"Switch 2 microSD Express Cards: 128GB for $45"

Nintendo recently unveiled a treasure trove of details about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 during a comprehensive 60-minute Nintendo Direct. Among the highlights were the console's price, set at $449.99, and its eagerly anticipated release date of June 5, 2025. Fans were treated to a lineup of exciting new games, but perhaps the most notable announcement was the Switch 2's exclusive compatibility with microSD Express Cards.

This means that if you're planning to upgrade to the Switch 2 this summer, you'll need to leave your old storage cards behind. To expand your storage, you'll have to opt for microSD Express cards, which are available in various sizes from brands like SanDisk on Amazon. Currently, you can find a 128GB card for $44.99 and a 256GB card for $59.99.

The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with a generous 256GB of internal storage, a substantial leap from the original Switch's 32GB. While this might suffice initially, it's worth noting that games for the Switch 2 could be significantly larger. For instance, 'Tears of the Kingdom,' which occupied 16GB on the original Switch, and the upcoming 'Mario Kart World' are expected to demand more space. Although the exact file sizes remain undisclosed, it's clear that these games will require considerable storage.

Unlike its predecessor, which supported a variety of microSD cards, the Switch 2 will exclusively use microSD Express cards. This shift is driven by the superior technology of microSD Express cards, which leverage PCIe and NVMe to achieve transfer speeds up to 985 MB/s—nearly ten times faster than traditional microSD cards. This ensures that the Switch 2 can handle larger, more demanding games without any slowdowns.

However, this upgrade comes with a significant downside: microSD Express cards are pricier. For example, a 128GB microSD card for the original Switch might cost around $10-15, whereas a similar capacity microSD Express card is priced at about $45. Additionally, these cards are less widely available, with only a few brands like SanDisk and Samsung currently producing them.

If you're gearing up to purchase a Nintendo Switch 2, be prepared to budget for these faster, albeit more expensive, memory cards. For a comprehensive look at all the announcements from today's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, you can click here.