Some of my go-to Switch 2 SD cards I've tested so far feature that lovely red and white Super Mario branding, but stock has started to dwindle. Both the Samsung and the SanDisk official Switch 2 cards are out of stock at retailers like Amazon right now, and I'm betting their $59.99 MSRPs are the reason why.
Typically, Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards like this non-licensed SanDisk 256GB microSD Express card are far pricier, but today it's down to $59.99 at Amazon. It's missing that lovely Super Mario aesthetic, but you aren't going to see that anyway once it's popped in the handheld, so it's not a huge loss - especially when this price is a huge win.
Should you buy a 256GB microSD Express card for your Switch 2?
I'm a firm believer in futureproofing every single console or handheld you have at your disposal, and the Nintendo Switch 2 is no different.
Grabbing a microSD Express card can futureproof your Switch 2, but if you don't have the financial means to splash on a card like this current $59.99 SanDisk model on Amazon, you can make do without one. The handheld comes with up to 256GB of onboard storage, which is enough to make space for the 22GB-sized copy of Mario Kart World that comes with the original Switch 2 console bundle, or the 7.7GB required to install the Switch 2 copy of Pokemon Legends Z-A that comes with the latest bundle.
However, having that extra space can help in the long run. The deeper we get into the Switch 2's lifespan, the more games will be released and therefore, the more space will be needed. Kirby Air Riders, which is set to launch on November 20, requires 25GB of space, which is a huge leap up from other Switch 2 games. It's very likely games are just going to get more storage demanding from there, and that's before you take into account the storage required for any screenshots and game captures.
Of course, if you like to keep your gaming expenses low, you can always resort to grabbing an older SD card instead. You cannot store or run Switch 2 games on these older cards, but you can use options that start from $26.99 at Amazon to store screenshots and even transfer them to your new Switch 2.
For storing and running actual Switch 2 games, I fully recommend grabbing at least a 256GB microSD Express card like this one from SanDisk, so long as your budget allows it. Even that 256GB might fill up fast, but at least it'll give you double the onboard storage of your handheld to last you until you're ready for a larger capacity card.
- View all microSD Express cards at Amazon
- SanDisk 256GB microSD Express Card |
$67.99$59.99 at Amazon - SanDisk 512GB microSD Express microSD Card | $119.99 at Amazon
Check out our guide to the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, which is full of not just top-tier microSD Express cards, but some of the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases and the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers we've tested so far.
