Lexar’s New MicroSD Express Cards: Essential Upgrade for Your Switch 2!

Lexar has recently introduced their new microSD Express cards, which are perfectly timed for the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th. It’s worth noting that during its April 2 Direct presentation, Nintendo revealed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will exclusively support microSD Express cards, as opposed to the usual UHS-I and UHS-II cards that were compatible with the initial Nintendo Switch.

The recently launched Lexar PLAY PRO microSDXC UHS-I Card is compatible with installing Switch 2 games, taking screenshots, and capturing gameplay. It can be purchased on Amazon at this time. Presently, it’s one of the two microSD cards suitable for Switch 2 that are currently available, the other being the SanDisk microSD UHS-I Card. The Lexar card presents a more economical choice, priced at $50 for 256GB (as opposed to SanDisk’s $60), and it also comes in a 1TB capacity option.

The Lexar memory cards are flying off the shelves quickly. Some storage sizes might be momentarily unavailable because of the elevated demand.

Upgrade Your Switch 2 Storage With the Lexar PLAY PRO

With a substantially increased internal storage of 256GB, the latest Switch 2 offers a considerable upgrade from the 32GB in its predecessor. However, games for the new Switch 2 tend to have large file sizes. For instance, it’s anticipated that Cyberpunk 2077 will require a whopping 64GB of space on its own. If you’re an avid gamer, you might find yourself in need of extra storage fairly quickly. Fortunately, the Lexar microSD card is available up to a capacious 1TB, which should suffice for even the most extensive game collections.

Regarding its price, the Lexar PLAY PRO microSDXC Express Card typically retails at $50 for a 256GB capacity, $100 for 512GB, and $200 for 1TB. However, Amazon has reduced the price of the 256GB model to just $47, offering you a $3 savings. Similarly, the 512GB version is marked down to $90, giving you a $10 discount. Unfortunately, the 1TB model is currently out of stock, but it’s likely that Amazon will restock this popular item soon.

Lexar PLAY PRO microSDXC Express Card Features

  • Up to 900MB/s read speeds
  • Up to 600MB/s write speeds
  • PCI Express 3.0 and NVMe 1.3 technology
  • 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities
  • Backwards-compatible with UHS-I and UHS-II devices
  • Limited lifetime warranty
  • Lifetime access to the Lexar Recovery Tool

The PLAY PRO debuts as an exceptional microSD card designed for portable gaming devices. Its speed is its standout feature, delivering four times the performance compared to UHS-I microSD cards used in the initial Switch. This enhanced speed is crucial because the upcoming Switch 2 is designed to use microSD Express cards, which offer improved performance. This upgrade allows the Switch 2 to handle intricate and demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Borderlands 4 more smoothly.

Apart from the Switch 2, the PLAY PRO microSD card also works with any device that has a microSD slot, such as UHS-I and UHS-II devices. It can even be used with the original Switch, but it will function at UHS-I speeds. Although Lexar is known for its dependable storage solutions like SanDisk and Samsung, this microSD card comes with a limited lifetime warranty and a data recovery tool for extra assurance.

How to Identify a microSD Express Card

In essence, both microSD and microSD Express cards appear similar physically, but they can be distinguished by an ‘EX’ symbol on the microSD Express cards. This symbol is often found near the bottom left corner of the card, as shown in the image above. If this marking is absent, it’s probable that the card is not a microSD Express and may not function with your Switch 2 device.

Keep hold of your standard microSD card even if you think it’s no longer useful with the old Switch. You can actually utilize it in your brand new Switch 2 for accessing your previously saved screenshots and videos. However, please note that you won’t be able to save any new data or launch games using this card.

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2025-04-09 22:10