After the curtain lifted on the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, we got a sneak peek at some of its technical specifications. The buzz is centered on the console’s new storage requirement – a move away from the standard MicroSD cards towards the more advanced MicroSD Express. Brace yourself, because this upgrade comes with a hefty price tag. If you’re hoping for a bargain, you might be taken aback, as these cards are actually more expensive per gigabyte than many modern solid-state drives (SSDs). Current estimates place MicroSD Express cards at an eyebrow-raising 20 to 25 cents per gigabyte, a stark contrast to the more economical 5 to 6 cents per gigabyte often seen with budget SSDs. This price hike is largely due to the integration of NVMe and PCIe 3.0 technologies, which are standard in M.2 SSDs but relatively novel for MicroSD cards.
Sandisk, for instance, has pitched its MicroSD Express cards at $49.99 for 128GB and $64.99 for 256GB, offering impressive speeds of up to 880 MB/s read, 480 MB/s write, and 100 MB/s sustained write.
Lexar, not one to be left behind, is rolling out capacities as large as 1TB. But prepare for sticker shock, as the price points for this new standard aren’t for the faint-hearted.
Take Lexar’s Play Pro 1TB MicroSD Express card, for example. It will set buyers back an eye-watering $199.99, with the 512GB and 256GB models priced at $99.99 and $49.99 respectively. Lexar claims these cards can reach speeds of up to 900 MB/s read and 600 MB/s write.
When it comes to cost per gigabyte, Sandisk’s 128GB model stands at $0.39 while the 256GB variation ends up around $0.25. Lexar, however, has evened the playing field with all of its offerings priced at a flat rate of $0.20 per gigabyte, all while boasting superior specifications.
Now, why does this storage component matter so much for the Switch 2? Let’s delve into that.
Nintendo plans to ship the new Switch 2 with a standard 256GB of storage, but here’s the twist – owning physical game cartridges might not cut it. To play some games, you might find yourself downloading the entire title onto the console, with the cartridge merely acting as a ‘Game-Key Card,’ essentially a physical licence key. This shift is perhaps born out of a need to curb cartridge production costs, especially given the anticipated spike in NAND storage prices.
Consider this scenario: you snag a Street Fighter 6 cartridge, only to discover you need to sieve through an additional 50GB for installation. Those 256GB are going to evaporate quickly. Thus, owning a Switch 2 might come with unexpected expenses, as you’ll likely need the pricier MicroSD cards for extra storage unless you prefer the headache of constantly managing game downloads and storage whenever you slot in a new cartridge.
Understanding the MicroSD Express standard becomes crucial for potential Switch 2 owners. At a glance, these cards might resemble standard MicroSDs, but they represent a significant leap from the UHS-I standard used by the original Nintendo Switch. The SD Association has introduced different speed tiers for MicroSD Express: Class 150, 300, 450, and 600, each indicating the minimum read/write speeds in megabytes per second. These new cards include 16 or 17 pins, substantially more than the eight on older cards, and they are built around NVMe and PCIe 3.0 interfaces, achieving potential speeds up to 2GB/s with PCIe 4.0.
While the theoretical capabilities are enticing, it’s still unclear whether the Switch 2 will hit these speeds. No current MicroSD Express card has reached the theoretical maximums either. “The new microSD Express standard gives us the ability to deliver an unrivaled performance in a compact form,” remarked Joey Lopez, Lexar’s Director of Brand Marketing. “We’re thrilled to offer our customers a card that harnesses this new standard, readying gamers for the handheld gaming future.”
At present, Lexar’s Play Pro MicroSDXC Express is the fastest announced card, yet its real-world performance is something we’ll only fully appreciate when it’s tested alongside the Switch 2 upon release. Until then, stay tuned for more hands-on experiences with Nintendo’s latest innovation.
