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Buying guide

Best microSD Express Cards

The Switch 2 only runs games from microSD Express cards. Prices have dropped a lot, and 256GB now starts around $55.

By PickedTech Editorial TeamLast updated Prices & specs checked Oct 2026

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Quick answer

The Switch 2 only runs games from microSD Express cards. Prices have dropped a lot, and 256GB now starts around $55. Best budget 256GB: Samsung P9 microSD Express, $54.99. Best 512GB value: PNY microSD Express Card, $99.00. Best 1TB: TeamGroup Apex SD7.1 microSD Express, $209.99.

Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026

Key facts at a glance

Key facts (prices checked Oct 2026)
PickProductBest forPrice
Best budget 256GBSamsung P9 microSD Expressthe cheapest 256GB$54.99 (256GB)
Best 512GB valuePNY microSD Express Card512GB on a budget$99.00 (512GB)
Best 1TBTeamGroup Apex SD7.1 microSD Express1TB$209.99 (1TB)

microSD Express cards use a PCIe interface to reach about 800–900 MB/s reads, several times faster than regular UHS-I cards. For regular cards for cameras and drones, see best microSD cards for Switch 2 and action cameras.

Which should you buy? Our quick picks

$54.99 (Tom’s Hardware)
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Best 512GB value
PNY microSD Express Card
$99.00 for 512GB; lifetime warranty
Check price (opens in a new tab)
$209.99; lifetime warranty
Check price (opens in a new tab)

How do they compare?

Rated speeds, warranty and prices (Tom’s Hardware; Oct 2026)
CardPriceCapacityRead / writeWarrantyBest for
Samsung P9 Express$54.99256GB800 MB/s read3 yearsThe cheapest 256GB
SanDisk microSD Express$71.99 / $149.99256GB / 512GB880 / 650 MB/sLifetimeA well-known brand
ADATA Premier Extreme$79.36 / $129.99256GB / 512GB800 / 700 MB/sLifetimeTop 256GB and 512GB performance
PNY microSD Express$99.00512GB890 / 810 MB/sLifetime512GB on a budget
TeamGroup Apex SD7.1$209.991TB800 / 700 MB/sLifetime1TB
Lexar Play Pro$219.991TB900 / 600 MB/sLifetimeFastest rated reads at 1TB

The picks in detail

Best budget 256GB

1. Samsung P9 microSD Express

Best for: the cheapest 256GB

Tom’s Hardware’s[1] budget 256GB pick, rated at 800 MB/s reads and listed at $54.99. It has a 3-year warranty, shorter than most rivals here.

Price (Oct 2026): $54.99 (256GB) Source

Pros

  • Low price
  • Widely available

Cons

  • 3-year warranty
Check Samsung P9 microSD Express price (opens in a new tab)
Best for a well-known brand

2. SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2

Best for: a well-known brand

SanDisk’s card is rated at 880 MB/s reads and 650 MB/s writes, with a lifetime warranty. Tom’s Hardware[1] lists it at $71.99 for 256GB and $149.99 for 512GB.

Price (Oct 2026): $71.99 (256GB); $149.99 (512GB) Source

Pros

  • Fast reads
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Pricier than PNY at 512GB
Check SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 price (opens in a new tab)
Best for top 256GB and 512GB performance

3. ADATA Premier Extreme microSD Express

Best for: top 256GB and 512GB performance

Tom’s Hardware’s[1] top pick at both 256GB and 512GB, calling the 512GB model the fastest it has tested at that size. Rated at 800/700 MB/s, with a lifetime warranty.

Price (Oct 2026): $79.36 (256GB); $129.99 (512GB) Source

Pros

  • Tom’s Hardware’s top pick
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Costs more than budget cards
Check ADATA Premier Extreme microSD Express price (opens in a new tab)
Best 512GB value

4. PNY microSD Express Card

Best for: 512GB on a budget

Tom’s Hardware’s[1] budget 512GB pick, rated at 890 MB/s reads and 810 MB/s writes, with a lifetime warranty, for $99.00.

Price (Oct 2026): $99.00 (512GB) Source

Pros

  • Cheapest 512GB here
  • Fast rated writes

Cons

  • Brand less familiar to some buyers
Check PNY microSD Express Card price (opens in a new tab)
Best 1TB

5. TeamGroup Apex SD7.1 microSD Express

Best for: 1TB

Tom’s Hardware’s[1] top 1TB card: rated at 800/700 MB/s and backed by a lifetime warranty, for $209.99.

Price (Oct 2026): $209.99 (1TB) Source

Pros

  • Lots of space for big games
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Still a big outlay
Check TeamGroup Apex SD7.1 microSD Express price (opens in a new tab)
Best for fastest rated reads at 1TB

6. Lexar Play Pro microSD Express

Best for: fastest rated reads at 1TB

Lexar’s Play Pro is rated at 900 MB/s reads and 600 MB/s writes. Tom’s Hardware[1] names the 1TB version its alternative 1TB pick at $219.99. TechRadar[3] has a full review.

Price (Oct 2026): $219.99 (1TB) Source

Pros

  • 900 MB/s rated reads
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Slower rated writes
Check Lexar Play Pro microSD Express price (opens in a new tab)

Also considered

Tom’s Hardware[1] also lists GameStop’s own-brand cards ($54.99 for 256GB, $99.99 for 512GB, $189.99 for 1TB) with one-year warranties.

Switch 2 rules

Nintendo says the Switch 2 only accepts microSD Express cards for games, up to 2TB. Regular microSD cards can only be used to copy screenshots and videos. Check for the “EX” logo on the card.

What size to buy

Big Switch 2 games can take tens of gigabytes. 256GB suits a handful of games; 512GB is the best value per gigabyte in our list right now. If you also want fast storage for a laptop, see best portable SSDs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a regular microSD card in the Switch 2?
Only to copy screenshots and videos, per Nintendo. Games need a microSD Express card.
Why are microSD Express cards faster?
They use a PCIe interface. Tom’s Hardware[1] lists a 985 MB/s maximum for the SD 7.x Express standard, versus 104 MB/s for UHS-I.
What’s the largest card the Switch 2 supports?
Nintendo says up to 2TB.

Sources

Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.

  1. Tom’s Hardware: best microSD Express cards for Switch 2 (tomshardware.com)
  2. Nintendo: microSD Express card FAQ (en-americas-support.nintendo.com)
  3. TechRadar: Lexar Play Pro review (techradar.com)
  4. 1ME: SD Express price tracker (1me.com)
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