then it read fine when I put it back in. Dangerous stuff, I'd stay away from them.
Old 01-01-05, 01:13 PM
  #4  
Cool New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've had really good luck with PSone third party memory cards. One I have has lasted me eight years now. Although I only got it as I couldn't find a first party one at the time. If I can I always buy first party memory cards.
Old 01-01-05, 01:18 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
DaBargainHunta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 381
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
No. Always get the first party cards. They may cost a bit more, but they're worth it for the quality and peace of mind.
Old 01-01-05, 01:26 PM
  #6  
Moderator
 
Groucho's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Posts: 71,383
Received 122 Likes on 84 Posts
There are way too many horror stories out there (on this board and others). It's just not worth the increased chance of losing all your saves.
Old 01-01-05, 06:23 PM
  #7  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
DeanoBKN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 5,386
Received 23 Likes on 18 Posts
I've had a 3rd party memory card for PS2 since I got the system in 2002. Never gave me a problem. Also in my 2 years working at EB, I hardly ever see a 3rd party memory card returned defective.
Old 01-01-05, 07:06 PM
  #8  
Li
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 978
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've had a Mad Catz card for 3 years and I've never had a problem.
Old 01-01-05, 07:45 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Raccoon City, OR
Posts: 1,721
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you enjoy replaying your games... by all means get a third party memory card.

I had (have) a third party GC card I got as part of a bundle. It's awful. It's orange BTW - I wonder if that makes a difference. Anyway, it would only load my Resident Evil 0 saves about half the time - the other 50% of load games required me pulling out the memory card, blowing on it, inserting it into slot B and then re-loading. That's quality! I don't have as much time as I'd like to play video games lately - I have even less time to be fucking around with some piece of shit generic card before I can even get started!

Go with the first party cards...
Old 01-01-05, 08:47 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Never buy them. They always seem to eat your gamesaves.
Old 01-01-05, 11:20 PM
  #11  
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I picked up a used 3rd party memory card for my PS2 at GameStop and took it home and it told me there was only 168kb free on the card. The card had nothing on it so I formatted it and it still stated that it only had 168kb free so I took it back and paid the extra money for a sony one.
Old 01-02-05, 12:41 AM
  #12  
Li
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 978
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Like everyone is saying, it's probably a better idea to pay the $5 more for the 1st Party. I didn't and I haven't had any problems, but you never know...
Old 01-02-05, 02:21 AM
  #13  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Drexl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 16,077
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes on 13 Posts
I think its okay for Xbox, if you're getting it just to make backups of your saves on your PC (with a controller hooked up to the PC and the Action Replay drivers) or to download saves from the Action Replay website. I got one on clearance for $5. In this case, the save is still on the Xbox's hard drive or the PC if it's a file I downloaded, and gets copied to the card and then to the Xbox or PC. If the card would get corrupted or something, you don't lose the save because it's still on the console's hard drive or the PC, so I could always copy it again. So far I haven't had any trouble with the card though.

I wouldn't get one for Gamecube or PS2, where the memory card is the only place to save to.
Old 01-02-05, 10:44 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
 
Decker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Vegas, Baby!
Posts: 75,171
Received 6,030 Likes on 4,117 Posts
Just a reminder that the first-party PS2 memory cards are on sale for $19.99 (or $14.99 after coupon) at Best Buy this week. That's the way to go.
Old 01-02-05, 11:39 AM
  #15  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 17,015
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You get what you pay for.
Old 01-02-05, 11:44 AM
  #16  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Raccoon City, OR
Posts: 1,721
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Decker
Just a reminder that the first-party PS2 memory cards are on sale for $19.99 (or $14.99 after coupon) at Best Buy this week. That's the way to go.
Or if you don't have a Best Buy, Circuit City has the 2-packs for $30 (that's $15 each - hey look at me, I do math!) - free shipping too!

Sony 8MB Memory Card for PlayStation®2 (2-Pack)

(These are the pretty Red/Blue lady-magnet style)

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.