With the recent unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2, we’re beginning to get a sense of the tech specs that will define this next-gen console. A major change is that the Switch 2 will use a different type of MicroSD card: the MicroSD Express. This promises faster speeds but will likely come at a steep price. If the current market trends continue, these MicroSD Express cards will cost more per gigabyte than many SSDs you can find today. For instance, current MicroSD Express cards go for about 20 to 25 cents per gigabyte, while budget SSDs stand at just 5 to 6 cents per gig. The higher price is due to the NVMe and PCIe 3.0 tech packed inside, similar to what’s used in M.2 SSDs.
Let’s explore some examples. Sandisk’s MicroSD Express cards are priced at $49.99 for 128GB and $64.99 for the 256GB version. These cards are no slouches when it comes to speed, clocking in at up to 880 MB/s read and 480 MB/s write speeds, with a sustained write speed of 100 MB/s.
Meanwhile, Lexar is rolling out cards with capacities up to 1TB. But be prepared—these won’t be cheap for this cutting-edge technology.
If you’re looking at Lexar’s Play Pro 1TB MicroSD Express card, you’ll be shelling out $199.99. The 512GB model costs $99.99, and a 256GB card goes for $49.99. Lexar claims these cards can hit up to 900 MB/s read and 600 MB/s write speeds.
Comparing prices, Sandisk’s 128GB card costs approximately $0.39 per GB, with their 256GB card costing $0.25 per GB. Lexar, possibly offering the better deal, prices all its sizes at $0.20 per GB while promising top-tier specs.
The importance of storage has never been so pronounced with the Switch 2. Although the console comes with a basic 256GB of storage, this won’t be sufficient for long. Even physical game purchases may still require substantial downloads, with the cartridges essentially acting as a “Game-Key Card”—a term Nintendo uses that mirrors a physical license key. This likely results from industry efforts to minimize cartridge production costs, especially as NAND storage gets pricier.
Take, for instance, if you snag a copy of Street Fighter 6. You’ll need to download an additional 50GB, eating into that 256GB of built-in storage pretty quickly. This means if you want to play numerous games, you’ll inevitably need to fork out for these costly MicroSD cards unless you prefer juggling downloads every time you swap out games.
Diving into the MicroSD Express standard, at a glance, these cards might seem similar to regular MicroSD cards, yet they offer significant advancements over the UHS-I standard from the original Switch. The SD Association classifies MicroSD Express cards into four speed classes: Class 150, Class 300, Class 450, and Class 600, indicating their minimal read/write rates in MB/s. Notably, these cards feature more pins—16 or 17 compared to the previous eight.
The magic behind these advancements is the NVMe and PCIe 3.0 tech, potentially enabling speeds up to a blistering 2GB/s, provided there’s a PCIe 4.0 interface. Our analysts at Tech Insight have all the in-depth tech details if you’re curious.
We’re still waiting on details about whether the Switch 2 can live up to these speed potentials, as such performance isn’t yet matched by any announced MicroSD Express card. “The new microSD Express standard lets us offer unrivaled performance for memory cards,” commented Joey Lopez, Lexar’s Director of Brand Marketing, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to bring this card to the market and elevate the gaming experience for future handheld gaming.”
Currently, the Lexar Play Pro MicroSDXC Express card is the fastest announced card, but its performance—and others—will be rigorously tested once the Switch 2 and these new MicroSD Express cards hit the market. Until then, you might want to check out our preliminary hands-on review of the Nintendo Switch 2 for further insights.
