When Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2, there was a buzz around the need for microSD Express cards to boost the device’s memory. Soon after the announcement, these cards vanished from both online and physical shelves. In Japan, staff at Hermitage Akihabara [via machine translation] reported selling over 337 cards per hour. This frenzy was shocking, especially since microSD Express cards are pricier compared to standard microSD cards.
### You’ll Pay a Premium for MicroSD Express
Take the Lexar 1TB Play microSD card, which generally goes for $129.99 on Amazon. Currently, it’s available for $69.99. It offers decent read and write speeds of 160 MB/s and 100 MB/s respectively. However, it falls short of the internal storage speeds. Contrast this with the Express version, boasting a blazing 900 MB/s read speed and 600 MB/s write speed. But, of course, such speed comes at a cost: the Lexar 1TB Play Pro microSD Express card originally prices at $199.99, though it’s on sale now for $172.63. Even with discounts, it costs more than double.
### No Scalping Detected
Despite the steep price, the microSD Express cards flew off the shelves post-announcement, selling rapidly like hotcakes. Interestingly, this surge isn’t due to scalpers. Around 80% of purchasers bought only one card, and the maximum reported purchase by a single buyer was just three. It looks like most are genuine fans prepping for the Switch 2’s launch.
The microSD Express cards have been around since 2019, but adoption has been sluggish, mainly because they’re much more expensive than other portable storage options or even SSDs for fixed storage solutions. While many consoles allow SSD upgrades for more memory, this process is often cumbersome—requiring users to dismantle parts of the console and tweak settings.
Nintendo prefers users to keep the hardware as-is, making microSD Express cards the most user-friendly solution for expanding the Switch 2’s storage to match internal speeds. This could be crucial, considering the console’s influx of new AAA games could easily max out the 256 GB internal limit. These cards ensure your favorite games are always at your fingertips without a hitch.
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