Dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 players looking to expand their storage will be pleased to know that Samsung’s highly popular microSD Express cards are getting new options. While the official Super Mario-themed card is currently limited to 256GB, Samsung is soon launching a 512GB version. The new Samsung 512GB P9 microSD Express Card is now available for preorder on Amazon at $95 (originally $100), with a special $5 discount applied by clicking a coupon on the product page. These new cards are slated for release on November 4th.
Notably, this new P9 series is Samsung’s first non-Nintendo-licensed microSD Express offering, yet it boasts comparable performance. A 256GB edition of the P9 will also be available for $55, making it slightly more affordable than the officially licensed counterpart. While the P9 series offers the lowest Amazon MSRPs for 256GB and 512GB microSD Express cards, Walmart’s Onn brand still holds the edge on price, with their 512GB model retailing at $84.77 and the 256GB version at $46.77.
For those considering other leading brands, the SanDisk 512GB microSD Express is priced at $120, and the Lexar 1TB Play Pro microSD Express is available for $200. Currently, Lexar stands alone as the primary storage manufacturer offering a 1TB microSD Express option.
Expanding Your Switch 2 Storage: A Look at Available MicroSD Express Cards
We’ve compiled a list of notable microSD Express cards from trusted brands found on Amazon, deliberately omitting options significantly above the average price point. The microSD Express market is relatively new, but with the Nintendo Switch 2 being the first major consumer device to adopt this ultra-fast storage solution, the selection of available cards has rapidly expanded since its initial announcement.
Notable microSD Express Cards at Amazon
- Samsung 256GB microSD Express (Official): $59
- Samsung 512GB P9 microSD Express: $95
- Samsung 256GB P9 microSD Express: $55
- Lexar 1TB Play Pro microSD Express: $200
- Lexar 512GB Play Pro microSD Express: $105
- Lexar 256GB Play Pro microSD Express: $55
- SanDisk 512GB microSD Express: $120
- SanDisk 256GB microSD Express: $70
- SanDisk 128GB microSD Express: Sold out
- Adata 512GB Premier Extreme microSD Express: $100
- Adata 256GB Premier Extreme microSD Express: $70
- PNY 128GB microSD Express: $40
- PNY 256GB microSD Express: $60
- PNY 512GB microSD Express: $120
- TeamGroup 256GB Apex microSD Express: $58
- TeamGroup 512GB Apex microSD Express: $100
- TeamGroup 1TB Apex microSD Express: $210
Notable microSD Express Cards at Walmart
- Samsung 256GB microSD Express (Nintendo Edition): $59
- Onn 256GB microSD Express: $46.77
- Onn 512GB microSD Express: $84.77
- TeamGroup 256GB Apex microSD Express: $50
- TeamGroup 512GB Apex microSD Express: $100
- SanDisk 512GB microSD Express: $120
- SanDisk 256GB microSD Express: $72
- SanDisk 128GB microSD Express: Sold out
- PNY 128GB microSD Express: $40
- PNY 256GB microSD Express: $60
- PNY 512GB microSD Express: $120
- SanDisk GamePlay 512GB microSD Express: $98 | Sold out
Why You’ll Need More Storage: The Nintendo Switch 2’s Appetite for Space
While the Nintendo Switch 2 boasts a significant upgrade with 256GB of internal storage—four times that of the Switch OLED and eight times the original Switch models—this seemingly generous capacity can quickly diminish. The console’s enhanced graphics capabilities lead to much larger game file sizes. For instance, upcoming Nintendo-published titles like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment demand 44.9GB, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond requires 31.6GB, and Kirby Air Riders takes up 25GB. Even current titles such as Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (20GB), Mario Kart World (22GB), Pokemon Legends: Z-A (10GB), and Donkey Kong Bananza (8.9GB) illustrate the considerable storage requirements.
To conserve precious storage, consider purchasing physical editions of first-party Nintendo games, as these typically contain the complete game file on the cartridge. However, for most third-party titles (with rare exceptions like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition), physical Switch 2 releases utilize ‘Game-Key Cards.’ These are essentially low-capacity keys that require you to download the full game from the eShop. This means a physical copy of Madden NFL 26 would still necessitate downloading a substantial 55.3GB file, and Star Wars Outlaws would require a 20.9GB download.
Many other recent and upcoming Switch 2 games adopting the Game-Key Card format also come with large downloads, including Borderlands 4 (48.8GB), Persona 3 Reload (25.4GB), and Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero (25GB). Notably, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is anticipated to be an 87.9GB download on Switch 2, a single title capable of devouring a significant portion of your console’s storage.
Ultimately, the increasing use of Game-Key Cards and the growing size of AAA titles mean that Switch 2 owners will likely find themselves needing additional storage much sooner than they did with the original Switch.
Understanding MicroSD Express: The Next Generation of Storage
MicroSD Express represents a cutting-edge leap in semiconductor technology, though its widespread adoption is still emerging. The higher cost of these cards compared to the older UHS-I cards used in the original Switch and many other devices is directly tied to their superior speed. For illustration, a standard SanDisk Ultra 512GB microSD card offers up to 150MB/s read speeds, whereas a SanDisk 512GB Express card can achieve an impressive 880MB/s—nearly six times faster. These Express cards even surpass SATA SSDs in speed, which helps explain their premium price point.
Dive deeper into specific microSD Express card options, complete with technical specifications, in the detailed list below.