Nintendo Switch 2 Leak Hints at Huge Storage Improvement

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Summary

  • The Switch 2 may support microSD Express cards, according to some newly leaked GameStop SKUs.
  • The microSD Express standard offers over 900% faster transfer speeds compared to the UHS-I interface supported by the Switch.
  • microSD Express cards can also be up to 128GB in capacity, whereas their UHS-I counterparts cap out at 2TB.

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled at the rumor that the Nintendo Switch 2 might embrace microSD Express cards. These recent leaks hint towards some of its accessories sporting this new technology, implying that the next-generation Nintendo console could potentially offer significant storage upgrades compared to its predecessor.

It’s widely speculated that The Switch 2 will start large-scale production towards the end of 2024, with some suggesting it could be as soon as late September. This assumption is strengthened by a flood of leaks about the console’s hardware that have been popping up online since the last quarter of 2024.

In early January 2025, some GameStop stock items thought to be for unannounced accessories of the rumored Switch 2 leaked online. A Reddit user named Opposite-Chemistry96 shared product labels, which hint at a set of “Switch 2 Exp Micro SD Cards.” The capacities suggested are between 256GB and 512GB, implying these could be advanced microSD cards following the Express standard, a more sophisticated storage interface compared to what the Switch currently supports.

Nintendo Switch 2 May Offer 900% Faster microSD Transfer Speeds

The Nintendo Switch uses UHS-I microSD cards that theoretically reach speeds of about 104 MB per second, but in reality, these cards often max out at around 95 MB/s. On the other hand, the upcoming microSD Express standard might offer transfer rates similar to 985 MB/s – a significant increase of nearly 900%. This impressive boost is due to its utilization of the NVMe protocol, the same one found in high-speed modern SSDs for efficient, parallel data transfer.

UHS-I vs microSD Express Standard

UHS-I microSD Express
Transfer Speed ~95 MB/s ~985 MB/S
Max Capacity 2TB 128TB

A significant advantage of microSD Express cards over their UHS-I counterparts lies in their maximum storage capacity. The older version is limited to 2TB, while the newer standard supports cards up to a staggering 128TB – that’s a whopping 6,300% increase. As per the shared image of GameStop’s internal inventory management system by Opposite-Chemistry96, they are planning to sell the 256GB Switch 2 cards for $49.99, while the lone 512GB card is priced at $84.99 in their system.

Additionally, opposite to Chemistry96, some product listings for cases for a potential Switch 2 were discovered, including a basic one for $19.99 and a premium version for $29.99. These items are likely third-party accessories that have been circulating online for quite a while now. Nintendo has hinted at revealing its upcoming console twice before the end of its current fiscal year, which concludes on March 31, 2025. They still have approximately two and a half months left to keep their word.

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2025-01-09 13:13