Summary
- The Switch 2 may support microSD Express cards, in keeping with some newly leaked GameStop SKUs.
- The microSD Express standard offers over 900% faster transfer speeds in comparison with the UHS-I interface supported by the Switch.
- microSD Express cards can be as much as 128GB in capability, whereas their UHS-I counterparts cap out at 2TB.
![Giftmio [Lifetime] Many GEOs](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MjgiIGhlaWdodD0iOTAiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA3MjggOTAiPjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEwMCUiIHN0eWxlPSJmaWxsOiNjZmQ0ZGI7ZmlsbC1vcGFjaXR5OiAwLjE7Ii8+PC9zdmc+)
The Nintendo Switch 2 will support microSD Express cards, in keeping with several newly surfaced SKUs believed to belong to a few of its accessories. This leak hence suggests that Nintendo’s upcoming console will offer massive storage technology improvements in comparison with its predecessor.
The Switch 2 is widely rumored to have entered mass production in the ultimate stretch of 2024, possibly as early as late September. This belief is reinforced by a large influx of leaks detailing the console’s hardware which have been surfacing online since Q4 2024.
In a continuation of this trend, several GameStop stock keeping units (SKUs) said to belong to unannounced Switch 2 accessories leaked in early January 2025. The product labels, originally shared by Reddit user Opposite-Chemistry96, mention a trio of “Switch 2 Exp Micro SD Card” products, with capacities starting from 256GB to 512GB. These designations appear to discuss with cards based on the microSD Express standard, a storage interface that is significantly more advanced than the one supported by the Switch.
Nintendo Switch 2 May Offer 900% Faster microSD Transfer Speeds
The Nintendo Switch supports UHS-I microSD cards, which supply theoretical maximum transfer speeds of around 104 MB per second. In practice, even the best-in-class products based on this interface typically cap out at roughly 95 MB/s. Meanwhile, the microSD Express standard can feasibly achieve transfer speeds within the ballpark of 985 MB/s. This 900% improvement stems from the technology’s reliance on the non-volatile memory express (NVMe) protocol for highly parallel data transfer, the identical one utilized by the fastest modern SSDs.
UHS-I vs microSD Express Standard
UHS-I | microSD Express | |
|---|---|---|
Transfer Speed | ~95 MB/s | ~985 MB/S |
Max Capability | 2TB | 128TB |
One other big advantage that microSD Express cards have in comparison with their UHS-I counterparts concerns their maximum capability. While the older standard caps at 2TB, the newer one supports cards which might be as much as 128TB in size—a 6,300% improvement. Based on the image of GameStop’s internal inventory management system shared by Opposite-Chemistry96, the retailer plans to sell the 256GB Switch 2 cards for $49.99. Meanwhile, the only real 512GB card listed in GameStop’s system has an $84.99 price tag attached to it.
Opposite-Chemistry96 also uncovered SKUs for a Switch 2 carrying case and two “deluxe” cases, priced at $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. All of those offerings are likely unofficial Switch 2 accessories, the type of product that has been leaking online for months now. Nintendo has to date twice said it’ll officially reveal its next console before the tip of its current fiscal yr. The corporate has two and a half more months to make good on that promise, as its ongoing fiscal period concludes on March 31, 2025.
