Best MicroSD Express Cards for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026 — the best cards on the market, benchmarked and ranked

If you're looking for the best microSD Express cards for the Switch 2, our picks below, curated from our in-depth benchmarking, will show you the top cards available on the market right now. The Nintendo Switch 2 is one of the most highly anticipated launches in the world of gaming handhelds. It has met expectations by introducing a series of solid hardware upgrades, notably including significantly faster internal storage, complemented by microSD Express cards for expandable storage.

The original Switch featured 32GB of eMMC storage, a figure that subsequently doubled in the OLED version. The Switch 2, on the other hand, arrives with a whopping 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, a massive upgrade in both capacity and speed. The Switch 2 offers gamers up to 7X more storage capacity compared to the Switch and up to 3X more than the Switch OLED.

As is customary with gaming consoles, not all of the internal storage is available to you. For the Switch 2, Nintendo has allocated approximately 7GB of the 256GB for system use. Consequently, the actual usable space amounts to approximately 249GB. However, while 249GB of storage capacity may appear like a lot on paper, any avid gamer would dispute this perception.

Take first-party titles such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, for example — two games that will likely make your Switch 2 collection. They require approximately 22GB and 9GB of storage space, respectively. Modern AAA games aren't any lighter, either. If you like genres like Cyberpunk 2077 and Split Fiction, those occupy an additional 60GB and 70GB, respectively. Thus, only four games have already eaten up half of your available storage. If you share your Switch 2 with your children or a family member, space becomes even more important. The internal storage will inevitably fill up as your gaming library grows.

In its initiative to modernize the Switch 2, Nintendo adopted the microSD Express standard, thereby becoming a pioneer in this area. As of the time of this publication, the Switch 2 is the only device to use microSD Express cards. Although the standard has been in place since 2019, it has not yet gained momentum, which has primarily led to the limited availability and high cost of microSD Express cards.

Best MicroSD Express Cards At A Glance

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Here's the shortlist of our recommendations and rankings, but we have a more detailed card-by-card breakdown and far more detailed in-depth performance benchmarks of these drives below. To find the best microSD Express cards for the Switch 2, we tested numerous cards of different capacities from various vendors.

Further below, we also have a hierarchy that ranks the microSD Express cards based on performance. Since it’s not possible to evaluate every card due to regional availability, we will continue testing and updating our recommendations as new cards become readily available for purchase in the U.S. market. We also have a detailed definition and explanation of the different speed classes across the various generations of the microSD specification.

Best 1TB MicroSD Express Card

The TeamGroup Apex SD7.1 1TB is a lightning-fast microSD Express card that unlocks the full potential of your Switch 2, ensuring smooth gameplay and rapid load times. Offering impressive speed at a more attractive price point than many competitors, it delivers outstanding value for your money. Priced at just $209.99 and widely available at major U.S. retailers, it comes with TeamGroup’s limited lifetime warranty that keeps your investment protected for years to come.

The Lexar Play Pro 1TB rivals the very fastest microSD Express cards in its class, delivering top-tier performance for demanding users. If you want uncompromising storage capacity and blazing speeds, this card is a standout. Widely available at major U.S. retailers, it provides unmatched convenience during your shopping. Plus, Lexar’s limited lifetime warranty means your investment is protected for the long haul, making it a smart and reliable choice for anyone seeking the best in high-capacity storage.

The Next 1TB stands out as one of the most affordable and fastest 1TB microSD Express cards available today, making high-speed storage accessible without breaking the bank. While it is currently exclusive to Best Buy and, like other budget options, comes with a standard one-year warranty, its unbeatable combination of price and performance makes it an exceptional choice for anyone seeking top value.

GameStop's 1TB microSD Express card delivers impressive speed and generous capacity, standing shoulder to shoulder with the leading brands—yet at a price that’s hard to beat. It brings high performance within reach for cost-conscious buyers. While it is sold exclusively at GameStop, making it harder to find outside the U.S., its outstanding value and competitive edge make the extra effort worthwhile. However, it only comes with a standard one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Best 512GB MicroSD Express Card

The Adata Premier Extreme 512GB stands out as the fastest 512GB microSD Express card we’ve ever tested, setting a new benchmark for speed and reliability. While its premium performance comes at $129.99, it delivers exceptional value for those who refuse to compromise on quality. If you’re seeking the absolute best in 512GB microSD storage, this card is the clear choice for unrivaled speed and top-tier capability.

While the GameStop 512GB microSD Express card may be marginally slower than a few higher-priced competitors, it still offers impressive speed and dependable performance for everyday use. Its affordability makes high-capacity storage accessible to more users, but its exclusive availability at GameStop is a downside. Even with a standard one-year warranty, this card stands out as a smart, budget-friendly pick for those seeking reliable storage without unnecessary expense.

Best 256GB MicroSD Express Card

The Sandisk 256GB microSD Express card sets the gold standard for its class, delivering blazing-fast speeds and unmatched reliability. While it commands a premium price at $71.99, this investment rewards you with superior performance and the ultimate peace of mind—a lifetime warranty. For those who want the very best in 256GB storage, Sandisk’s offering is the clear leader that justifies every penny.

While the Samsung P9 Express may not claim the top-speed crown, it excels as the smartest 256GB microSD Express card for value-driven Switch 2 users. It offers reliable performance at a wallet-friendly price, making it an ideal pick for those who want dependable storage without overspending. With a generous three-year warranty—two years longer than some competitors—you gain extra peace of mind, proving that great value and solid protection can go hand in hand.

Best 128GB MicroSD Express Card

The AGI TF338 is a mixed bag in terms of performance. While it may be harder to find and carries a premium price due to shipping from Amazon Japan, its limited five-year warranty far exceeds the standard coverage offered by competitors. If you spot this card at a discounted price in your region, it's worth considering.

MicroSD Express Card Hierarchy 2026

Our hierarchy showcases every microSD Express card rigorously tested in our lab, thoughtfully organized by capacity to help you find the perfect match. All results reflect real-world performance on the Switch 2, and we provide an overall throughput metric—the geometric mean of our comprehensive bandwidth tests—for a clear, apples-to-apples comparison. For deeper insights into each card’s strengths, explore our detailed performance charts below.

1TB MicroSD Express Cards

512GB MicroSD Express Cards

256GB MicroSD Express Cards

128GB MicroSD Express Cards

MicroSD Express Card Performance Charts

Nintendo Switch 2 Benchmarks

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PC Storage Benchmarks

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microSD Express Performance and Specifications

microSD Express Performance and Specifications

Nintendo's adoption of microSD Express cards for the Switch 2 is both a blessing and a curse. Nintendo has disabled the Switch 2 from playing games off a standard microSD card, thereby persuading gamers to pay the early adopter tax associated with new microSD Express cards if they want to play games. The new microSD Express format offers improved tangible performance compared to the regular microSD cards used in the original Switch.

The only way to expand the Switch 2's gaming storage is to buy into the microSD Express standard. The new cards have a similar resemblance to standard microSD cards. A simple way to tell them apart is to look for the 'EX' logo on the label of the microSD Express cards. If you're an experienced user, you can probably tell one card apart from the other because, although microSD Express cards have two rows of metal pins, like microSD UHS-II cards, the position and size of the pins on the second row differ.

You can still insert a standard microSD card into the Switch 2, and it'll work in a way. Usage is limited to screenshots, video playback, or file transfer, as the console doesn't allow gameplay from these media types. The funny thing is that MicroSD Express maintains backward compatibility with devices that lack support for this standard; it just defaults to UHS-I speeds in such cases. Consequently, the limitation observed in the Switch 2 is more attributable to Nintendo's design choices, potentially serving as a strategy to prevent any adverse impact on the device's reputation due to lower performance levels with standard microSD cards.

The original Switch utilizes microSD cards, specifically those that support the UHS-I interface. That's why even Nintendo advised Switch owners to select a microSD card with transfer speeds ranging from 60 to 95 MB/s (theoretical maximum for UHS-I is 104 MB/s); investing in higher standards, such as UHS-II or UHS-III, would be an unnecessary expenditure because the Switch couldn't tap into the higher transfer speeds. On the other hand, microSD Express cards offer significantly higher performance, resulting in reduced game loading and transfer times.

The Switch 2 uses microSD Express, which is based on the SD 7.1 specifications and theoretically achieves transfer speeds of up to 985 MB/s. This represents an approximately 9.5X increase over UHS-I cards. The enhanced performance is enabled by the current SD 7.1 revision's use of the PCIe 3.0 x1 interface, finally moving away from the antiquated SD bus. The standard will continue to improve, and once it leverages a faster interface, such as PCIe 4.0 x2, projected speeds could reach up to 3,938 MB/s. However, this is a topic for another time.

Like regular microSD cards, microSD Express cards also come with their own speed classes. These ratings are designated by the "E" prefix followed by a number, which represents the minimum sustained write speed. For example, a card marked with E150 guarantees 150 MB/s of sustained write performance. None of the brands, at least the ones we tested, labeled their microSD Express cards with the appropriate speed class ratings. However, our storage benchmarks include a sustained write test, and some of the cards comply with the E150 or E300 categories.

Despite their higher transfer speeds, microSD Express cards continue to fall short compared to the Switch 2's internal UFS 3.1 storage system. UFS 3.1 technology, primarily used in smartphones and tablets, achieves maximum sequential read and write speeds of up to 2,100 MB/s and 1,200 MB/s, respectively. Therefore, when performance is at stake, the most efficient method for loading games remains loading them from internal storage. But when you're out, that's when the best microSD Express cards become relevant.

Frequently Asked Questions: MicroSD Express Cards 2026

How We Test MicroSD Express Cards in 2026

We first test each card on the Switch 2, then move it to a PC test bed for further benchmarking. Although we charged the battery to 100% and had the Switch 2 connected to the wall, we used the device in handheld mode during our tests. We kept the firmware to version 20.5.0 to ensure consistency for all future evaluations. Should Nintendo release a subsequent update that improves transfer performance, we will retest each microSD Express card to incorporate the changes.

For the transfer tests, we used two games: Mario Kart World and Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We ran our benchmarks on versions 1.3.0 and 1.0.1 of the aforementioned titles, with sizes of 21.9 GB and 7.7 GB, respectively, for a total of 29.6 GB. We conducted each three times and picked the median result.

We employ a consistent PC test system for all benchmarking of our microSD Express cards. The specifications are in the table below. This system essentially serves as the test bed used in our RAM reviews. We apply our extensive SSD storage benchmarking suite to evaluate each microSD Express card. The evaluation encompasses trace tests, transfer rate tests, synthetic tests, and sustained write performance.

We have a consistent series of benchmarks, each executed multiple times. We utilize the highest result from each test. Windows 11 was held at version 24H2 to ensure consistent testing outcomes, as various security updates have influenced specific benchmarks over the years.

We utilize the Lexar microSDXC Express card reader (pictured above), available for $112 on Amazon, to interface our microSD Express cards with the system. The selection of the Lexar card reader was due to its active cooling design, incorporating a built-in fan to maintain optimal conditions for the microSD Express cards during rigorous testing. The reader connects to our system via a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.