Record-Breaking Demand: microSD Express Cards Sell Out Following Switch 2 Announcement, Over 337 Units Sold Per Hour

When Nintendo first revealed the Switch 2, one key point was the need for microSD Express cards to boost the device’s storage capacity. Almost immediately, these cards vanished from both online and brick-and-mortar stores, with some employees at Hermitage Akihabara in Japan noting that more than 337 cards were flying off the shelves per hour. This was unexpected, considering microSD Express cards are significantly pricier than their regular counterparts.

### Brace Yourself for the Price Hike

For instance, a standard Lexar 1TB Play microSD card usually retails at $129.99 on Amazon, but it’s available at a discount for $69.99 right now. With read speeds reaching 160 MB/s and write speeds up to 100 MB/s, it offers decent performance, even though it can’t match the speed of internal storage. In contrast, the microSD Express version skyrockets to 900 MB/s for reading and 600 MB/s for writing, making it over five times faster. However, this comes at a hefty price. The Lexar 1TB Play Pro microSD Express card originally costs $199.99, and even though it’s currently marked down to $172.63, it still costs more than twice as much as the non-Express variant.

### Scalping Isn’t the Culprit Here

Despite the pocket-pinch, these microSD Express cards flew off the shelves post-Nintendo’s announcement. Interestingly, this wasn’t due to scalping. Reports indicate that about 80% of the buyers picked up only one card, and the highest quantity bought by a single user stopped at three. It appears these purchases were predominantly by end-users eagerly prepping for their new Switch 2 consoles.

The microSD Express standard has been around since 2019 but hasn’t become mainstream likely due to its steep cost compared to regular microSD cards and SSDs. Many gaming systems allow you to upgrade storage by swapping out the SSD, although it’s not exactly user-friendly. Such a swap involves removing the backplate and reconfiguring the settings to accommodate the new SSD.

Nintendo, however, prefers that users leave their hardware untouched. The best way to seamlessly increase the Switch 2’s storage while matching the internal storage’s speed is with microSD Express cards. This upgrade could be vital, especially with a slew of new AAA titles set to release, which might easily max out the 256 GB internal storage. With these cards, keeping your favorite games ready to play on your Switch 2 is a breeze.

Keep up with Tom’s Hardware on Google News for our latest stories, insights, and reviews. Don’t forget to hit the Follow button.

And for those who want Tom’s Hardware’s top stories and detailed reviews delivered straight to their inbox, there’s an option to subscribe to our newsletter.