The best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Engadget Jeff Dunn for Engadget The SanDisk microSD Express Card and Lexar Play Pro.(Jeff Dunn for Engadget) All microSD Express cards will have this "EX" logo printed on them.(Nintendo/Engadget) A microSD Express card like the one on the right has a second row of pins on the back.(Jeff Dunn for Engadget) The Nintendo Switch 2.(Sam Rutherford for Engadget) Jeff Dunn for Engadget The best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2 If you want to add more storage to your new Switch 2, you'll need a microSD Express card. If you want to expand the storage of your Nintendo Switch 2 , you’ll need a microSD Express card. This is not the same as the more traditional microSD cards you may have bought for the original Switch or other gaming handhelds ; Express cards are newer, faster and significantly more expensive on average. But they’re your only choice , and given how much space certain Switch 2 games chew up, you’ll probably have no choice but to get one eventually. Which to buy, though? If you’re looking for the best microSD card for the Switch 2 today, we’ve broken down what you should know before taking the plunge. The best microSD cards for the Switch 2 (aren't all that important) The Switch 2 is the first mainstream device to require microSD Express for storage expansion, so there aren’t many options available to buy just yet. Of the handful of compatible models released thus far, we’ve now tested seven: the SanDisk microSD Express Card (aka the “ SanDisk GamePlay microSD Express Card ” at Walmart), the Lexar Play Pro , the Samsung microSD Card for Nintendo Switch 2 , the Samsung P9 Express , the PNY microSD Express Card , the GameStop Express microSD Card for Nintendo Switch 2 and the Onn microSD Express Card . The first five are made by genuine storage manufacturers, while the GameStop and Onn cards appear to be rebadged versions of other models. We used the 256GB version of every card except for Lexar Play Pro, which was 1TB. After timing these microSD Express cards across a range of Switch 2 games, our advice is simple: Get whichever one is in stock for the lowest price in the capacity you want. They aren’t identically fast, especially if you want to move a game to the card from the console’s internal storage (or vice versa). But the differences in load times and overall performance within actual games are tough to notice unless you have a stopwatch handy. All five cards loaded up the digital version of Mario Kart World , for instance, between 18 and 20 seconds. Each loaded the first Grand Prix race in about 6.5 seconds. Getting to the start screen of Cyberpunk 2077 took about 38 or...

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