Samsung’s new Switch 2-compatible microSD Express card is already on sale

The Nintendo Switch 2 is backward compatible with most original Switch games, which is a great feature to tide early adopters (like me!) over until more Switch 2 exclusives launch. The console comes with 256GB of internal storage, but that probably won’t be enough room for your entire digital game library. Thankfully, however, Samsung’s 512GB P9 microSD Express card is already on sale for $94.99 ($5 off) at Amazon you clip the on-page coupon. The 256GB model is also available on Amazon, though only for its MSRP of $54.99.

Samsung P9 microSD Express Card

Where to Buy:

• $54.99 at Amazon (256GB)
• $99.99 $94.99 at Amazon (512GB, with on-page coupon)

The current discount may seem small, but the P9 is already around $20 less expensive than most other 512GB microSD Express cards. The only option that’s cheaper is a card from Onn, Walmart’s house brand, which is available for around $85 but is frequently out of stock. Also, while the Switch 2 is one of the first mainstream gadgets to use a microSD Express card for extra storage, you can pop them into certain cameras, tablets, and drones with a microSD USH-I slot. The P9 offers sequential read speeds of up to 800MB/s, but only gadgets with a microSD Express card slot can take full advantage of the highest speeds.

As for how far 512GB of storage gets you, well, it depends. The number of digital games that will fit on the P9 is reliant on their size; Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment requires 43.4GB of space, while Silksong only takes up 4.1GB. If having a combined 768GB of storage for games seems like overkill, consider that the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade requires a 93GB download.

Even physical game collectors may end up needing a microSD Express card, as many publishers have opted to release their games on game-key cards. These titles use a physical cartridge to authenticate your copy of the game, but require you to download a digital copy onto your system’s internal storage. There are also plenty of indie games that are only released digitally, or are only released on a cartridge long after their initial launch. Regardless of which types of games you choose, though, it’s better to have more space than you need than have to decide which games to take with you on a trip.