After the thrilling unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2, some new insights into its technical makeup have come to light. One of the standout points is the adoption of a novel MicroSD standard called MicroSD Express, a departure from the format used in the original Switch. Unfortunately, if you’re considering expanding your storage, prepare for a hit to your bank account. These MicroSD Express cards are significantly pricier on a per-gigabyte basis compared to many current SSDs. While budget SSDs can be as cheap as 5 to 6 cents per GB, these new cards range from 20 to 25 cents per GB. This hike in price is due, in part, to the NVMe and PCIe 3.0 support, technology typically found in M.2 SSDs, that’s integrated into MicroSD Express cards.
Consider the Sandisk MicroSD Express line-up, where the 128GB card is tagged at $49.99, while the 256GB version is available for $64.99. These cards boast impressive skills, offering up to 880 MB/s read, 480 MB/s write, and 100 MB/s sustained write speeds.
Lexar, not to be outdone, has also launched cards that go up to 1TB. Yet, brace your wallet, as stepping into this cutting-edge territory won’t be cheap.
For instance, you can snag Lexar’s Play Pro 1TB MicroSD Express card for a hefty $199.99. The 512 GB model is priced at $99.99, while the 256 GB card matches Sandisk’s price at $49.99. Lexar promises performance with read speeds up to 900 MB/s and write speeds peaking at 600 MB/s.
In price comparison, Sandisk’s cost reaches a staggering $0.39 per gigabyte for their 128GB model, and $0.25 per gigabyte for the 256GB. Lexar sees an edge in affordability, offering all three of their storage options at a consistent rate of $0.20 per gigabyte, coupled with, arguably, superior specs.
### Why Storage Matters more than ever for the Switch 2
The Switch 2 will come with a standard 256GB of storage, but there’s more to this story. Even with physical game purchases, users might not dive straight into gameplay after slotting in a cartridge. Some games require the full download and installation despite owning the physical copy; here, cartridges merely act as “Game-Key Cards” or physical license keys. This strategy seems to stem from developers’ and publishers’ desires to cut down costs associated with cartridges, particularly as NAND storage prices are predicted to rise.
Take, for example, buying the Street Fighter 6 cartridge. You’ll end up loading an extra 50GB of data onto your system right from the start. This unexpected load reveals how quickly that initial 256GB of storage can vanish, introducing a hidden cost for Nintendo’s latest system—expensive MicroSD cards become necessary to expand storage, unless, of course, you’re content with constantly deleting and re-downloading games whenever you insert a new Game-Key.
### Decoding the Switch 2’s MicroSD Express Standard
Visually, a regular MicroSD card and a MicroSD Express card might look similar, potentially baffling consumers. However, a delve into the technical specs reveals that MicroSD Express is leagues ahead of the UHS-I standard that the original Switch relied upon.
The SD Association categorizes SD Express card speeds into four classes: 150, 300, 450, and 600, with numbers denoting read/write speeds in MB/s. Additionally, the enhanced design includes 16 or 17 pins on MicroSD Express cards, compared to the meager eight pins on UHS-I cards.
The tech backbone comprises NVMe and PCIe 3.0 interfaces, with potential speed capabilities reaching 2GB/s when using a PCIe 4.0 interface. For a deep dive, check out our extended coverage over at AnandTech.
Yet, with sparse specifics on the Switch 2’s performance details, whether the console can tap into these theoretical speeds remains an open question. As it stands, no announced MicroSD Express card hits these maximum speeds.
“The new microSD Express standard provides a card with unmatched performance,” Joey Lopez, Director of Brand Marketing at Lexar, states in a press release. “We’re eager to offer customers a card that benefits from the new standard, preparing gamers for the next generation of handheld gaming.”
So while there’s a noticeable performance gap between the fastest UHS-I MicroSD Card and the theoretically top-performing MicroSD Express cards, the best-in-class for now is Lexar’s Play Pro MicroSDXC Express card. These speeds will get a real-world test when the Switch 2 and the MicroSD Express cards drop. For now, check our hands-on experience with the Nintendo Switch 2.
