If you’re gearing up for the Nintendo Switch 2, expanding its storage with a microSD Express card is essential. You might want to take a look at a deal on the 512GB SanDisk Gameplay card, currently available at Walmart. This SanDisk Gameplay edition boasts identical specifications to the standard SanDisk card, which typically sells for around $120 at retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy. The deciding factor is the price: the SanDisk Gameplay 512GB microSD Express, exclusively sold at Walmart, is offered at only $70. This special pricing and exclusivity has led to frequent sell-outs in recent weeks. As of September 17th, it is currently in stock.
The SanDisk Gameplay and the Onn microSD Express are the only two 512GB microSD Express cards priced under $100 currently. Onn is a budget-friendly tech brand owned by Walmart. The 512GB Onn microSD Express card is available for $65.77. If you feel you do not need 512GB, then Onn’s 256GB card can be acquired for just $35.77. The Onn Express Cards have a history of selling out, but Walmart consistently restocks. Be aware, these cards sometimes are limited to specific US regions, so checking local availability is recommended.
Amazon has recently restocked the officially licensed Samsung 256GB microSD Express Card for $59. Compared to other 256GB models on Amazon, it remains the best choice. For a smaller 128GB option, you should consider the TeamGroup Apex for $40.
microSD Express Cards for Nintendo Switch 2
Below is a catalog of various microSD Express cards from trusted brands on Amazon and Walmart. Currently, the 256GB Samsung microSD Express is the only officially licensed card. SanDisk intends to release a Nintendo-themed card; however, the release date and if capacities greater than 256GB will be available are unknown. The microSD Express market is still in its infancy, the Switch 2 will be the first prominent device that will utilize this high-speed storage. Since the announcement that the Switch 2 will require microSD Express for expanded storage, the options available have increased dramatically.
microSD Express Cards at Amazon
microSD Express Cards at Walmart
Nintendo Switch 2 Storage: It Can Disappear Quickly!
The new Nintendo Switch 2 is equipped with a 256GB internal SSD. At first glance, this is a significant upgrade in storage capacity, being four times larger than the Switch OLED (64GB) and eight times larger than the original Switch and Switch Lite (32GB). However, the enhanced graphics capabilities of the Switch 2 also lead to larger game file sizes. Here are a few examples of the anticipated file sizes for some Switch 2 games by Nintendo: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (44.9GB), Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (31.6GB), Kirby Air Riders (25GB), Pokemon Legends: Z-A (10GB). Here are file sizes for titles that are already available: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (20GB), Mario Kart World (22GB), and Donkey Kong Bananza (8.9GB).
You can free up storage for the first-party games by purchasing physical editions of those games. Nintendo-published games typically contain the entire game on the game card. However, keep in mind that with the exception of some games like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, most Switch 2 physical games use Game-Key Cards. These cards are low capacity and act as an authorization key to download the game from the eShop. For instance, if you purchase the physical copy of Madden NFL 26, you’ll still need to download the game’s 55.3GB from the eShop. Star Wars Outlaws requires a 20.9GB download.
A selection of notable games releasing on Game-Key Cards will also require considerable file sizes, including Borderlands 4 (48.8GB), Persona 3 Reload (25.4GB), and Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero (25GB). Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is expected to require an 87.9GB download on Switch 2, significantly consuming storage.
Because of the increase in games released as Game-Key Cards and the increasing file sizes of AAA games, Switch 2 owners are likely to run out of storage sooner than they did on the original Switch.
What is microSD Express?
The Express format is a newer storage technology that has not been widely adopted yet. These Express cards can be more expensive than the traditional UHS-I cards due to the significant performance increase. A SanDisk Ultra 512GB microSD Card has read speeds up to 150MB/s, whereas the SanDisk Gameplay 512GB Express Card offers speeds of up to 880MB/s. The express cards are nearly six times faster. The faster read/write speeds of Express cards are markedly faster than SATA SSDs, which justifies the higher cost.
Below is a closer look at some microSD Express Cards available.
$59 | Officially licensed
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 400MB/s
With a Mario-themed red color scheme and logo, Samsung’s officially licensed card is the most popular microSD Express Card for the Switch 2. Widely considered leaders in microSD technology, SanDisk and Samsung are the two preferred brands. Since SanDisk is not yet offering an officially licensed card, Samsung is the only option for an “official” card.
Priced around $60, the Samsung microSD Express is more cost-effective than the pricey SanDisk cards for the original Switch. If you’re in the market for a 256GB Express, this or the Onn Express Card at Walmart is the preferred choice – depending on regional availability. The Walmart-branded card is approximately $25 cheaper and offers better specs.
Each card’s read/write speeds are included in this list. The read speeds range from 800-900MB/s, but you will likely not be able to see the difference between Samsung’s 800MB/s and Lexar’s 900MB/s.
The officially licensed Samsung card is the slowest in terms of write speed. While this could be seen as bad, it means that the Switch 2 doesn’t fully benefit from higher write speeds.
If you plan on upgrading to a higher capacity card later, and plan on using the old card for other devices, the higher write speeds may matter more. Otherwise, 400MB/s is still a very fast write speed.
