In a recent, expansive 60-minute Nintendo Direct, Nintendo unveiled an in-depth look at the eagerly awaited Switch 2. This presentation was packed with key details, such as the console's price of $449.99 and its release date set for June 5, 2025. Additionally, a lineup of exciting new games was showcased. A significant announcement was that the Switch 2 will exclusively support microSD Express Cards for storage expansion, meaning you won't be able to use your existing microSD cards from the original Switch.

To upgrade your storage, you'll need to invest in microSD Express cards. SanDisk currently offers these on Amazon, with options like a 128GB card for $44.99 and a 256GB card for $59.99. These prices reflect a discount from their original prices of $49.99 and $64.99, respectively.

Switch 2 Compatible### SanDisk 256GB microSD Express Card

The Switch 2 comes equipped with 256GB of internal storage, a substantial increase from the original Switch's 32GB. This upgrade may mean you won't need to expand your storage immediately. However, considering the potential size of Switch 2 games, it's worth noting that they might be larger than those on the original console. For instance, while 'Tears of the Kingdom' was 16GB on the Switch, its Switch 2 version and other new titles like 'Mario Kart World' could demand more space. Although exact file sizes for Switch 2 games are yet to be confirmed, they are expected to be significantly larger.

Nintendo's decision to use microSD Express for the Switch 2 marks a significant shift in storage technology. MicroSD Express cards utilize PCIe and NVMe technology, allowing them to achieve speeds up to 985 MB/s—nearly ten times faster than the traditional microSD cards' max speed of 104 MB/s with the UHS-I interface. This shift ensures the Switch 2 can handle larger and more demanding games without performance issues.

However, there's a notable drawback: microSD Express cards are more expensive. For example, a 128GB microSD card for the original Switch typically costs around $10-15, while a 128GB microSD Express card is priced at about $45. Additionally, these cards are less widely available, with only a few brands like SanDisk and Samsung producing them. While Nintendo's move to microSD Express is aimed at enhancing speed and future-proofing the console, it does increase the cost of storage expansion for users.

If you're planning to purchase a Switch 2, be prepared to budget for these faster, yet pricier, memory cards. To delve deeper into all the announcements from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, you can click here.