If you have not picked up a microSD Express Card to your Nintendo Switch 2, you need to try the 512GB SanDisk Gameplay at Walmart. The SanDisk Gameplay has the identical specs because the $120 SanDisk card discovered at Amazon, Finest Purchase, and even Walmart. The important thing distinction between the 2 is worth: The SanDisk Gameplay 512GB microSD Express is simply $78.
The SanDisk Gameplay is just offered at Walmart. Resulting from its exclusivity and low worth, the cardboard has offered out quite a few occasions in current weeks. It is in inventory as of August 22. The SanDisk Gameplay is considered one of solely two 512GB microSD Express Playing cards priced below $100 proper now. The opposite one is from Walmart-owned funds tech model Onn. The 512GB Onn microSD Express is just $65.77. In case you do not suppose you want 512GB of additional storage, Onn’s 256GB mannequin is just $35.77, roughly $25 lower than the formally licensed Samsung 256GB microSD Express Card.
The Onn Express Playing cards usually promote out, however Walmart constantly replenishes its stock. Generally these playing cards are solely offered to prospects positioned in particular US areas, so availability close to you possibly can differ on a day-to-day foundation.
microSD Express Playing cards for Nintendo Switch 2
We rounded up each microSD Express at Walmart and Amazon that we may discover under. At this time, the one formally licensed choice is the 256GB Samsung microSD Express. SanDisk is making its personal Nintendo-themed version, however it’s nonetheless unknown when it’s going to arrive and if it’s going to transfer past. 256GB. The microSD Express market continues to be fairly small, however the Switch 2 is the primary main shopper machine to make use of the ultra-fast format. The variety of choices has doubled a number of occasions over since Nintendo introduced the Switch 2 requires microSD Express to increase storage.
microSD Express Playing cards at Walmart
microSD Express Playing cards at Amazon
Nintendo Switch 2 space for storing can disappear quick
The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 256GB onboard SSD. On the floor, this can be a large leap ahead, because it’s 4 occasions bigger than the Switch OLED (64GB) and eight occasions bigger than the unique Switch and Switch Lite (32GB). However the Switch 2’s potential to run extra graphically intensive video games additionally means bigger file sizes. For instance, the upcoming Switch 2 unique Kirby Air Riders is listed at 25GB, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Switch 2 edition is 20GB, and Mario Kart World is 22GB.
It can save you your space for storing for these first-party video games by grabbing bodily editions, as a result of Nintendo-published video games have the complete sport file on the cardboard. For third-party titles, outdoors of uncommon exceptions like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, bodily video games for Switch 2 are utilizing Recreation-Key Playing cards. These are low-capacity playing cards that primarily function unlock keys to obtain the sport from the eShop. So when you purchase the bodily version of Madden NFL 26, you will nonetheless have to obtain nearly all of the sport’s 55.3GB file from the eShop. A bunch of notable upcoming Switch 2 video games with Recreation-Key Card editions even have giant file sizes, together with Borderlands 4 (48.8GB), Persona 3 Reload (25.4GB), and Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero (25GB).
Due to Recreation-Key Playing cards and bigger file sizes for AAA video games, some Nintendo Switch 2 homeowners will run out of space for storing sooner than they did on the unique Switch.
microSD Express: What’s it?
The Express format is a current development within the semiconductor business that hasn’t been extensively adopted by producers simply but. In case you’re questioning why Express playing cards appear so costly in comparison with the UHS-I playing cards you used on the unique Switch console and most gadgets, all of it comes right down to speeds. For instance, the SanDisk Extremely 512GB microSD Card has as much as 150MB/s learn pace, and the SanDisk Gameplay 512GB Express Card has 880MB/s–it’s practically six occasions sooner. Express playing cards are markedly sooner than SATA SSDs; the costs make extra sense with this context.
You may take a more in-depth take a look at most of the microSD Express Playing cards from the lists within the gallery under.
$59 | Formally licensed
- Learn: 800MB/s
- Write: 400MB/s
Samsung’s formally licensed mannequin has a Mario purple coloration scheme and M brand. Unsurprisingly, it is by far the most well-liked microSD Express Card for Switch 2. Samsung and SanDisk are extensively thought-about the highest manufacturers for microSD playing cards. Since SanDisk’s Nintendo-licensed card is not out there but, Samsung is the one “official” choice.
At $60–or $59 at Walmart–the Samsung microSD Express is much extra moderately priced than the dear Nintendo-themed SanDisk cards for original Switch. If you opt for a 256GB Express, we’d go with this one or the Onn Express Card at Walmart–if it’s available in your region. The Walmart-branded card saves you about $25, and it technically has better specs.
We’ve included read/write speeds for each card on this list. Read speeds range between 800-900MB/s, but it’s unlikely you’d ever notice a difference between Samsung’s 800MB/s read speed and Lexar’s 900MB/s speed.
The Nintendo-licensed Samsung card has the slowest write speed on this list. At face value, this sounds bad, but really it signifies what’s important and what isn’t. If the officially licensed card can write 400MB/s, that means the Switch 2 doesn’t benefit from higher speeds.
While it won’t matter for Switch 2, if you think there’s a chance you’ll upgrade to a higher-capacity card and repurpose this one for a different Express-compatible device, write speeds could become more of a consideration. But to be clear, 400MB/s is still pretty fast.
$78 | Only at Walmart
- Read: 880MB/s
- Write: 650MB/s
- Sustained Write: 220MB/s
As mentioned, the SanDisk Gameplay 512GB microSD Express Card is currently only available at Walmart. It appears to be an exclusive card with small branding alterations. The regular SanDisk model has “microSD Express” written across its red stripe, whereas this one has “Gameplay” on the red stripe and “Express” below it on the right. Do this differences matter at all? Not in the slightest.
Here’s what matters: the SanDisk Gameplay is exactly the same as the regular 512GB model from a technical and performance perspective. And yet, you save around $40 by purchasing the Gameplay version.
The 512GB Gameplay is only six bucks more than the 256GB regular edition and less than $20 more than the 128GB model. The Gameplay edition is only available with 512GB.
If you go with SanDisk, the Gameplay is the obvious choice. In terms of 512GB microSD Express Cards, only Walmart’s Onn brand is cheaper, and that one isn’t always available in all regions and has slightly slower speeds.
256GB – $35.77 | 512GB – $65.77
- Read: 800MB/s
- Write: 600MB/s
Note on availability: These cards often sell out and are sometimes only available in certain regions across the US. If you want one, we’d recommend checking Walmart daily, because both models have sold out many times since the Switch 2’s launch.
The Walmart-owned tech brand Onn is known for its budget prices, and that remains true with its microSD Express Cards. The 256GB model is the cheapest microSD Express Card you can by today. The 512GB edition cost less than most 256GB Express cards from other brands.
If you’re thinking the prices are too good to be true, it’s worth noting that these cards are made by Lexar. The Onn cards have the same write speed as the Lexar Play Pro, but the Play Pro is 100MB/s faster for reading. That said, the 512GB Lexar costs close to double the price.
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.
Available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB
- 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 regular microSD Express Card is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models. All three capacities offer the same 880MB/s read speed, but, as noted above, there are differences in write and sustained write speeds.
At the moment, the prices for all three are pretty high compared to other cards on this list. Ironically, the main reason why these don’t offer solid value is because SanDisk’s 512GB Gameplay Express Card exists.
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.
SanDisk currently manufactures 128GB and 256GB models of its microSD Express Cards.
Available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB models
- Read: 900MB/s
- Write: 600MB/s
The Lexar Play Pro is the only microSD Express Card from a major brand that currently has a 1TB model. The 1TB Play Pro is sold out more often than not, and restocks for the $200 card go fast. We found a listing on Walmart for a 2TB Play Pro, so it will be interesting to see how much that one sells for.
128GB – $44.41 | 256GB – $53.32
- Learn: 890MB/s
- Write: 550MB/s
Standard funds tech model PNY has 128GB and 256GB microSD Express Playing cards. Each fashions are the most affordable of their respective capacities on Amazon.