"Switch 2 microSD Express Cards: 128GB for $45"

In a recent expansive 60-minute Nintendo Direct, Nintendo unveiled a wealth of details about the highly anticipated Switch 2, including its price tag of $449.99 and its launch date set for June 5, 2025. The presentation also showcased an array of new games, stirring excitement among fans. A significant revelation was that the Switch 2 will exclusively support microSD Express Cards for storage expansion, marking a departure from the original Switch's compatibility with standard microSD cards.

This shift to microSD Express means that existing storage cards from the original Switch won’t be compatible with the new console. If you’re looking to boost your storage, you'll need to invest in microSD Express cards. Currently, SanDisk offers options on Amazon, including a 128GB card for $44.99 and a 256GB card for $59.99.

Switch 2 Compatible### SanDisk 256GB microSD Express Card

The Nintendo Switch 2 boasts a robust 256GB of internal storage, a significant jump from the original Switch's 32GB. This enhancement means you might not need to expand your storage immediately. However, considering the potential larger file sizes of Switch 2 games, such as the anticipated bigger versions of titles like Tears of the Kingdom and Mario Kart World, additional storage might become necessary sooner than expected.

While specific file sizes for Switch 2 games remain undisclosed, it's reasonable to anticipate that they will demand more storage space than their predecessors. The exclusive use of microSD Express cards for the Switch 2, as opposed to the original's support for standard microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards, underscores Nintendo's focus on performance and future-proofing.

Nintendo's decision to adopt microSD Express for the Switch 2 is rooted in the technology's advanced capabilities. Traditional microSD cards are limited to 104 MB/s via the UHS-I interface, but microSD Express cards leverage PCIe and NVMe technology to achieve speeds up to 985 MB/s—nearly ten times faster. This significant speed increase ensures that the Switch 2 can efficiently handle larger, more demanding games without performance issues.

However, this technological leap comes with a caveat: microSD Express cards are more expensive. A 128GB microSD card for the original Switch typically costs between $10-15, whereas a microSD Express card of the same capacity can cost around $45. Additionally, these cards are less widely available, with only a few manufacturers like SanDisk and Samsung producing them. Nintendo's move to microSD Express underscores a commitment to speed and future-proofing, but it also means higher costs for expandable storage.

If you're planning to purchase a Switch 2, be prepared to budget for these faster, albeit pricier, memory cards. For a comprehensive look at all the exciting announcements from today's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, you can click here.