MicroSD Express: Essential for Nintendo Switch 2

Last week, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2, revealing that it exclusively supports expansion via MicroSD Express cards. This decision might be inconvenient for those with existing MicroSD collections, but it's a strategic move due to the superior speed of MicroSD Express.

These cards leverage a PCIe 3.1 interface, enabling read/write speeds comparable to the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) used in the Switch 2's internal storage. This compatibility is crucial as it theoretically allows games on expansion cards to load as quickly as those stored internally, albeit at the expense of compatibility with slower, less expensive non-Express MicroSD cards.

MicroSD vs. MicroSD Express

Historically, MicroSD cards have evolved through six speed ratings, starting from a modest 12.5MB/s with the original SD cards, progressing to 25MB/s with SD High Speed, and reaching 312MB/s with SD UHS III. 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 of traditional SD cards. This technology, also used in high-speed NVMe SSDs, allows full-sized SD Express cards to achieve transfer speeds up to 3,940MB/s. While MicroSD Express cards don't reach these peak speeds, they still offer impressive performance, topping out at 985MB/s—three times faster than the fastest non-Express MicroSD cards.

Why Does the Switch 2 Require MicroSD Express?

Although Nintendo hasn't detailed its rationale, the requirement for MicroSD Express cards on the Switch 2 is likely driven by the need for speed. Games installed on MicroSD Express cards can load significantly faster than those on traditional UHS-I MicroSD cards, thanks to the PCIe 3.1 interface. This could set a precedent for future handheld gaming PCs.

The Switch 2's internal storage has been upgraded to UFS from eMMC, aligning with the need for expansion media that matches these speeds. Early demonstrations suggest substantial improvements in load times, with fast travel in games like Breath of the Wild reduced by 35% according to Polygon, and a threefold increase in initial load times as reported by Digital Foundry. These enhancements may be attributed to both the faster storage and the improved CPU and GPU, which can process data more efficiently. The requirement for MicroSD Express ensures that external storage doesn't bottleneck game performance.

Moreover, this move future-proofs the console, as the current SD 8.0 Specification allows full-size SD Express cards to reach speeds up to 3,942MB/s. While MicroSD Express cards aren't there yet, they have the potential to reach these speeds in the future, provided the Switch 2 supports them.

MicroSD Express Capacity Options

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

Lexar Play Pro MicroSD Express

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SanDisk, on the other hand, lists a single MicroSD Express card with a maximum capacity of 256GB, matching the internal storage of the Switch 2. As the Switch 2 hits the market, we might not see many MicroSD Express cards exceeding 512GB, but this is likely to change as companies like Samsung increase production.

SanDisk MicroSD Express 256GB

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