MicroSD Express: A Must for Nintendo Switch 2

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

These cards utilize a PCIe 3.1 interface, enabling them to achieve read/write speeds comparable to the UFS (Universal Flash Storage) in the Switch 2's internal storage. This similarity in speed is crucial, allowing games on expansion cards to load as quickly as those stored internally, although it means users can't utilize cheaper, non-Express MicroSD cards.

MicroSD vs. MicroSD Express

Over the years, MicroSD cards have evolved through six different speed ratings. Starting with the original SD cards at 12.5MB/s, speeds have incrementally improved, reaching up to 312MB/s with SD UHS III. However, the introduction of the SD Express standard five years ago marked a significant leap forward.

The key difference lies in the use of a PCIe 3.1 interface in SD Express, as opposed to the slower UHS-I interface in earlier cards. This PCIe interface, also used in high-speed NVMe SSDs, allows full-sized SD Express cards to reach data transfer rates up to 3,940MB/s. While MicroSD Express cards don't match these top speeds, they still achieve up to 985MB/s, tripling the speed of the fastest non-Express MicroSD cards.

Why Does the Switch 2 Require MicroSD Express?

Although Nintendo typically keeps its hardware decisions under wraps, the requirement for MicroSD Express cards on the Switch 2 is likely driven by the need for speed. Games on a MicroSD Express card will load much faster than on a traditional UHS-I MicroSD card, thanks to the PCIe 3.1 interface. This could set a trend for future handheld gaming PCs as well.

The Switch 2's internal storage has been upgraded from eMMC to UFS, necessitating similarly fast external storage to prevent bottlenecks in games that require rapid disk access. Early demonstrations suggest significant improvements in load times, with fast travel in games like Breath of the Wild being 35% faster, according to Polygon, and initial loads seeing a 3x improvement, as reported by Digital Foundry. These enhancements might be attributed to both the faster storage and the improved CPU and GPU, which can process data more efficiently. Nintendo's decision ensures that future games won't be hindered by slower storage solutions.

Moreover, this move paves the way for even faster storage solutions in the future. The current SD 8.0 Specification allows full-size SD Express cards to reach speeds up to 3,942MB/s. Although MicroSD Express cards can't match this yet, future advancements could see them reaching these speeds, provided the Switch 2's hardware can support it.

MicroSD Express Capacity Options

MicroSD Express cards are still emerging in the market, but their adoption is expected to grow with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. Currently, options are limited. Lexar, for example, 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, capped at 256GB, which aligns with the internal storage of the Switch 2. As the launch date approaches, it's unlikely that many MicroSD Express cards will be available with capacities exceeding 512GB. However, this is expected to change as demand increases and companies like Samsung begin to produce these cards in greater numbers.

### SanDisk MicroSD Express 256GB

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