Hot on the heels ofNintendo Switch 2 pre-ordersand thepotentially wallet-straining news that the new handheld is switching to microSD Express storagetechnology, PNY has unveiled its new microSD Express Flash Memory Cards.
PNY says that its new cards are capable of up to 890MB/s read speeds and up to 750MB/s write speeds, 4.4 times faster than standard UHS-I microSD cards.
It features PCIe Gen3x1 microSD technology, which should, in theory, reduce load times of your favorite Nintendo Switch 2 games and even improve performance.
The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with 256GB of onboard storage as standard, so if you want any more, you’ll need toinvest in a microSD Expresscard like this one.
PNY says its microSD Express Cards maintain backwards compatibility with USH-I and USH-II host devices at their respective speeds.
They also come with unique heat dissipation technology and built-in microSD thermal monitoring PNY claims adjusts to optimize temperature and keep things running smoothly.
PNY’s microSD Express cards are also rated as magnet proof, shock proof, temperature proof, waterproof, drop proof, X-Ray proof, humidity proof, and wear-out proof. They also come with a lifetime warranty.
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128GB-256GB
microSDXC
Speed class
App performance
Read performance
Up to 890MB/s
Write speed
Up to 750MB/s
mnicroSD Express including Nintendo Switch 2
Backwards compatibility
microSD UHS-I and UHS-II devices
Available now atPNY.comorAmazon.com, the PNY microSD Express Flash Memory Cards are priced at $44.99 for the 128GB model and $55.99 for the 256GB model. That’s cheaper than the licensed Nintendo Samsung microSD Express card and offerings from SanDisk at the same capacity.
The switch to microSD Express is just one of a number of ways in which the Switch 2 is a much more expensive proposition compared to its predecessor. The overall console retails at $449.99, and while the console itself hasn’t seen any tariff-induced price increases, Joy-Con 2 controllers, the Pro Controller, Switch 2 camera, dock set, wheel set, and charging grips are all more expensive than initially planned.
Likewise, big titles like Mario Kart World cost $80.Nintendo Switch 2’s official specsconfirm its GPU is a custom Nvidia SoC (Ampere-based) with 12GB of memory. As such, you’re able to expect performance similar to that of the old RTX 2050.
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Stephen is Tom’s Hardware’s News Editor with almost a decade of industry experience covering technology, having worked at TechRadar, iMore, and even Apple over the years. He has covered the world of consumer tech from nearly every angle, including supply chain rumors, patents, and litigation, and more. When he’s not at work, he loves reading about history and playing video games.
