On a computer, files are always stored in an orderly format in logical locations in order to avoid any errors while receiving them back at the request of users. There are many standard filing systems that do the work of managing data immaculately because they understand the importance of memory and storage devices. Some of these systems are exFAT, FAT32, FAT12, FAT16, EXT4, EXT2, NTFS, and others. Such systems have their own logic, structure, security, and more.
In this article, we will learn briefly about two file storage systems; exFAT and NTFS, and compare them to see which one is better. Without any further ado, let’s begin.
Microsoft understands the need for internal hard drives in computers in order to store data and information. Therefore, it brought advanced technology systems like exFAT and NTFS, capable of holding large files and folders that are stacked logically to be retrieved easily. Suppose you get 1TB of data storage on your PC, while this seems like an amazing deal, your computer would have problems handling all that, that’s where exFat & NTFS comes into play.
The exFAT (Extended File Allocation System) file storage system is much enhanced than the NTFS system because the former is capable of storing files larger than 4GB and is compatible with various operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. Interestingly, this file system developed by Microsoft has been helpful for cameras, camcorders, and other devices that require high-capacity storage.
On the other side, NTFS, or New Technology File System, is the modern file management system currently supported by Windows versions like Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 8, Windows 10, and more. It supports maximum storage volume support, more than many other file storage systems like FAT32, up to 1 billion gigabytes.
Everyone knows the value of cloud data storage companies, but what’s hard is to determine which of their products is better for you. Read through the rest of the article to know which is better exFAT Vs. NTFS.
exFAT, an Extended File Allocation Table, supports Windows XP, macOS 10.6.5, and their respective later storage systems through its simple flat addressing scheme. It supports accurate time stamping and supports large storage devices up to a volume of 128 petabytes. Interestingly, this file system prevents any data loss because of the file allocation system that keeps a copy of everything.
Here’s a list of the pros and cons of exFAT
Now, let’s get to understand its features one by one.
exFAT doesn’t have much-enhanced features to avoid issues like corruption, where a backup to a file log system is extremely required.
NTFS, or a New Technology File System, helps in the better organization of files and their storage systems through several advanced controls and features. Being developed by Microsoft, it’s currently utilized in various Windows versions like Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 10, and more.
You can read the pros and cons of NTFS for a better understanding.
Following is a brief description of its features.
Learning about NTFS and its features was fun, now, let’s watch how exFAT and NTFS file storage systems differ from each other.
The given table differentiates the two most commonly used file storage systems: exFAT and NTFS.
| exFAT | NTFS |
|---|---|
| The file allocation system keeps the backups up and helps during any loss. | Stores files in encrypted format; thus, the file backup system is very robust. |
| Features don’t involve journaling to keep the history details related to any file system. | Have a secure journaling system that keeps track of all changes made in file system. |
| It is not very secure with its simple file allocation system settings. | Powerful and safe, as NTFS keeps all its data saved and designed in an encrypted form, making it impossible to crack. |
| Doesn’t support big file names. | It supports big file names up to 255 characters. |
If you’ve understood the differences, a comparison between the two will make things more clear for you.
After going through the differences and features of exFAT and NTFS, you can consider the comparison table below to know more about the two filing systems.
| exFAT | NTFS | |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Extended File Allocation Table | New Technology File System |
| Release Year | 2006 | 1993 |
| Developer | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Compatibility | All versions of Windows, modern versions of macOS, and Linux. | All versions of Windows, read only on macOS, and some Linux distributions. |
| Used For | Provides larger file size so better for external storage. | Works efficiently for a Windows system’s internal disk. |
| Overall Performance | High | Low on small volumes and high on large volumes. |
| Volume Size Limit | 128 PB | 8 PB |
| File Size Limit | 16 EB | 8 PB |
| Maximum No. of Files | About unlimited | 4,294,967,295 (232 – 1) |
| Fault Tolerance | Only when TFAT is activated. | Maximum |
| Transparent Encryption | Not Available | Not Available |
| Accessing Speed | Works quickly for external devices like USB. | Works quickly for internal drives. |
| Compression | No | Yes |
After going through the comparison, you can get an idea which filing system is better at what aspect.
First things first, exFAT is to be used for external hard drives and NTFS for internal hard disks. NTFS is faster as it clearly outperforms exFAT and even uses less system resources. On the other hand, exFAT is better at writing large and medium sized data than NTFS. But, NTFS performs better when handling multiple small sized files.
If you’re a gamer, you should know that games installed on external hard drives need exFAT, as it performs better at reading and writing than NTFS. In addition, exFAT proves to be better at writing files for different operating systems because NTFS is limited to all Windows versions. However, you must choose NTFS for a detachable disk.
Hence, it totally depends upon the file size, number, disk drive, and the operating system to choose one of the filing systems.
The article brought a brief discussion on the file storage systems NTFS and exFAT, popular for holding piles of storage in their own systematic way. Both of them are trusted by users for various reasons, like safety and allocation settings. At last, NTFS seems like a trusted and powerful supporting storage system due to its robust file and backup system.
NTFS is the most recommended storage file system because it is more trusted for keeping a good backup of files and also keeps them protected through its encrypted storage format.
NTFS is faster for large files, as it has a remarkable write speed of 25MB/s but slower for small files. On the other hand, exFAT works faster with small files, with a write speed up to 15MB/s, but slower with large files.
exFAT formats files that have a storage capacity of up to 4GB and also facilitate HD videos.
So, the user might lose the whole sum of data in this case because the exFAT system doesn’t keep the saved copy of the file stored.
Yes, exFAT is a good option if you are looking for an external drive on Windows or Mac.
