Nintendo Switch 2 leak hints at massive storage improvements

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summation

  • According to some newly leaked GameStop SKUs, the Switch 2 may support microSD Express cards.

  • The microSD Express standard provides transfer speeds over 900% faster than the UHS-I interface supported by the switch.

  • The microSD Express card has a capacity of up to 128GB, while the UHS-I card has a capacity of 2TB.

that Nintendo Switch 2 According to a newly surfaced SKU believed to belong to some accessories, it will support microSD Express cards. So, this leak suggests that Nintendo's upcoming console will feature massive storage technology improvements over its predecessor.

Switch 2 is widely rumored to enter mass production in the final stages of 2024, possibly as early as late September. This belief has been further strengthened by massive leaks detailing console hardware that have been appearing online since the fourth quarter of 2024.

Super Mario thinking next to Switch 2 Joy-Con on grip 2x1 composite red background

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Continuing this trend, several GameStop stock storage units (SKUs) purporting to belong to unannounced Switch 2 accessories were leaked in early January 2025. Originally shared by Reddit user Opposite-Chemistry96, the product label mentions a trio of “Switch 2 Exps.” ‘Micro SD card’ products have capacities ranging from 256GB to 512GB. These designations appear to refer to cards based on the microSD Express standard, a much more advanced storage interface than what the Switch supports.

Nintendo Switch 2 features 900% faster microSD transfer speeds

Nintendo Switch supports UHS-I microSD cards, which theoretically offers a maximum transfer speed of approximately 104 MB per second. In fact, even best-in-class products based on this interface typically achieve around 95 MB/s. Meanwhile, the microSD Express standard can feasibly achieve transfer rates in the ballpark of 985 MB/s. This 900% improvement comes from the technology's reliance on the Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) protocol for highly parallel data transfer, the same used in the fastest modern SSDs.

UHS-I vs. microSD Express standard

UHS-I

MicroSD Express

transfer speed

~95 MB/sec

~985MB/S

maximum capacity

2TB

128TB

Another big advantage of microSD Express cards compared to UHS-I cards concerns maximum capacity. While the previous standard was limited to 2TB, the newer standard supports cards up to 128TB in size (a 6,300% improvement). According to an image of GameStop's internal inventory management system shared by Opposite-Chemistry96, the retailer plans to sell the 256GB Switch 2 card for $49.99. Meanwhile, the only 512GB card listed on GameStop systems carries a $84.99 price tag.

Opposite-Chemistry96 also revealed SKUs for the Switch 2 carrying case and two “deluxe” cases, priced at $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. All of these products are likely unofficial Switch 2 accessories. These products have been leaking online for months now. Nintendo has said twice so far that it will officially reveal its next console before the end of the current fiscal year. With the ongoing fiscal period ending March 31, 2025, the company has two and a half more months left to fulfill that commitment.

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