Lexar's PLAY PRO is world's first 1TB microSD Express card for the Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2, like the original, will support microSD cards for storage expansion. However, due to the boost in internal storage and Game Card speeds, microSD cards compatible with the original Nintendo Switch will not work with Switch 2. This is because you'll need one of the new microSD Express cards that supports faster transfer speeds.

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During its big Switch 2 presentation, Nintendo confirmed that faster internal and external storage will dramatically improve load times. At the same time, the more rapid transfer speeds will also be critical for streaming things like texture data and other elements when gaming in 4K 60 Hz or 1080p 120 Hz modes.

If this is the first time you've heard of microSD Express cards, you're not alone, as they aren't as widely available as the most standard options compatible with the original Switch. However, if you plan on picking up a Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5 and want more storage, check out the Lexar PLAY PRO microSDXC Express Card - which offers up to 1TB of additional capacity for games.

With up to 900 MB/sec read and 600 MB/sec write speeds, this is the world's first 1TB microSD Express card. MicroSD Express cards are up to four times faster than standard microSD options and are built on the new SD card standard that uses a combination of PCI Express 3.0 and NVMe 1.3 interfaces. Lexar describes it as perfect for gaming handhelds like the Nintendo Switch 2, with the additional speed tailor-made for AAA games with larger install sizes.

The 1TB variant is expensive, with an MSRP of $199.99 USD. Thankfully, the Lexar PLAY PRO microSDXC Express Card is also available in 512GB for $99.99 and 256GB for $49.99. All come with a limited lifetime warranty, which is excellent.

The Switch 2 requiring a newer version of something that already exists is reminiscent of the PlayStation 5's launch. The high prices of the then relatively new PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSDs - especially ones with 1TB capacity - made expanding the PS5's storage costly. Like Gen 4 SSDs, it'll probably take a while for microSD Express prices to come down. The good news is that the Nintendo Switch 2 is a highly anticipated piece of hardware and will help push more companies to release additional microSD Express card options in the coming months.