After much anticipation, the Nintendo Switch 2 has been unveiled, and with it, we’ve uncovered a few intriguing details about its inner workings. One key aspect is that the console will demand a new type of MicroSD card, specifically the MicroSD Express. Brace yourselves, because these will weigh heavily on your budget. Current market figures suggest these cards are significantly costlier than many modern SSDs. To put this into perspective, MicroSD Express cards range between 20 and 25 cents per gigabyte, whereas budget-friendly SSDs are available for as little as 5 to 6 cents per gigabyte. This steep price is largely due to the advanced NVMe and PCIe 3.0 technologies integrated into the new MicroSD Express cards, typically seen in M.2 SSDs.
Take Sandisk, for example. Their MicroSD Express cards come with a starting price of $49.99 for 128GB of storage, climbing to $64.99 for a 256GB card. These cards boast impressive speeds, offering up to 880 MB/s for reading, 480 MB/s for writing, and 100 MB/s for sustained writing.
In a bid to outdo the competition, Lexar has introduced cards with larger capacities, going up to 1TB. But hold onto your wallets, because the price tags for these high-capacity offerings are equally hefty.
For instance, Lexar’s Play Pro 1TB MicroSD Express card is priced at an eye-watering $199.99, while the 512GB version comes in at $99.99, and the 256GB option is $49.99. Lexar’s cards promise speeds of up to 900 MB/s for reading and 600 MB/s for writing.
Comparatively, Sandisk’s smaller 128GB card works out to about $0.39 per gigabyte, whereas their 256GB version is $0.25 per gigabyte. On the flip side, Lexar offers a more consistent deal across its range, with each storage size pegged at $0.20 per gigabyte, all while delivering superior specifications.
### Why Storage Takes Center Stage with the Switch 2
Now, let’s address why storage is becoming a pivotal consideration for Switch 2 users. Although the console is equipped with a decent 256GB of built-in storage, there’s a catch. Even if you opt for physical game cartridges, you might still need to download and install the whole game onto the console. In this setup, the cartridge acts more like a physical key than a standalone game.
Take the example of Street Fighter 6. If you buy its cartridge, you’ll be looking at an additional 50GB of data that needs to be downloaded to your device. Consequently, the standard 256GB can fill up alarmingly quickly. Hence, if you’re planning to use Nintendo’s latest system, investing in these expensive new MicroSD cards might be a necessity—unless you’re okay with constantly downloading and deleting games to manage space.
### Decoding the Switch 2’s MicroSD Express Standard
Those pondering over two seemingly similar cards might face a challenge distinguishing between a standard MicroSD and a MicroSD Express at a glance. But the technical leap from the UHS-I standard, used by the original Switch, to MicroSD Express is substantial.
According to the SD Association, the speeds for MicroSD Express cards are categorized into four classes: Class 150, Class 300, Class 450, and Class 600, with the numbers indicating the minimum read/write capabilities in MB/s. Unlike the older versions, the newer cards sport between 16 and 17 pins, instead of just eight, enabling a significant boost in performance.
With NVMe and PCIe 3.0 at their core, these cards can theoretically reach speeds of up to 2GB/s with a PCIe 4.0 interface. However, while the Switch 2’s specs remain under wraps, we can’t yet confirm if it will harness these potential speeds. And so far, no MicroSD Express card on the market achieves these peak levels either.
Lexar’s Director of Brand Marketing, Joey Lopez, commented enthusiastically about the new standard: “The new MicroSD Express gives us a way to offer unparalleled performance in a compact form. We’re excited to deliver a card that leverages this new technology, setting gamers up for the future of handheld gaming.”
The gap between today’s fastest UHS-I MicroSD cards and the promised speeds of tomorrow’s MicroSD Express is significant. Currently, the speediest card on offer is Lexar’s Play Pro MicroSDXC Express. However, real-world testing will have to wait until we have the Switch 2 and these new cards in our hands. Stay tuned as we dive deeper with the Nintendo Switch 2 in our upcoming hands-on review.
