SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2: review
If you’re looking for one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards, then you can’t go wrong with the SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2.
This recent release from storage giant SanDisk is officially licensed by Nintendo, so you don’t need to worry about any potential compatibility issues. It also boasts an attractive Mario red design that helps it stand out compared to the numerous non-gaming options on the market.
It even comes in cheaper than some unlicensed alternatives like the PNY microSD Express Card – at least for the time being – so you’re not getting ripped off for wanting a Nintendo-approved model. The card performed well in benchmarks, achieving an average read speed of 894.4 MB/s and write speed of 674.1 MB/s and even beating the manufacturer’s own claimed figures (though this is likely just the result of different testing conditions).
It was actually the fastest read speed among the models that I tested for comparison, which included the aforementioned PNY alternative and the officially licensed Samsung microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2.
It also impresses in the real world. As you would expect, given those strong benchmark results, I never experienced any noticeable loading time slowdowns while playing fast-paced games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.
File transfer speeds on the console itself were good, too. My 60.5GB installation of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition was copied to the micro SD Express card in a total of 14 minutes and 25 seconds, then moved back to the internal storage in 12 minutes and 1 second. A smaller game, the brand new Pokémon Legends: Z-A, moved to the card from the internal storage in 1 minute 48 seconds, then back in 1 minute 16 seconds.
This is one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, and the only downside is your limited options when it comes to the card’s capacity. There’s just one 256GB model, which should be enough for most users, but not if you have a particularly large game collection. Hopefully, there will be some more variants on the way, but in the meantime, the great value Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card has you covered with its mega 1TB capacity.
SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2: Price and specs
|
Price |
$59.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.95 |
|
Capacity |
256GB |
|
Quoted read speed |
880 MB/s |
|
Quoted write speed |
650 MB/s |
|
Benchmarked read speed |
894.4 MB/s |
|
Benchmarked write speed |
674.1 MB/s |
Should I buy the SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2?
Buy it if…
You want a simple storage upgrade
The SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 is an easy choice. It’s officially licensed by Nintendo, so it will work perfectly with your console and doesn’t come in any more expensive than unlicensed options.
You need reliable performance
This model also performed well not only in my benchmark tests, but also in real-world use. Pick it up if you need a storage device you can rely on.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re after larger or smaller sizes
Sadly, this card only comes in one capacity: 256GB. If you need something bigger or even smaller for your game library, then you need to choose something else.
Also consider
Not keen on the SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2? Check out these worthy alternatives.
|
SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 |
Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card |
PNY microSD Express Card |
|
|
Price |
$59.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.95 |
$58.98 / £59.45 / AU$119.34 (256GB) |
$59.99 / £59.99 / around AU$100 (256GB) |
|
Capacity |
256GB |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
128GB / 256GB |
|
Quoted read speed |
880MB/s |
900MB/s |
890MB/s |
|
Quoted write speed |
650MB/s |
600MB/s |
550MB/s |
|
Benchmarked read speed |
894.4MB/s |
831.97MB/s |
893.74MB/s |
|
Benchmarked write speed |
674.1MB/s |
310.03MB/s |
713.42MB/s |
Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card
The Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card was the first 1TB microSD Express model on the market, and it remains the best choice if you want a high-capacity option that performs well on Nintendo Switch 2.
Stay tuned for our full Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card review
PNY microSD Express Card
The PNY microSD Express Card isn’t licensed by Nintendo, but still performs well. It also has a cheaper 128GB capacity, so it could be the better pick if you have a small game library and only need a modest storage boost.
Stay tuned for our full PNY microSD Express Card review
How I tested the SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2
- Tested against other microSD Express Cards
- Using a range of benchmarks
- Real-world use also evaluated
I reviewed the SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 alongside three other Nintendo Switch 2-compatible microSD Express models, including the Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card and PNY microSD Express Card, for the purposes of side-by-side comparison.
I tested the sequential read and write speed of each card using a standardised benchmark via CrystalDiskMark in its default flash memory settings. In order to facilitate this, I relied on the Lexar Play Pro MicroSD Express Card Reader, which features active cooling via a fan.
To see the real-world performance, I used each card with my personal Nintendo Switch 2 – playing a range of games and timing different file transfers on the system itself.
First reviewed October 2025
