The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has brought a massive leap in gaming power, but it has also changed the way we think about storage. If you’re looking to expand your library, the “standard” microSD cards we’ve used for years won’t cut it for the latest AAA titles.
With the Switch 2 console came a change in the optional storage medium, moving to the microSDXC Express card format.
How is this new storage format different?
For the first time in handheld gaming, we are seeing PCIe Gen 3×1 and NVMe technology shrunk down into a microSD form factor. In plain English: your memory card now performs like a high-end computer SSD.
While the original Switch was capped at around 100 MB/s, the Switch 2 is designed to utilize speeds nearly 8x faster. This isn’t just about faster menus; it’s about eliminating the “loading screen” almost entirely and allowing developers to stream high-resolution textures in real-time without lag.
Nintendo partnered with reputable brand Sandisk to release Nintendo branded microSDXC cards, however the storage capacity of these is capped at 256GB. So what if you want to go bigger?
Silicon Power Hypera: A High-Performance Contender
New release Hypera microSDXC Express card from Silion Power offers:
-
Blazing Speeds: Up to 880 MB/s read and 700 MB/s write, ensuring your digital downloads and game launches are nearly instantaneous. The Nintendo branded card has a slighly slower read speed.
-
Massive Capacity: Available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options, giving you plenty of room for those massive “next-gen” installs.
-
Content Ready: With V30 video support, it’s a great option for those who use the Switch 2’s improved capture features to record 4K gameplay.
One Card, Two Generations
A major advantage of the Hypera (and microSD Express cards in general) is backwards compatibility. If you still have a library of games on your original Switch or Switch OLED, this card will still work. It will simply run at the maximum speed the older console allows (UHS-I), while staying ready to “unleash” its full speed the moment you pop it into your Switch 2.
