Nintendo Change 2 homeowners who have not picked up a microSD Categorical Card nonetheless have an opportunity to double their console’s storage capability for reasonable. As of December 31, Amazon’s unbelievable deal on the SanDisk P9 256GB microSD Express continues to be out there. Usually $55, the SanDisk P9 256GB is on sale for less than $33. This deal has been out there for about two weeks, so it most likely will not be lively for for much longer. The $33 value is an all-time low for a microSD Categorical Card from any model. The 512GB edition, sadly, is promoting for its full $100 value.
Amazon can also be nonetheless promoting the Lexar Play Pro 1TB microSD Express, the preferred 1TB card in the marketplace, for $186 (was $220). For a 512GB card from Amazon, the Lexar Play Pro and Samsung P9 are your finest bets at $100. Take a deeper dive into the world of microSD Categorical Playing cards for Nintendo Change 2 under.
Finest microSD Categorical Playing cards at Amazon
The one formally licensed microSD Categorical is Samsung’s Super Mario-themed 256GB model for $59 (was $60). Samsung launched the P9 microSD Categorical in November, and whereas it is not formally licensed by Nintendo, you will not discover a distinction between the two–and it can save you a bunch of money for the time being.
Under, we have listed every microSD Express Card from a reputable brand we might discover on Amazon–though we excluded playing cards with costs which can be considerably larger than common. The Change 2 is the primary main shopper gadget to make use of the ultra-fast storage format, so the market is understandably restricted. That mentioned, the variety of choices has doubled a number of instances over since Nintendo introduced the Change 2 requires microSD Categorical to increase storage
Finest microSD Categorical Playing cards at Walmart
Walmart has a smaller choice, however it has three unique microSD Categorical Playing cards that you need to learn about, too. The retailer’s in-house tech model normally affords probably the most inexpensive 256GB and 512GB playing cards. The Onn 512GB microSD Categorical is at present going for $84.77, whereas the 256GB mannequin is simply $46.77. With the Samsung P9 256GB and Silicon Energy 512GB offers, Onn playing cards are a bit pricier as of December 15. It is also value noting that the Walmart-exclusive SanDisk GamePlay 512GB microSD Categorical is now solely $2 cheaper than the common mannequin that is offered in any respect retailers (together with Walmart).
Nintendo Change 2 cupboard space can disappear quick
The Nintendo Change 2 has 256GB of onboard storage. On the floor, this can be a massive leap ahead, because it’s 4 instances bigger than the Change OLED (64GB) and eight instances bigger than the unique Change and Change Lite (32GB). However the Change 2’s potential to run extra graphically intensive video games additionally means bigger file sizes. For context, listed here are file sizes for some Change 2 video games revealed by Nintendo: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (43.5GB), Metroid Prime 4: Past (27,7GB), Kirby Air Riders (21.8GB), Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (20.1GB), Mario Kart World (21.9GB), Pokemon Legends: Z-A (11.3GB), Donkey Kong Bananza (8.9GB), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (10.8GB).
It can save you your cupboard space for these first-party video games by grabbing bodily editions, as a result of the entire titles listed above have the total information file on the cardboard. That is been the case for each Nintendo-published recreation on Change 2 up to now, however Pokemon Pokopia might be a Sport-Key Card with a 10GB obtain. It is too early to know if Pokopia might be anomaly for Nintendo, or if it is the start of a pattern. For third-party titles, outdoors of uncommon exceptions like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Change 2 bodily editions include Sport-Key Playing cards. These are low-capacity playing cards that primarily function unlock keys to obtain the sport from the eShop. So should you purchase the bodily version of Madden NFL 26, you will nonetheless have to obtain the the sport’s 57.1GB file from the eShop. Different sports activities video games are even bigger: NBA 2K26 is 69.7GB and EA Sports FC 26 is 71.6GB. Outdoors of sports activities: Persona 3 Reload is 21.7GB, and Star Wars Outlaws is nineteen.4GB.
Wanting forward: Remaining Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is at present anticipated to have an 87.9GB obtain on Change 2, in order that recreation alone will devour an infinite chunk of cupboard space when it launches January 22. In the meantime, Monster Hunter Tales 3: Twisted Reflection and Resident Evil Requiem are each estimated at just below 30GB.
The prevalence of Sport-Key Playing cards and bigger file sizes for AAA video games generally will doubtless trigger many Change 2 homeowners to expire of cupboard space even quicker than they did on the unique Change.
microSD Categorical: What’s it?
The Categorical format is a latest development within the semiconductor business that hasn’t been extensively adopted by producers simply but. When you’re questioning why Categorical playing cards appear so costly in comparison with the UHS-I playing cards you used on the unique Change console and most gadgets, all of it comes right down to speeds. For instance, the SanDisk Ultra 512GB microSD Card is $40 and reaches 150MB/s learn speeds, whereas the SanDisk 512GB Express Card is $100 with 880MB/s learn speeds. The Categorical prices 2.5 instances the worth of the Extremely, however it’s almost six instances quicker. The costs make extra sense when you think about this context. These new playing cards are markedly quicker than SATA SSDs. You’ll be able to take a more in-depth have a look at lots of the microSD Categorical Playing cards from the lists within the gallery under.
$59
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 400MB/s
Samsung’s officially licensed model has a Mario red color scheme and M logo. Unsurprisingly, it’s by far the most popular microSD Express Card for Switch 2. Samsung and SanDisk are widely considered the top brands for microSD cards. Since SanDisk’s Nintendo-licensed card isn’t available yet, Samsung is the only “official” option.
At $60, the Samsung microSD Express is far more reasonably priced than the pricey Nintendo-themed SanDisk cards for authentic Change.
We have included learn/write speeds for every card on this listing. Learn speeds vary between 800-900MB/s, however it’s extremely unlikely you’d ever discover a distinction between Samsung’s 800MB/s learn velocity and Lexar’s 900MB/s velocity.
The Nintendo-licensed Samsung card has one of many slowest write speeds on this listing. At face worth, this sounds dangerous, however actually it signifies what’s necessary and what is not. If the formally licensed card writes 400MB/s, that doubtless means the Change 2 does not profit from larger speeds.
256GB / 512GB
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 330MB/s
Samsung’s P9 microSD Express Card is available in 256GB and 512GB capacities. The 512GB model normally retails for $100, which is less than many competitors. The 256GB edition is normally $5 less than Samsung’s officially licensed card for Switch 2. The P9 matches the official card’s 800MB/s read speed, but the max write speed is 330MB/s, making it a bit slower than the Mario-themed card.
1TB / 512GB / 256GB
- Learn: 900MB/s
- Write: 600MB/s
The Lexar Play Professional is the preferred and best-performing 1TB card in the marketplace. It often sells for $200-$220. In contrast to most playing cards on this roundup, the Play Professional was out there earlier than the Change 2 console launch. If you wish to add 1TB to your Change 2, the Lexar Play Professional is the go-to possibility.
512GB / 256GB – Walmart Exclusive
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 600MB/s
The Walmart-owned tech brand Onn is known for its budget prices, and that remains true with its microSD Express Cards. It was especially true the first few months after the Switch 2’s launch, as Walmart sold the 256GB card for $35.77 and the 512GB model for $65.77.
The prices increased a few months ago, but $46.77 is still the lowest MSRP in the 256GB category. Even with a $19 price hike to $84.77, the 512GB Onn card is often cheaper than the competition.
Anecdotally, I’ve been using the 512GB model since launch day and haven’t experienced any issues.
Walmart says the cards are “water, shock, temperature, and magnet proof.” Your purchase includes a one-year limited warranty.
$98 | Walmart Exclusive
- Read: 880MB/s
- Write: 650MB/s
- Sustained Write: 220MB/s
In addition to offering microSD Express Cards from its own tech brand, Walmart is the only retailer selling the SanDisk Gameplay microSD Express. If you bought one of these 512GB cards from Walmart while they were being sold for $78, you secured quite the deal.
The SanDisk Gameplay is identical to SanDisk’s regular microSD Express from a technical and performance perspective. They were anything but identical when it came to price. The SanDisk Gameplay’s original $78 price was $42 lower than the SanDisk 512GB microSD Express at one point.
But just like it did with its Onn-branded cards, Walmart raised the price to $98 a few months after launch. In November, SanDisk lowered the price of the regular cards, effectively eliminating the difference between the two.
512GB / 256GB / 128GB
- 128GB
- Read: 880MB/s
- Write: 480MB/s
- Sustained Write: 100MB/s
- 256GB
- Read: 880MB/s
- Write: 650MB/s
- Sustained Write: 210MB/s
- 512GB
- Read: 880MB/s
- Write: 650MB/s
- Sustained Write: 220MB/s
SanDisk’s microSD Express Card is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models. All three capacities offer 880MB/s read speed, but, as shown above, write and sustained write speeds are markedly different when moving from 128GB to 256GB. The 512GB edition is benchmarked for slightly faster sustained write speeds.
The price difference between the SanDisk GamePlay and the regular model that’s sold at Amazon and other major retailers is now only a few bucks. After selling for $120 for months, Amazon’s store page now says the list price is $105.
The 256GB category is crowded with good choices to strongly recommend paying full price for it–especially when the officially licensed Samsung card exists. The 128GB model retails for $60, and there’s no reason to pay more for less storage.
SanDisk will be releasing a Nintendo-licensed microSD Express Card with a Mario red color scheme and logo, but a release date still hasn’t been revealed. We do know that the licensed edition is the same card with a different look–just like the SanDisk Gameplay situation.
1TB / 512GB / 256GB / 128GB
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 500MB/s
TeamGroup is a well-regarded budget manufacturer of microSD cards. The Apex is TeamGroup’s first card with Express tech. TeamGroup’s prices are often noticeably lower than competitors, but often times that hasn’t been the case for the Apex.
512GB / 256GB / 128GB
- Learn: 890MB/s
- Write: 550MB/s
Well-liked finances tech model PNY has 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB microSD Categorical Playing cards. Costs for these playing cards are likely to fluctuate incessantly.
1TB / 512GB / 256GB – Best Buy Exclusive | Black Friday Deal
- Read: 880MB/s
- Write: 650MB/s
Available exclusively at Best Buy, the NEXT microSD Express only has a few customer reviews so far, but the specs are impressive, and the company’s other budget-friendly gaming accessories are typically pretty good.
It’d be easy to compare NEXT to the Walmart-owned Onn brand, but while the company does maintain an exclusive retail partnership with Best Buy, NEXT is independently owned.
NEXT microSD Express is rated at 880MB/s read speed and 650MB/s write. The product description notes that the card is “water, shock, temperature, and magnet proof.”
The 256GB and 512GB cards have the same retail prices as the Samsung P9. The read/write speeds are faster than the P9, but as mentioned, it’s unlikely you’d notice a difference if the card is being used with the Switch 2.
The $190 MSRP for the 1TB model matches the price of the GameStop-branded edition (highlighted below). If you’re spending that much on a storage upgrade, it makes more sense to go with an established brand like Lexar.
256GB / 512GB / 1TB
- Learn: 880MB/s
- Write: 700MB/s
Silicon Energy has been a preferred finances model for microSD playing cards for Change for years, and now it has joined the Change 2 storage market with 512GB and 1TB microSD Categorical Playing cards. Sadly, Silicon Energy has repeatedly altered the listing value for these playing cards over the previous few weeks. To make the state of affairs much more complicated, you’ll be able to normally discover a coupon deal on the listings, however since it is a mounted share off as a substitute of a set greenback quantity, the costs are much more unstable.
1TB / 512GB / 256GB
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 700MB/s
GameStop sells branded microSD Express Cards, too. It’s unknown which manufacturer makes the card, but customer reviews are positive.
Similar to the NEXT brand at Best Buy, it doesn’t make much sense to get the 256GB or 512GB model when you can get one from a known brand for the same price or less.
As mentioned above, GameStop’s 1TB card is tied for the lowest MSRP we’ve seen. Still, if you’re going to spend this much cash on a microSD Express, snagging the Lexar Play Pro 1TB seems like the better move–unless you get a great deal on the GameStop edition.
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