MicroSD Express: Essential Upgrade for Nintendo Switch 2

Last week, Nintendo announced the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, revealing that the console exclusively supports expansion via MicroSD Express cards. While this may be a challenge for those with existing MicroSD collections, it's a strategic move due to the superior speed of MicroSD Express technology.

These cards leverage a PCIe 3.1 interface, enabling them to achieve read/write speeds comparable to the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) used in the Switch 2's internal storage. This means games stored on an expansion card can, theoretically, load as quickly as those on the internal storage, although it does mean forgoing the use of less expensive non-Express MicroSD cards.

MicroSD vs. MicroSD Express

The evolution of MicroSD cards has seen six different speed ratings over the years, starting from the original SD cards with a mere 12.5MB/s transfer rate. Progressions have included SD High Speed at 25MB/s and eventually reaching SD UHS III at 312MB/s. The introduction of the SD Express standard five years ago marked a significant leap in performance.

The key advancement with SD Express is its use of a PCIe 3.1 interface, a stark contrast to the slower UHS-I interface used by older cards. This technology is similar to what's used in high-speed NVMe SSDs, allowing full-sized SD Express cards to reach data transfer speeds of up to 3,940MB/s. MicroSD Express cards, while not as fast as their full-sized counterparts, still achieve impressive speeds up to 985MB/s—three times faster than the fastest non-Express MicroSD card available.

Why Does the Switch 2 Require MicroSD Express?

Although Nintendo rarely discloses the rationale behind its hardware choices, the decision to require MicroSD Express cards for the Switch 2 seems driven by the need for speed. A game installed on a MicroSD Express card will load significantly faster than on a traditional UHS-I MicroSD card, thanks to the PCIe 3.1 interface. This could set a trend for future handheld gaming PCs.

With the Switch 2's internal storage upgraded to UFS from the previous eMMC, it's logical for Nintendo to demand equivalent speed from its expansion media. Early demos have hinted at substantial improvements in load times, with fast travel in games like Breath of the Wild being 35% quicker according to Polygon, and Digital Foundry reporting a 3x improvement in initial load times. While these improvements could be attributed to the faster internal storage, the enhanced CPU and GPU's ability to process data more rapidly could also play a role. Essentially, Nintendo aims to ensure that future games, which might require faster storage, won't be hindered by slower external SD card performance.

Moreover, this decision paves the way for even faster storage options in the future. The current fastest standard for SD cards, SD 8.0 Specification, allows full-size SD Express cards to reach speeds of 3,942MB/s. While MicroSD Express cards can't match these speeds yet, future advancements could bring them closer to this threshold, especially if the Switch 2 is designed to support such high speeds.

MicroSD Express Capacity Options

Currently, MicroSD Express cards are not widely available, but the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to boost their adoption. Lexar offers a single MicroSD Express card in capacities of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, with the 1TB variant priced at $199.

Lexar Play Pro MicroSD Express

0 See it at Amazon

SanDisk has one MicroSD Express card available, capped at 256GB, matching the Switch 2's internal storage size. As the Switch 2 hits the market, we're likely to see an increase in MicroSD Express cards with capacities beyond 512GB, especially as companies like Samsung ramp up production.

SanDisk MicroSD Express 256GB

0 See it at Amazon