When Nintendo rolled out the announcement for the Switch 2, they introduced a new twist: users would need microSD Express cards to boost the device’s memory. This led to a frenzy both online and offline, with reports from places like Hermitage Akihabara in Japan suggesting that stores were selling these cards at a staggering rate of over 337 per hour. The rush caught many by surprise, especially since microSD Express cards carry a much heftier price tag compared to their regular counterparts.
### The High Cost of Speed with microSD Express
Take, for example, the standard Lexar 1TB Play microSD card. Its usual price on Amazon is $129.99, but at this moment, it’s marked down to $69.99. Its read and write speeds top out at 160 MB/s and 100 MB/s, respectively. While these numbers are decent, they’re nowhere near the speeds of internal storage. Now, compare that to the microSD Express version—the Lexar 1TB Play Pro—with its blazing read speed of 900 MB/s and write speed of 600 MB/s. This version is more than five times faster. However, this speed does not come cheap; originally priced at $199.99 on Amazon, it’s currently discounted to $172.63. Even with the discount, it’s still more than double the price of the non-Express card.
### A Demand Surge, Not a Scalping Spree
Despite the pinched wallets of Nintendo fans due to the Switch 2’s microSD Express requirement, these cards were snapped up in droves after the announcement. Surprisingly, this isn’t a typical case of scalping. Reports indicate that up to 80% of purchasers bought just one card each, with the highest purchase count per user capped at three. It seems these buyers are genuinely gearing up for the anticipated launch of the Switch 2.
Interestingly, the microSD Express standard has been on the scene since 2019 but hasn’t gained significant traction, primarily due to its cost compared to non-Express cards and SSDs. Although many gaming consoles allow users to expand internal memory by adding SSDs, the process isn’t straightforward. It usually requires removing the backplate and configuring the new SSD.
With Nintendo’s reservations about users modifying their consoles, opting for microSD Express cards is the simplest and most efficient way to enhance the Switch 2’s storage performance to match internal speeds. This upgrade will be vital as the console ventures into offering a slew of new AAA games that could easily fill up the built-in 256 GB storage. By using these cards, you can keep all your favorite games accessible on your Switch 2 anytime.
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