The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming. Everyone knows it. But while the internet argues about TFLOPs and whether it’ll look like a giant GameBoy, a massive bottleneck is hiding in plain sight: your old memory cards. If the rumors about the microSD Express card Switch 2 compatibility are even half true, your current library of SanDisk Ultras might basically become digital paperweights for new releases.
Speed matters.
The original Switch tops out at roughly 100MB/s because it uses the ancient UHS-I standard. It’s slow. Honestly, it’s frustratingly slow when you’re trying to load a 15GB game like Tears of the Kingdom. The jump to microSD Express changes the physical architecture of how the console talks to the storage. We're talking about moving from the equivalent of a dirt road to a multi-lane superhighway.
Why the microSD Express card Switch 2 Shift is a Huge Deal
Basically, microSD Express integrates the PCIe and NVMe interfaces—the same tech found in high-end desktop SSDs—directly into that tiny sliver of plastic.
For the microSD Express card Switch 2 integration to work, Nintendo has to change the pin layout in the slot. Standard UHS-I cards have one row of pins. Express cards add a second row. This allows for theoretical speeds up to 985MB/s, which is nearly ten times faster than what the current Switch can handle.
Imagine zero-second load screens.
That’s the dream, right? But there’s a catch. Backwards compatibility is the word on everyone's lips. If Nintendo uses a standard SD Express slot, your old cards will still work, but they’ll fall back to the old, slower speeds. You won’t get the "Express" benefits unless you buy the new, likely more expensive cards.
The Cost of Speed
High-end storage isn't cheap. Look at the proprietary cards for the Xbox Series X/S. They’re fast, but they cost a fortune. By choosing an open standard like microSD Express card Switch 2 support, Nintendo is theoretically saving us money compared to a proprietary format, but early adopters are still going to feel the sting in their wallets.
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Western Digital and Samsung have been demoing these cards for a while now. Samsung’s 256GB SD Express card was announced with speeds reaching 800MB/s. It’s overkill for a 2D indie platformer, but for a "Switch 2" game that’s pulling high-res textures for 4K docked output? It’s mandatory.
Is it overkill? Maybe for some. But for the longevity of the console, it’s a smart move. Without faster storage, the Switch 2 would be dead on arrival for third-party ports from the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Heat and Battery: The Silent Killers
Here is something most people ignore: heat.
PCIe Gen3 interfaces in a tiny microSD form factor generate a lot of thermal energy. If you’ve ever touched a high-speed NVMe drive after a long file transfer, you know they get toasty. Nintendo has to figure out how to keep the microSD Express card Switch 2 slot from melting the plastic casing or, worse, throttling the CPU because the storage is running at 70°C.
Then there's the battery. Faster data transfer usually equals more power draw. If the Switch 2 is constantly pinging a high-speed Express card for data, your handheld sessions might drop from four hours to two. It’s a delicate balance.
What This Means for Your Existing Library
You’ve spent years building a digital collection. You've got Mario Odyssey, Metroid Dread, and a dozen Final Fantasy ports.
Good news: they'll almost certainly run.
Bad news: they won't run faster just because you're on a new console.
Unless Nintendo issues patches for older games to utilize the increased bandwidth of the microSD Express card Switch 2 architecture, those games will still be capped by their original code. It’s the same way a PS4 game on a PS5 doesn’t magically become 4K 120fps unless the developers put in the work.
The Real-World Impact on Developers
Developers have been screaming for better I/O on Nintendo hardware for a decade. The current Switch forces devs to compress the life out of their assets to make sure they can stream into RAM fast enough from a slow SD card.
With a microSD Express card Switch 2 setup, a developer like Bethesda or CD Projekt Red could theoretically port a much more detailed world without needing "hidden" loading screens (like those long elevator rides or crawling through tight gaps).
It opens up the design space. It makes the "Switch" brand viable for another 7 years.
Sorting Through the Marketing Fluff
Don't get fooled by the "v30" or "v90" ratings on your current cards. Those are video speed classes, not the interface standard. An Express card is fundamentally different. When you see the "EX" logo on future packaging, that's what you're looking for.
Most consumers will probably just buy whatever is cheapest at Best Buy. That’s going to lead to a lot of confusion when "Switch 2 Enhanced" games won't launch because they're installed on a card that’s too slow. Expect Nintendo to be very aggressive with their branding on this. "Requires Express Card for optimal performance" will be the new "Requires Expansion Pak."
Practical Next Steps for Gamers
Don't go out and buy a massive 1TB UHS-I card right now if you're planning on upgrading to the Switch 2 on day one. You're better off waiting.
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- Hold off on major storage purchases. Prices for high-capacity Express cards will drop significantly about six months after the console launch.
- Audit your current library. Decide which games you actually need "on the go" and which ones can stay in the cloud. You won't need to move everything to an Express card immediately.
- Check for the 'EX' or 'Express' logo. When the Switch 2 launches, look specifically for cards that mention PCIe or NVMe integration. If it says UHS-I or UHS-II only, it’s the old tech.
- Invest in a good reader. If you plan on moving files from your PC to these new cards, your internal laptop card reader probably won't support Express speeds. You'll need a dedicated USB-C Express-compatible reader to see those 800MB/s-plus transfer rates.
The transition to microSD Express card Switch 2 storage is the most significant hardware jump Nintendo has made in the storage department since they ditched proprietary cartridges for the DS. It’s messy, it’s going to be expensive at first, but it is the only way to keep Nintendo in the conversation for modern gaming.