Why Nintendo Switch 2’s MicroSD Express Compatibility Might Be Costly for You

With the unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2, we’ve been given a sneak peek at some of its standout technical features. A key highlight? The console will need a new type of MicroSD card called MicroSD Express. Unfortunately, if current prices are any indication, these cards might end up digging deep into your pockets. On a storage-per-gigabyte scale, they’re more expensive than most of today’s SSDs. With prices sitting between 20 to 25 cents per gigabyte, this is quite a leap compared to the bargain SSDs that go for just 5 to 6 cents per gigabyte. It’s largely because these cards include NVMe and PCIe 3.0 support, similar to what’s found in M.2 SSDs.

Taking a closer look, Sandisk’s MicroSD Express cards come with a $49.99 price tag for a mere 128GB, while a 256GB version will set you back $64.99. These cards can provide speeds of up to 880 MB/s for reading, 480 MB/s for writing, and 100 MB/s for sustained writing.

On the other hand, Lexar has revealed they’ve got larger capacities up to a generous 1TB. But brace yourself – the prices are definitely not for the faint-hearted with this new tech.

For instance, Lexar’s Play Pro 1TB MicroSD Express card rings in at a hefty $199.99, with a 512GB model going for $99.99 and a smaller 256GB variant priced at $49.99. Lexar claims these will hit speeds reaching 900 MB/s for reading and 600 MB/s for writing.

When you calculate the price per gigabyte, Sandisk’s 128GB card is about $0.39 per gigabyte, while their 256GB card is $0.25 per gigabyte. Lexar, however, offers a more uniform approach, with each storage option costing about $0.20 per gigabyte, and supposedly delivers better performance specs.

Switch 2 owners should expect to see why these new storage options are essential. Although the console will come with 256GB of built-in storage, there’s a catch. Even if you buy a physical game cartridge, you may not be able to play straight away. That’s because certain games will still need to be downloaded and installed on the console, with the cartridge essentially serving as a license key, termed as a “Game-Key Card” by Nintendo. This is largely due to publishers aiming to cut down on cartridge costs, especially as NAND storage becomes pricier.

Take the example of purchasing a Street Fighter 6 cartridge – you’d need to download an extra 50GB onto your system. It’s clear, then, that the standard 256GB will fill up quickly, exposing the hidden cost of investing in Nintendo’s newest console. Unless you’re comfortable juggling downloads and installations, you might find yourself investing heavily in additional MicroSD cards.

Understanding the MicroSD Express card standard used for Switch 2 is critical. Though they visually resemble regular MicroSD cards, their capabilities are leaps and bounds ahead of the UHS-I cards previously compatible with the Nintendo Switch.

The SD Association categorizes these new cards into four speed classes: Class 150, Class 300, Class 450, and Class 600, with each number indicating the minimum read/write speeds in MB/s. Additionally, MicroSD Express cards boast a higher number of pins, ranging from 16 to 17 compared to the mere eight of their predecessors.

At the heart of this tech are NVMe and PCIe 3.0 interfaces, opening the door to speeds up to 2GB/s with a PCIe 4.0 interface. For a deep dive into the technical specifics, you might look up more information on our partner site, AnandTech.

Despite getting these technical specs, the extent of the Switch 2’s ability to harness these theoretical speeds remains unclear, as no MicroSD Express card on the market yet hits these maximum levels.

Joey Lopez, Lexar’s Director of Brand Marketing, expressed excitement about what the new standard means for consumers: “The new microSD Express standard offers us a way to deliver a memory card with incomparable performance in that form factor. We’re excited to create a card for our customers that leverages the benefits of this new standard and prepares gamers for the next generation of handheld gaming.”

So, while the gap between the quickest UHS-I MicroSD card and the highest speed speculated for MicroSD Express is noteworthy, we’re eagerly waiting for the real-world performance tests when the Switch 2 and these Express cards hit the shelves. Until then, our initial impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2 are available for you to check out.