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The Verge
a day ago
- Business
- The Verge
Here's where you can buy microSD Express cards for the Nintendo Switch 2
All microSD cards look pretty much the same, but when it comes to buying the right one for your Nintendo Switch 2, only microSD Express cards will work for storing and playing games. The microSD card you used in your original Switch or Switch Lite will offer limited functionality with Nintendo's new handheld, as it will only let you view screenshots or video clips you captured previously — that's it. That's because Nintendo opted for a significantly faster spec in its new handheld console, which boasts an advertised 4.4x improvement in terms of transfer speeds over the microSD cards you might already have lying around. That improvement is signified by a small, easy-to-miss 'EX' emblem etched onto the front of the card. What's harder to miss is how much more expensive Express cards are, with some costing more than $50 for just 256GB of storage. The Switch 2 supports microSD Express cards up to 2TB in size, although 1TB is the largest capacity widely available (that's an overstatement, as many are sold out currently), with some cards selling for up to $200 a pop. Phew. I suppose it makes sense that they're pricier since they're classified as bonafide PCIe NVMe SSDs by the SD Association. Walmart's Onn label is a beacon of light, as its microSD Express cards are significantly cheaper than the competition, with its 512GB model costing $65.88 when it's in stock. Thankfully, since the Switch 2 has 256GB of built-in storage, you most likely won't need a microSD Express card immediately upon receiving your console. Getting a microSD card was a rite of passage with the original Switch since all versions, aside from the newer OLED edition that launched in 2021, came with just 32GB. If you're in the market for one of these pricier storage expansion cards ahead of the console's launch, we've listed the available options below.
Engadget
2 days ago
- Engadget
The best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with 256GB of built-in storage, eight times more than the original Switch and four times more than the Switch OLED. But the new console's improved performance means that some games will hog a ton of that space: Cyberpunk 2077 is a 60GB download, for one, while Split Fiction checks in at 73GB. Other titles aren't nearly as big, but chances are you'll eventually want to add more room to the device. When you do, you'll need a microSD Express card. These are not the same as the standard microSD cards you may have bought for the first Switch or other gaming handhelds — they're newer, faster and significantly more expensive. But if you want more space, they're your only choice. If you're looking to grab one today, we've laid out the best microSD cards for the Switch 2 and broken down what you should know before you buy. The SanDisk microSD Express Card and Lexar Play Pro. (Jeff Dunn for Engadget) 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. To make things easy, here's a list of every microSD Express card we've seen at retailers at the time of writing: SanDisk microSD Express Card ($56 MSRP) PNY microSD Express Card ($47 MSRP) Remember: You're looking for microSD Express , not 'Extreme,' a la the branding SanDisk uses for some of its conventional microSD cards. A microSD Express card will have a big 'EX' logo printed on it — if you see that, you should be good to go. Nintendo says the Switch 2 technically supports cards with a capacity up to 2TB, but we haven't seen any microSD Express model go beyond 1TB just yet. It's also worth noting that GameStop and Onn (Walmart's in-house electronics brand) aren't manufacturers, so it's unclear who exactly is making their cards. Currently, stock for each of these cards has been extremely spotty. SanDisk's microSD Express Card has also increased in price since it first went up for sale in February; originally, it cost $45 for 128GB and $60 for 256GB. Either way, all of these cards are far pricier than traditional microSD options. The Samsung Pro Plus, for example, costs $17 for 128GB, $25 for 256GB, $43 for 512GB and $90 for 1TB as of this writing. All microSD Express cards will have this "EX" logo printed on them. (Nintendo/Engadget) We've already tested SanDisk's Express card and the Lexar Play Pro for our broader guide to the best microSD cards. Between the two, SanDisk's card has much faster sequential read speeds — up to 899 MB/s vs. 712 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark, to name one benchmark — which theoretically makes it better equipped to reduce load times. The Play Pro is quicker for sequential writes (up to 720 MB/s vs. 650 MB/s), available in more sizes and should be cheaper at 256GB whenever it's in stock. (SanDisk says the 128GB version of its card has slower sequential writes than the 256GB model, too.) Random performance is about equal, so the two should be similarly adept at keeping large games like Mario Kart World running smoothly. We mainly tested those cards on a Windows PC and Mac, though. How they perform on the actual Switch 2 remains to be seen. We'll test as many options as we can once we have our hands on the console, but for now we can't say if it'll render all microSD Express cards to similar speeds. That was largely the case with the first Switch: Once a (regular) microSD card hit a certain threshold of performance, there wasn't that much practical difference between it and other alternatives. The Switch 2 is working with a different standard, but if something similar were to happen again, the 'best' microSD Express card would simply be the most affordable one from a reputable brand in the capacity you want. That brings us to our main piece of advice: If you can hold off on buying one of these things early on, that's probably a good idea. It's not just about the lack of testing — truthfully, we'd be surprised if any of the cards above were truly 'bad.' It comes down to value: Barring more tariff shenanigans, all of these cards are as expensive today as they're ever likely to get. The Switch 2 is already popular and will continue to be, thus more microSD Express cards will need to be made and prices will (eventually) come down. Try to use all 256 of the gigabytes baked into the Switch 2 first, even if it means having to delete a game or two. But if you're absolutely sure you want more space right away, the cards above should be good enough. A microSD Express card like the one on the right has a second row of pins on the back. (Jeff Dunn for Engadget) Most microSD cards are based on a standard called Ultra High Speed (UHS), of which there are three versions: UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III. The vast majority of cards you may have bought in the past utilize UHS-I. These have one row of pins in the back and a theoretical maximum data transfer speed of 104 megabytes per second (MB/s). (Though many cards are able to surpass that limit with proprietary tech and card readers.) The original Switch has a UHS-I microSD slot, as do most other gaming handhelds like Valve's Steam Deck. UHS-II cards add a second row of pins and can reach up to 312 MB/s. These are pricier and much less common than cards based on UHS-I, but they're supported by some cameras and higher-power handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally X. UHS-III, meanwhile, is twice as fast as UHS-II in theory (624 MB/s), but no microSD cards have actually used it. UHS-I cards have held on over the years because they're cheap, widely supported and fast enough for the things most people need them to do: record 4K video, stash photos and so on. But with the Switch 2, Nintendo needs more. The new console is dramatically more powerful, which allows it to run demanding games that may have originally been built for stronger hardware like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or gaming PCs. The device also uses UFS 3.1 storage internally, which is much speedier than the eMMC storage used by the original Switch. (A custom file decompression engine should help improve load times as well.) So if the Switch 2 is going to accept microSD cards, it needs ones that won't bring a serious drop-off in performance and can hold up with modern games. The Nintendo Switch 2. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget) Hence, SD Express. This standard has technically been around since 2018 but mostly went nowhere until the Switch 2 came along. It also uses a second row of pins, but it lets microSD cards take advantage of the PCI Express (PCIe)/NVMe interface, which is the same underlying tech used by modern SSDs. As a result, it can produce considerably faster read and write speeds, with a current theoretical maximum of 985 MB/s. As noted above, real-world performance won't be quite that fast. Even if it was, the best microSD Express cards would still be much slower than the NVMe SSDs used by the PS5 and Xbox. (Sony recommends SSDs with sequential read speeds of at least 5,500 MB/s.) And they'll fall well below their peak speeds under sustained loads: SanDisk, for instance, says sustained write speeds for its 128GB Express card can drop as low as 100 MB/s. But they're still a marked improvement over old UHS-I cards, and in theory, they should be quicker than some older SATA-based SSDs when it comes loading game levels, asset streaming, retrieving saves or copying games to external storage. Whereas SanDisk's microSD Express card can produce sequential read speeds around 900 MB/s, Lexar's Professional Silver Plus — the top UHS-I pick in our general microSD card guide — topped out just over 200 MB/s, and that's with a proprietary reader. (On the first Switch, it'd be closer to 100 MB/s.) Sequential writes and random speeds were three to four times better as well, and sometimes even more depending on the benchmark we used. It remains to be seen how well these Express cards will hold up with extended use, and there's no way to know exactly when their sky-high prices will drop. Non-Switch 2 devices that support microSD Express are still exceedingly rare, and the standard itself isn't backwards compatible with UHS-II, so you'll be limited to UHS-I speeds if you want to use your card with another device (unless you buy a pricey external reader). Still, while the increased costs and limited selection are annoying, the tech itself seems worthy of a next-gen Switch.
Channel Post MEA
21-05-2025
- Channel Post MEA
PNY Unveils the PNY microSD Express Flash Memory Cards
PNY unveiled the PNY microSD Express Flash Memory Cards, essential for upgrading new generation microSD Express gaming devices like Nintendo Switch 2. Equipped with cutting edge microSD Express technology that is up to 4.4x faster than standard UHS-I microSD cards, these new cards are ideal for ultra-high performance gaming demands while maintaining backwards compatibility across current gaming consoles and microSD devices. Unbeatable Performance Experience blazing-fast downloads with PNY microSD Express Flash Memory Cards. Next generation microSD Express technology unleashes superspeed capabilities on PNY cards with performance up to up to 890MB/s and write speeds up to 750MB/s — up to 4.4 times faster than standard UHS-I microSD cards. With this substantially improved performance, accomplish lightning-fast game loads and a supremely smooth gaming experience. Elevated Gaming Experience Elevate your gaming with PNY microSD Express Cards, crafted for top-tier performance and next-level gameplay. Engineered with PCIe Gen3 x1 microSD technology to achieve incredible microSD performance to keep up with even the most demanding games, reduce load times to start gaming faster and explore immersive worlds with extreme resolution. With up to 256GB, expand Nintendo Switch 2 storage space up to double and have more space to save AAA gaming titles. Spend less time waiting and more time playing! Next Generation Gaming Ready Compatible with microSD Express host devices including Nintendo Switch 2. Upgrade your flash memory card collection and ensure you're equipped with superspeed storage solutions crucial for next gen gaming technology. Reap the benefits of PNY's top-tier gaming solution without sacrificing support for your current favorite devices. PNY microSD Express Cards maintain backwards compatibility with UHS-I and UHS-II host devices at UHS-I/UHS-II speeds, so gamers can continue playing on their preferred consoles. Stay Cool Under Pressure Meticulously engineered to keep up high performance, PNY microSD Express cards are crafted to stay cool under pressure with unique heat dissipation designs maximizing cooling efficiency. Built-in microSD thermal monitoring combined with intuitive adaptive technology automatically adjusts to optimize temperature and keeps the microSD running efficiently. Let PNY microSD express do the work for you to maximize the thermal performance of your expandable storage. Stay cool, game on, and keep your focus on the heat of battle. Ultimate microSD Express Durability Rigorously tested for ultimate durability, rest assured that PNY microSD Express Cards are innovated to endure. These cards are magnet proof, shock proof, temperature proof, waterproof, drop proof, X-Ray proof, wear-out proof, and even humidity proof. Backed by a lifetime limited warranty, maintain peace of mind knowing that your extensive gaming collection is secure with PNY microSD Express. 0 0
The Verge
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Cameron Faulkner
PNY has its own Switch 2-ready microSD Express card, too Storage and component company PNY announced that its 128GB and 256GB microSD Express cards for Switch 2 are now shipping, costing $44.99 and $55.99, respectively. Its lineup brings the same PCIe 3.0 spec as same PCIe 3.0 spec as the other microSD Express cards out there (blowing regular microSD cards out of the water when it comes to speed). Let's hope that PNY launches a 1TB model soon, because the Switch 2's 256GB of built-in storage can only carry a handful of AAA games. If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission.
The Verge
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
The Sonos Move 2 is cheaper than ever, just in time for summer
The portable and capable Sonos Move 2 wireless speaker just hit its lowest price yet at Amazon and Best Buy, costing $336 (was $449) for each of its three available colors. It's still pricey, but now it's a better deal. Its built-in battery can last up to 24 hours of continuous playback, and, like the Era speaker lineup, the Move 2 boasts line-in support (but only after you buy the required $19 USB-C adapter) to let you plug in any 3.5mm audio source. Additionally, any audio you stream via Bluetooth to the Move 2 can be synched across any other Sonos speakers you have, which is a feature that's not present in the first-gen model. Read our review. Other deals we're digging Depending on your location, you might be able to find an open-box PlayStation Portal game streaming handheld for the PS5 at a nearby Best Buy that's up to $70 or so off the usual $199.99 asking price. Pricing and availability will likely vary, but I can nab one in 'excellent' condition for $135.99, which is reasonable enough for me to consider taking the leap. Perhaps, it will be for you, too. In addition to streaming PS5 games straight from your console, the Portal can also play cloud-based PS5 games, but only if you have a PS Plus Premium account. I don't particularly like recommending sound systems that claim to support Dolby Atmos, but that don't have the upward-firing speakers necessary to really deliver a proper Atmos experience. However, Vizio's 5.1 system (model SV510X-0806) is a bit too good of a deal to pass up, if you're in need of a sleek, compact, and affordable kit. This four-piece system that's down to $187.99 at Walmart (was $228) includes a 33-inch soundbar, a wireless subwoofer, and two satellite speakers for surround sound. Some microSD Express cards have shot up in price since the news broke that the Switch 2 supports this kind of expandable storage, and 1TB cards are out of stock across the board for now. Some 256GB models have gone up to $70 or higher, but you shouldn't spend that much. PNY's 256GB card microSD Express card is $55.99 at Amazon. That's roughly the same price as GameStop's 256GB model that releases on June 5, the same day as the Switch 2.
