Do you need microSD Express?

Does the Switch 2 need a microSD Express card?

Only for storage beyond its built-in 256 GB: Nintendo UK states that the Nintendo Switch 2 card slot is compatible with microSD Express cards only, up to 2 TB. Buyers of physical Nintendo games can wait, but three large third-party downloads can fill the internal storage on their own, so digital buyers need a card early.

The cheapest card per gigabyte is the SanDisk microSD Express 256GB at £49.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). The rest of the kit is ranked in Best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories UK.

Does an old microSD card work in the Switch 2?

No, not for games. Nintendo UK states that microSD cards that are not of the microSD Express standard can only be used on the Nintendo Switch 2 to copy screenshots and videos from a Nintendo Switch. The UHS-I cards sold for the original Switch cannot hold Switch 2 games, updates or downloadable content.

microSD Express cards look the same but use a PCIe NVMe connection; Samsung lists PCIe Gen 3 x1 and NVMe 1.3 for its P9 Express. Nintendo also requires a system update over the internet before the Switch 2 can use one. Original Switch owners upgrading should read Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth it? first.

How big are Switch 2 games?

Nintendo's own Switch 2 games run from 6.0 GB to 22.2 GB, while big third-party ports run from 41.0 GB to 91.5 GB, according to their Nintendo eShop UK listings. Compare Electronic set each download size against the console's 256 GB.

The three largest, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and EA Sports FC 27, total 257.4 GB, more than the whole internal drive before the space Nintendo reserves for the system. Six Nintendo games from the table, Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, Tears of the Kingdom, Donkey Kong Bananza and both Pokémon titles, total 85.9 GB and fit with room to spare.

Format matters as much as size. A full physical game card runs from the card, while Game-Key Cards such as Pokémon Pokopia download the game to storage like a digital copy. PS5 owners face the same maths; see How much storage does a PS5 need?.

Patches and downloadable content add to every total, including for games bought on full game cards, so a physical library still uses internal space over time. The best of these games, from Mario Kart World to Cyberpunk 2077, are ranked in Best Switch 2 games UK 2026.

How much does microSD Express storage cost per GB?

The SanDisk microSD Express 256GB is the cheapest card per gigabyte at 19.5p on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), and 256 GB is the cheapest size across all three brands. Larger cards cost more per gigabyte, not less, and the 128 GB SanDisk card costs £4.00 more than the 256 GB one.

The last column counts how many 60.6 GB Cyberpunk 2077 installs fit on each card. Two SanDisk 256GB cards cost £99.98 for 512 GB, £13.91 less than one SanDisk 512GB card, at the cost of swapping cards. Warranties differ: SanDisk and Lexar give limited lifetime warranties, Samsung a limited 3-year warranty.

Nintendo supports cards up to 2 TB, so the 1 TB Lexar PLAY PRO is not the ceiling, but at £270.99 it is also the dearest per gigabyte of the eight, at 27.1p. A buyer who finishes games can stretch a 256 GB card further by deleting finished titles and downloading them again from the Nintendo eShop later, at the cost of the download time.

Which microSD Express card should a Switch 2 owner buy?

The SanDisk microSD Express 256GB is the pick, at £49.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). It is the cheapest card per gigabyte checked, SanDisk rates it at up to 880 MB/s read and 650 MB/s write, and it doubles the storage of a Nintendo Switch 2.

The Samsung P9 Express 256GB costs £3.00 more with a shorter 3-year warranty, and the Lexar PLAY PRO 256GB costs £10.00 more for the highest rated read speed. None of the three changes how many games fit, so the price per gigabyte decides.

Three alternatives cover other brands and sizes, at Amazon UK prices on 6 October 2026.

Verdict

A Switch 2 needs a microSD Express card only once its 256 GB fills, and large third-party games fill it fast; old microSD cards cannot store Switch 2 games. The SanDisk microSD Express 256GB at £49.99 is the cheapest per gigabyte. The rest of the kit is in Best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories UK.