MicroSD Express: Essential for Nintendo Switch 2

Last week, Nintendo unveiled the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, sparking excitement among gaming enthusiasts. However, one of the notable announcements was that the new console will exclusively support expansion via MicroSD Express cards. This decision, while inconvenient for those with existing MicroSD collections, is rooted in the significant performance advantages that MicroSD Express offers.

The adoption of MicroSD Express cards by the Nintendo Switch 2 is driven by their ability to achieve read/write speeds comparable to the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) used in the console's internal storage. This similarity in performance means that games stored on an expansion card should theoretically load just as quickly as those stored internally, although this comes at the expense of compatibility with slower, less expensive traditional MicroSD cards.

MicroSD vs. MicroSD Express

Over the years, MicroSD cards have evolved significantly in terms of speed. Starting from the initial standard of 12.5MB/s, the speed ratings have progressed through various iterations, reaching up to 312MB/s with the SD UHS III standard. However, the introduction of the SD Express standard five years ago marked a pivotal change, leveraging the PCIe 3.1 interface instead of the slower UHS-I interface. This shift has allowed full-sized SD Express cards to achieve data transfer speeds up to 3,940MB/s, a monumental leap in performance.

MicroSD Express cards, although not as fast as their full-sized counterparts, still offer impressive speeds up to 985MB/s, which is three times faster than the fastest non-Express MicroSD cards available.

Why Does the Switch 2 Require MicroSD Express?

While Nintendo has not explicitly detailed its reasons for mandating MicroSD Express for the Switch 2, the primary advantage is undoubtedly the enhanced speed. The use of a PCIe 3.1 interface in MicroSD Express cards ensures significantly faster loading times compared to games stored on traditional UHS-I MicroSD cards. This requirement aligns with the console's upgraded internal UFS storage, suggesting a strategic move to maintain consistent performance across all storage solutions.

Early demonstrations have shown that the Switch 2 can significantly reduce load times, with reports from Polygon indicating a 35% faster fast travel in games like Breath of the Wild, and Digital Foundry noting a 3x improvement in initial load times. These improvements can be attributed to the faster internal storage, as well as the more powerful CPU and GPU capable of processing data more efficiently. By requiring MicroSD Express, Nintendo ensures that external storage does not become a bottleneck for future games that demand faster disk speeds.

Moreover, this decision future-proofs the console, as the SD 8.0 Specification allows for even higher speeds in full-size SD Express cards, up to 3,942MB/s. While MicroSD Express cards have yet to reach these peaks, the potential for future advancements is clear, and the Switch 2 is well-positioned to take advantage of these developments.

MicroSD Express Capacity Options

Currently, the market for MicroSD Express cards is still developing, with limited options available. Lexar, for instance, offers a single MicroSD Express card in capacities of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, with the highest capacity model priced at $199.

Lexar Play Pro MicroSD Express

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SanDisk, on the other hand, provides a MicroSD Express card with a maximum capacity of 256GB, matching the internal storage of the Switch 2. As the console approaches its launch, we can expect the availability of higher-capacity MicroSD Express cards to increase, especially as companies like Samsung enter the market with new offerings.

SanDisk MicroSD Express 256GB

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