When Nintendo dropped the news about the Switch 2, they made it clear that those wanting to boost the console’s memory would need to grab microSD Express cards. This revelation sent both online and physical retail outlets into a frenzy, with some reports, like from Hermitage Akihabara in Japan, indicating they were flying off the shelves at a staggering pace of 337 cards an hour. The rush was unexpected considering these microSD Express cards are on the pricey side compared to their standard microSD counterparts.
Now, brace yourself if you’re thinking about getting one because you’re looking at paying more than twice the regular amount. Let’s break it down: the standard Lexar 1TB Play microSD card typically retails for $129.99 on Amazon, but lately, it’s been marked down to $69.99. It offers read speeds up to 160 MB/s and write speeds reaching 100 MB/s. These specs are decent, though a bit slower than onboard storage. Conversely, its microSD Express version boasts impressive speeds of 900 MB/s for reading and 600 MB/s for writing, massively outperforming the old standard by more than fivefold. The catch? It hits your wallet harder, originally priced at $199.99 on Amazon. Even its discounted price of $172.63 still overshadows the non-Express version by a large margin.
Despite these extra costs, microSD Express cards flew off the shelves after Nintendo’s big reveal, proving incredibly popular with buyers. Was it a scalping frenzy? Not quite. While the requirement certainly stretched the fans’ budgets, this shopping spree wasn’t fueled by scalpers. Reports suggest that up to 80% of customers only purchased one card each, with the larger haul being just three. This pattern implies genuine users were stocking up in preparation for their Switch 2 consoles.
The microSD Express standard actually made its debut in 2019, but it hasn’t seen widespread use. Its high cost compared to non-Express microSDs for portable storage, and SSDs for more sizable fixed storage needs, kept adoption low. Many gaming consoles do offer ways to expand storage by replacing SSDs, but this isn’t quite as user-friendly. At the very least, you’d need to fiddle with the backplate and adjust some settings to get it working.
Knowing Nintendo’s stance on hardware modifications, opting for microSD Express cards is likely the simplest and most effective way to expand Switch 2’s storage to match its internal speeds. This upgrade might just be indispensable, especially with a slew of new AAA games on the horizon that might fill up the console’s 256 GB internal storage quite quickly. This way, your favorite games can always be at your fingertips on your Switch 2.
Stay updated with Tom’s Hardware’s latest scoops, in-depth analysis, and reviews by following us on Google News. Hit that Follow button to get everything delivered straight to your feed. Want even more exclusive content? Sign up for our newsletter to receive the best of Tom’s Hardware right in your inbox.
