Lexar 512GB And 1TB MicroSD Express For Switch 2 Get Massive Discounts

• Read: 800MB/s
• Write: 400MB/s

Samsung’s officially licensed model has a Mario red color scheme and M logo. Unsurprisingly, it’s by far the most popular microSD Express Card for Switch 2. Samsung and SanDisk are widely considered the top brands for microSD cards. Since SanDisk’s Nintendo-licensed card isn’t available yet, Samsung is the only “official” option.

At $60–or $59 at Amazon and Walmart–the Samsung microSD Express is far more reasonably priced than the pricey 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.

• Read: 900MB/s
• Write: 600MB/s

The Lexar Play Pro is the only microSD Express Card from a major brand with a 1TB model. The 1TB Play Pro is sold out more often than not, and restocks for the pricey card tend to sell out fast.

• Read: 800MB/s
• Write: 600MB/s

Note on availability and prices: 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. Walmart previously sold these 256GB and 512GB cards for $35.77 and $65.77, respectively.

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, even with Walmart’s price increases.

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.

• Read: 880MB/s
• Write: 650MB/s
• Sustained Write: 220MB/s

Note on price and availability: Walmart is sold out of this card as of October 9, and the listing now shows $98.

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.

• 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.

• Read: 800MB/s
• Write: 500MB/s

TeamGroup is a well-regarded budget manufacturer of microSD cards. The Apex is TeamGroup’s first card with Express tech.

TeamGroup’s prices are often noticeably lower than competitors. For example, TeamGroup’s A2 Pro Plus 1TB microSD card regularly sells for around $60. To be clear, the A2 Pro does not work on Switch 2–though it is a solid option for the original Switch and Steam Deck.

• Read: 800MB/s
• Write: Unavailable

GameStop sells branded microSD Express Cards, too. It’s unknown which manufacturer makes the card, but we’d stay clear of these because the write speed isn’t included on the product page. Even though the read speed is what matters most for Switch 2, we’d never recommend buying a storage device without knowing the write speed. Plus, you can get 256GB and 512GB models from known brands for less.

GameStop is one of the few companies offering a 1TB model, but it’s almost always sold out. The 512GB model is routinely sold out, too. We suspect this stems from very small print runs, not popularity. These cards only have a handful of customer reviews.