How to Spot Fake Memory Sticks (Guide to Fake Memory Sticks)

I have always been a bang for the buck kind of guy. I naturally go for the cheapest thing but I usually don’t sacrifice quality. That’s why I usually shop at e-bay. It’s cheap even with the shipping costs, and as long as the seller has many feedbacks I don’t hesitate to buy.

But in reality you can’t just rely on the feedback system of e-bay when buying memory sticks. If your planning to buy a Memory Stick for your PSP or Sony Camera, then this is a must read. I’m really a fan of e-bay, and I usually get my stuff there, but you can never be too careful and you should never be too trusting.

This isn’t only a guide when you’re just buying at e-bay, but also on other stores – online or in an actual shop.

 

I’ve discussed in a different article the disadvantages of buying a fake memory stick. If you haven’t read it, you may do so here.

 

Spotting the difference:

1. Original Sony Memory Stick Part numbers

     Memory Stick PRO Series:

MSX-256S (256 MB)

MSX-512S (512 MB)

MSX-1GS (1GB)

MSX-2GS (2GB)

     Memory Stick PRO DUO Series:

MSX-M256S (256 MB)

MSX-M512S (512 MB)

MSX-M1GST (1GB)

MSX-M2GS (2GB)

MSX-M4GS (4GB)

MSX-M8GS (8BG)

     Memory Stick PRO DUO High Speed Series:

MSX-M256N (256 MB)

MSX-M512N (512 MB)

MSX-M1GN (1GB)

MSX-M2GN (2GB)

     Memory Stick PRO-HG DUO Series:

MS-EX1G (1GB)

MS-EX2G (2GB)

MS-EX4G (4GB)

 

Now these are the current and previous versions of the original Sony Memory Stick. The fake ones usually have different part numbers. Fake memory sticks have a letter “T” on the part number.

 

I got these pictures from e-bay itself:

Original Memory Stick

 

Fake Memory Stick

 

Notice that there’s an extra “T” on the part number of the fake memory stick. This is the most usual and obvious giveaway for a fake memory stick.

 

2. MagicGate Compatibility

This only applies for those who have already bought a Memory Stick and have a PSP.

To check for MagicGate compatibility, go to your Memory Stick menu in your PSP then press “triangle”. Go to “Information” and then check if “MagicGate supported” is shown. If it shows “Unknown” or “Unsupported” you have a fake Sony Memory Stick.

3. Memory Capacity Logo

Your right, the circle indicating the capacity of your memory stick is indeed color coded.

1GB – Light Blue

2GB – Light Green

4GB – Purple Blue

8GB – Red

 

Now some fake manufacturers have similar color codes for the 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB versions (although you can still spot it by looking very closely), but you can easily spot a fake 8GB.

Real	Fake

 

4. Holographic Stickers

Check the packaging if it has the Sony Holographic Sticker at the top right or top left.

 

Some fake manufacturers are now also putting this hologram sticker as well. The Sony service center actually has a way to check the sticker. This sticker would be viewed in two lenses – left and right. In the left lens, it would be seen as black. In the right lens, it would be seen as normal. If it’s fake, it would be seen as normal in both lenses.

 

5. Front of the actual card

Authentic Sony memory sticks use a print ready/control vector technique to print their letterings on the memory stick. Once we really look into the letterings we would notice that the letterings are bolder and messy. With newer fake memory sticks, I haven’t been really able to notice that unless I really look closely. What I was able to notice easily is when I touched the letters, it can be rub off. Try as much as I can to rub off the letterings in a genuine memory stick, I can’t.

 

6. OEM version of the Memory sticks

There is no OEM version of Sony Memory Sticks. They all come in a sealed retail pack.

Usually sellers bundle higher capacity memory sticks (usually 2GB to 4GB) to PSPs, cameras. If the package given to you does not come with the standard size memory stick (usually 256MB to 512 MB), it should still be in a sealed pack. If it isn’t then most likely it’s fake. More often than not it would have a gold sticker at the back of the memory stick. But they can remove it anytime so that you wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from the authentic.

 

Just remember, if it isn’t the standard capacity for your bundle and it isn’t in a sealed pack, you can start doubting.

 

7. Warranty and Instruction inserts.

Fake memory sticks do not have any Operating Instruction sheet and also does not have the Sony Warranty sheet. Sony doesn’t miss this kind of stuff.

 

 

Now there are other various differences from a fake and a genuine one but I wouldn’t discuss them here as they are really very hard to spot. Sometimes you even have to buy the fake product before you can check it as you have to look at the back cover, or worse, open the memory stick and examine the interior. The ones mentioned above are from my point of view the most obvious ones.

And one more thing, some sellers on e-bay and other online stores show a picture of a genuine memory stick but ship a fake one. So lets be careful and don’t buy too good to be true items.