In a recent, extensive 60-minute Nintendo Direct, Nintendo unveiled a wealth of details about the upcoming Switch 2, including its price of $449.99, a release date set for June 5, 2025, and an exciting lineup of new games. A significant piece of information revealed was that the Switch 2 will exclusively support microSD Express Cards for storage expansion, marking a departure from the original Switch's broader compatibility with standard microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards.
This change means that when you get your hands on the Switch 2 this summer, you won't be able to use your existing storage cards. Instead, you'll need to invest in microSD Express cards, such as those currently available from SanDisk on Amazon. These include a 128GB option priced at $44.99 and a 256GB version at $59.99. Here’s a snapshot of what you can find:
Switch 2 Compatible### SanDisk 256GB microSD Express Card
1$64.99 save 8%$59.99 at AmazonSanDisk 256GB microSD Express Card - $59.99 (was $64.99)SanDisk 128GB microSD Express Card - $44.99 (was $49.99)
The Switch 2 boasts an impressive internal storage of 256GB, a substantial upgrade from the original Switch's 32GB. This increase may mean you won’t need to expand storage immediately. However, consider that games on the Switch 2 could be much larger. For instance, while "Tears of the Kingdom" on the original Switch was 16GB, its Switch 2 counterpart—and other anticipated titles like "Mario Kart World"—might demand significantly more space. Though exact file sizes for Switch 2 games haven't been disclosed yet, it's prudent to anticipate larger storage needs.
Why MicroSD Express for Switch 2? ---------------------------------Nintendo’s decision to support only microSD Express cards in the Switch 2 is driven by significant advancements in storage technology. Traditional microSD cards, capped at 104 MB/s using the UHS-I interface, pale in comparison to the microSD Express cards, which leverage PCIe and NVMe technology to achieve speeds up to 985 MB/s—almost ten times faster. This leap in performance ensures that the Switch 2 can manage larger and more demanding games without experiencing slowdowns.
However, this shift comes with a notable drawback: microSD Express cards are considerably more expensive. A 128GB standard SD card for the original Switch might set you back $10-15, whereas a similar capacity microSD Express card costs around $45. Additionally, these newer cards are less common and are primarily produced by a few brands, such as SanDisk and Samsung. While Nintendo's choice to adopt microSD Express cards focuses on speed and future-proofing, it does mean higher costs for expandable storage.
If you’re planning to purchase a Switch 2, be prepared to allocate some of your budget for these faster, albeit pricier, memory cards. For a comprehensive overview of everything else showcased in today’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, you can click here.
