Last week, Nintendo unveiled the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, revealing that the new console exclusively supports expansion via MicroSD Express cards. While this move might frustrate those with existing collections of traditional MicroSD cards, it's a strategic decision aimed at leveraging the superior speed of MicroSD Express technology.

The primary advantage of MicroSD Express cards is their ability to match the read/write speeds of the Nintendo Switch 2's internal Universal Flash Storage (UFS). This compatibility ensures that games stored on expansion cards load just as quickly as those installed internally, enhancing the overall gaming experience. However, this comes at the cost of compatibility with slower, less expensive non-Express MicroSD cards.

MicroSD vs. MicroSD Express

Over the years, MicroSD cards have evolved through six different speed ratings. Starting from the initial SD standard with a mere 12.5MB/s, speeds have progressively increased. Notable milestones include SD High Speed at 25MB/s and SD UHS III at 312MB/s. The introduction of the SD Express standard five years ago marked a significant leap forward in performance.

The key difference with SD Express is its use of a PCIe 3.1 interface, a significant upgrade from the slower UHS-I interface. This technology, also used by 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, with speeds up to 985MB/s, which is 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 behind this requirement, the primary reason seems to be the need for speed. Games installed on MicroSD Express cards benefit from faster load times due to the PCIe 3.1 interface, a feature that could soon become standard in handheld gaming PCs.

The internal storage of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been upgraded from eMMC to UFS, which aligns with the decision to use MicroSD Express for external storage. This ensures that the external storage matches the speed of the internal storage, preventing any potential bottlenecks in game performance. Early demonstrations have shown significant improvements in load times, with fast travel in games like Breath of the Wild reduced by 35% according to Polygon, and initial load times improved by a factor of three, 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.

Moreover, requiring MicroSD Express cards future-proofs the console, as the SD 8.0 Specification allows for even higher speeds up to 3,942MB/s for full-size cards. While MicroSD Express cards may not currently reach these speeds, future advancements could push them to new heights, provided the Nintendo Switch 2's hardware supports it.

MicroSD Express Capacity Options

Despite their advantages, MicroSD Express cards have been slow to gain traction. Currently, options are limited, but this is expected to change with the Nintendo Switch 2's launch. 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

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SanDisk, on the other hand, lists a single MicroSD Express card on its site, with a maximum capacity of 256GB, matching the internal storage of the Switch 2. As the Nintendo Switch 2 hits the market, it's unlikely that many MicroSD Express cards will be available with capacities exceeding 512GB. However, this is expected to change as companies like Samsung increase production of these high-speed memory cards.

SanDisk MicroSD Express 256GB

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