"Switch 2 microSD Express Cards: 128GB for $45"

In a recent 60-minute Nintendo Direct, Nintendo provided an in-depth look at the eagerly awaited Switch 2, unveiling crucial details such as the console's price of $449.99, a release date set for June 5, 2025, and a lineup of exciting new games. One significant announcement was that the Switch 2 will exclusively support microSD Express Cards for storage expansion, meaning owners won't be able to use their existing storage cards from the original Switch.

To expand your storage on the Switch 2, you'll need to purchase microSD Express cards. Currently, SanDisk offers suitable options on Amazon, such as a 128GB card priced at $44.99 and a 256GB card at $59.99. The Switch 2 itself comes equipped with 256GB of internal storage, a substantial improvement over the original Switch's 32GB, potentially reducing the immediate need for additional storage. However, with Switch 2 games expected to be larger—consider, for instance, that the Switch 2 version of "Tears of the Kingdom" and games like "Mario Kart World" may require more space than their predecessors—expanding storage might become necessary sooner than expected.

The shift to microSD Express cards by Nintendo for the Switch 2 is a notable change. These cards utilize advanced PCIe and NVMe technology, offering speeds up to 985 MB/s, nearly ten times faster than traditional microSD cards, which top out at 104 MB/s with the UHS-I interface. This upgrade in speed is crucial for handling the larger, more demanding games anticipated for the Switch 2, ensuring smoother gameplay without slowdowns. However, this advancement comes with a higher price tag; a 128GB microSD Express card costs around $45, significantly more than the $10-15 you'd spend on a similar capacity standard microSD card for the original Switch.

MicroSD Express cards are less common and currently produced by a limited number of brands like SanDisk and Samsung. While Nintendo's decision to use microSD Express aims to enhance performance and future-proof the console, it does mean that users will face higher costs for storage expansion. If you're planning to purchase a Switch 2, be prepared to include the cost of these faster, more expensive memory cards in your budget. For a comprehensive overview of everything revealed during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, you can click here.