The most effective microSD playing cards for the Nintendo Change 2

For those who’re fortunate sufficient to have a brand new Nintendo Switch 2 in hand proper now, you are in all probability filling it up with outdated and new video games alike. The console comes with 256GB of storage in-built; that is eight occasions greater than the original Switch and 4 occasions greater than the Switch OLED. However the brand new console’s improved performance signifies that some video games will hog a ton of that house. Take, as an example, Cyberpunk 2077, which is a 59GB obtain, whereas Split Fiction checks in at 69GB. Whereas not all titles hog a lot storage, there is a good likelihood you will need to add extra space to your Change 2 as time goes on.

You may want a microSD Categorical card to do this. These are not the identical as the usual microSD cards you’ll have for the primary Change or different gaming handhelds. They’re newer, quicker and (as to be anticipated) costlier. However if you need extra space, they’re your only choice. For those who’re trying to seize one in the present day, we’ve laid out one of the best microSD playing cards for the Change 2 and damaged down what it is best to know before you purchase.

The most effective microSD playing cards for the Change 2 (and why you would possibly need to wait to purchase)

The Change 2 is the primary mainstream gadget to require microSD Categorical for storage growth, so there aren’t many choices in the stores simply but. To make issues straightforward, right here’s an inventory of each microSD Categorical card we’ve seen at retailers on the time of writing.

128GB

256GB

512GB

1TB

Nintendo says the Change 2 technically supports playing cards with a capability as much as 2TB, however we haven’t seen any microSD Categorical mannequin transcend 1TB simply but. It’s additionally value noting that GameStop and Onn (Walmart’s in-house electronics model) aren’t producers, so it’s unclear who precisely is making their playing cards.

Inventory for these playing cards stays considerably patchy, notably for the higher-capacity choices. However most of the 128GB and 256GB fashions seem like steadily out there as of the Change 2’s launch week. Simply be warned that you’ll have to take care of prolonged ship occasions in some circumstances. SanDisk’s microSD Categorical Card has additionally elevated in worth because it first went up on the market in February; initially, it value $45 for 128GB and $60 for 256GB.

Both method, all of those playing cards are far pricier than conventional microSD choices. The Samsung Pro Plus, for instance, prices $17 for 128GB, $25 for 256GB, $43 for 512GB and $90 for 1TB as of this writing.

Keep in mind: You’re on the lookout for microSD Categorical, not “Excessive,” just like the branding SanDisk makes use of for a few of its conventional microSD cards. A microSD Categorical card can have a giant “EX” emblem printed on it — should you see that, you ought to be good to go.

We’ve already examined SanDisk’s Categorical card and the Lexar Play Professional for our broader information to the best microSD cards. Between the 2, SanDisk’s card has a lot quicker sequential read speeds — as much as 899 MB/s vs. 712 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark, to call one benchmark — which theoretically makes it higher geared up to cut back load occasions.

The Play Professional is faster for sequential writes (as much as 720 MB/s vs. 650 MB/s), out there in additional sizes and needs to be cheaper at 256GB every time it’s in inventory. (SanDisk says the 128GB model of its card has slower sequential writes than the 256GB mannequin, too.) Random efficiency is about equal, so the 2 needs to be equally adept at maintaining massive video games like Mario Kart World operating easily.

We primarily examined these playing cards on a Home windows PC and Mac, although. How they carry out on the precise Change 2 stays to be seen. Nintendo didn’t ship out early evaluation models to press, and we have solely simply obtained our personal retail mannequin. So we’ll want a couple of extra days to complete testing.

For now, although, we are able to’t say for certain if the console renders all microSD Categorical playing cards to comparable speeds. That was largely the case with the primary Change: As soon as a (common) microSD card hit a certain threshold of efficiency, there wasn’t that a lot sensible distinction between it and different options. The Change 2 is working with a distinct customary, but when one thing comparable had been to occur once more, the “greatest” microSD Categorical card would merely be probably the most reasonably priced one from a good model within the capability you need.

That brings us to our most important piece of recommendation: For those who can maintain off on shopping for one in all these items early on, that’s in all probability a good suggestion. It’s not simply concerning the lack of testing — in truth, we’d be shocked if any of those playing cards are actually “dangerous.”

It is extra about worth: Barring extra tariff shenanigans, all of those playing cards are as costly in the present day as they’re ever more likely to get. The Change 2 is already common and can proceed to be, thus extra microSD Categorical playing cards will must be made and costs will (finally) come down. Attempt to use all 256 of the gigabytes baked into the Change 2 first, even when it means having to delete a recreation or two. However should you’re completely certain you need extra space instantly, the playing cards above ought to be adequate.

What are microSD Categorical playing cards?

Most microSD playing cards are based mostly on a regular known as Extremely Excessive Velocity (UHS), of which there are three variations: UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III. The overwhelming majority of playing cards you’ll have purchased up to now make the most of UHS-I. These have one row of pins within the again and a theoretical most information switch velocity of 104 megabytes per second (MB/s). (Although many playing cards are capable of surpass that restrict with proprietary tech and card readers.) The unique Change has a UHS-I microSD slot, as do most different gaming handhelds like Valve’s Steam Deck.

UHS-II playing cards add a second row of pins and might attain as much as 312 MB/s. These are pricier and far much less widespread than playing cards based mostly on UHS-I, however they’re supported by some cameras and higher-power handhelds just like the ASUS ROG Ally X. UHS-III, in the meantime, is twice as quick as UHS-II in concept (624 MB/s), however no microSD playing cards have really used it.

UHS-I playing cards have held on through the years as a result of they’re low cost, extensively supported and quick sufficient for the issues most individuals want them to do: file 4K video, stash pictures and so forth. However with the Change 2, Nintendo needs more. The brand new console is dramatically extra highly effective, which permits it to run demanding games which will have initially been constructed for stronger {hardware} just like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X or gaming PCs. The gadget also uses UFS 3.1 storage internally, which is way speedier than the eMMC storage utilized by the unique Change. (A customized file decompression engine helps enhance load occasions as properly.) So if the Change 2 goes to just accept microSD playing cards, it wants ones that received’t convey a critical drop-off in efficiency and might maintain up with fashionable video games.

Therefore, SD Categorical. This customary has technically been around since 2018 however largely went nowhere till the Change 2 got here alongside. It additionally makes use of a second row of pins, however it lets microSD playing cards reap the benefits of the PCI Categorical (PCIe)/NVMe interface, which is identical underlying tech utilized by modern SSDs. Consequently, it might probably produce significantly quicker learn and write speeds, with a present theoretical maximum of 985 MB/s.

As famous above, real-world efficiency received’t be fairly that quick. Even when it was, one of the best microSD Categorical playing cards would nonetheless be a lot slower than the NVMe SSDs used by the PS5 and Xbox. (Sony recommends SSDs with sequential learn speeds of a minimum of 5,500 MB/s.) They usually’ll fall properly beneath their peak speeds below sustained masses: SanDisk, as an example, says sustained write speeds for its 128GB Categorical card can drop as little as 100 MB/s.

However they’re nonetheless a marked enchancment over outdated UHS-I playing cards, and in concept, they need to be faster than some older SATA-based SSDs when it comes loading recreation ranges, asset streaming, retrieving saves or copying video games to exterior storage. Whereas SanDisk’s microSD Categorical card can produce sequential learn speeds round 900 MB/s, Lexar’s Professional Silver Plus — the highest UHS-I decide in our normal microSD card information — topped out simply over 200 MB/s, and that’s with a proprietary reader. (On the primary Change, it’d be nearer to 100 MB/s.) Sequential writes and random speeds had been three to 4 occasions higher as properly, and typically much more relying on the benchmark we used.

It stays to be seen how properly these Categorical playing cards will maintain up with prolonged use, and there’s no option to know precisely when their sky-high costs will drop. Non-Change 2 gadgets that help microSD Categorical are nonetheless exceedingly uncommon, and the usual itself isn’t backwards appropriate with UHS-II, so that you’ll be restricted to UHS-I speeds if you wish to use your card with one other gadget (except you purchase a pricey external reader). Nonetheless, whereas the elevated prices and restricted choice are annoying, the tech itself appears worthy of a next-gen Change.