Why the Nintendo Switch 2 needs a microSD Express card
The Nintendo Switch 2 has 256GB of storage, which may not be enough for large games. The console only works with microSD Express cards, and the old Switch card cannot store games.
The Nintendo Switch 2, the latest game console from Japanese company Nintendo, ships with 256GB of built-in storage, of which about 249GB is usable once system software is accounted for. Tech outlet Engadget explains why many players may want a microSD Express memory card and how to pick one.
Why space runs out
Games, updates and downloadable content keep growing. Some Switch 2 releases use Game-Key Cards, which require the game to be downloaded to the console rather than run from the cartridge. The source notes that physical copies of first-party games now cost more than digital ones.
Indie games are usually small, but big releases need a lot of room: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade takes 90.4GB, Assassin's Creed Shadows 69GB, and Resident Evil Requiem nearly 29GB. People who mostly play indie titles or a small handful of games may not need extra storage.
Choosing a capacity
The card size should match your library. Split Fiction, for example, takes 69.2GB, so it would fill more than half of a 128GB card by itself. A 256GB card is described as a good middle ground for most people. The console supports cards up to 2TB, but the largest currently on sale is 1TB. Expect to pay around $60 for 256GB and several hundred dollars for 1TB, as the RAM shortage is pushing prices up. Top cards from SanDisk, Lexar, Samsung and others differ very little in performance.
The old card won't work
A standard microSD card from the original Switch will not work in the Switch 2. Look for the word "Express" or the "EX" logo, and do not confuse it with SanDisk's "Extreme" branding. The old card can only be used to import screenshots and video clips into the Switch 2's internal memory.
Save data stays in the console's internal memory and cannot be copied to a card. Nintendo recommends using a single card, since software stored on several cards cannot later be combined on one. Data can be moved to a larger card, but Nintendo does not intend for users to swap cards regularly.
