Nintendo has had a seriously stupendous year, once again receiving the Game of the Year award thanks to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. For players wanting to keep up with every blowout success from Nintendo, a microSD card is a necessity. The Switch itself comes with 32 GB of built-in storage, but if gamers want to play multiple AAA titles, they’ll have to add one of these great microSD cards to their favorite console.
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How to Choose a Great Micro SD Card for the Switch
A microSD card is a fantastic add-on for the Nintendo Switch, but they aren’t all the same. Some players need lots of storage space for their many digital games, but others may be satisfied with just enough space for their DLC and save files. While the above options are all fantastic choices, finding the perfect microSD card for Switch gaming means mulling over the differences between each one.
Storage Needs
Players should check how large of a file size their favorite games are. It’s also important to decide whether the most-played games can and should be kept on the Switch’s internal memory, or if large files should be exclusively kept on a microSD card. Buying physical games can cut down on the amount of storage needed, although most DLC is best received digitally.
Purchasing extra SD cards is also a great way to handle a shared console. Although the smaller, more affordable Switch Lite is popular for big families, it’s not always feasible or necessary to buy extra consoles. Plus, with SD cards, games can be taken to and from different locations more easily, without having to worry about the Switch itself being left behind or damaged.
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Total Budget
If money were no object, most gamers would probably say they want all the memory they can have. However, we live in a monetary world. As such, players need to think about how much they are willing to spend on expanding their game storage before browsing the options. By reviewing the file sizes for their favorite games and their DLC, players can get a good idea of how much space they’ll need in the future.
Typically, players should expect to pay somewhere between $10 and $80 for an SD card, depending on what size and brand they choose. Cheaper SD cards tend to read and write data slower, leading to longer load times both in the E-Shop and during gameplay. More expensive cards usually offer better value for money, as with most “bulk” purchases.
Style Preferences
Much less important, but still a factor, are style points. There are plenty of cute designs on microSD cards, so if the chosen brand has options, players should think about whether they want their microSD card to sport an emblem from one of their favorite games. Brightly colored microSD cards tend to be more difficult to misplace, making them ideal for frequent travelers. On the other hand, plain microSD cards are usually a bit cheaper and are more than acceptable for permanent at-home use.
Best Budget Micro SD Card for the Switch
Micro Center Premium 64GB microSDXC Card
Micro Center is well-known for its good deals, but this 64GB microSD card is an especially attractive deal. For less than $10, players can greatly expand their game storage on the Switch. They also offer larger memory sizes for fairly cheap prices, in case an extra 64GB isn’t enough.
The card is completely compatible with the Nintendo Switch and can store high-quality files such as 4K video with ease. The read speed is a respectable 95 MB/s, while the write speed is just as notable at 30 MB/s. While this isn’t the fastest microSD card in existence, it may well be the cheapest. Plus, Micro Center’s high-quality durability is on full display with the card, offering players storage that’s waterproof, shockproof, temperature-proof, and even X-ray-proof.
This microSD card is best for players on a budget or for those who have a specific game in mind that they would like to keep on the card. The affordability and small memory size also make it a great option for parents with children who often want to take their gaming to another household.
Best Premium Micro SD Card for the Switch
Gigastone 1TB Micro SD Card
Some players just don’t want to have to think about their Switch storage ever again. For those gamers, the Gigastone 1TB microSD card is ready to serve. Designed for use with portable consoles specifically, this tiny card offers the ultimate storage space for avid gamers.
Typically, getting 1TB of storage will cost over $100, but Gigastone’s card often goes on sale for less, and it is currently available for just $90. The read/write speeds are just as impressive as more expensive options, too, reaching up to 150/120 MB/s, respectively. For players who want lots of storage as quickly and easily as possible, the Gigastone 1TB microSD card is the best possible option.
Players looking to get the most out of their money and not think about their memory space for a long time should pick up the Gigastone 1TB micro SD card.
Editor’s Choice Micro SD Card for the Switch
SanDisk 512GB microSDXC Card
Sandisk seems to be the de facto choice when it comes to expanding storage space on the Switch, and it’s not totally unearned. The microSD cards available through Sandisk are not only varied in space and price range but also in stylish designs.
The Super Mario Star 256GB microSD card offers a great amount of space that most users won’t be able to fill, at a very fair, middle-of-the-road price. The cute star emblem and bright yellow color also make it difficult to lose if a player ever wants to swap it out for a different card or take it with them to a friend’s house. While style is far from the most important factor with microSD cards, the fact remains that Sandisk offers lots of storage, extremely competitive read/write speeds of 100/90 MB/s, respectively, and Nintendo’s seal of approval.
Perfect for Nintendo fans and gift-giving occasions, the SanDisk 512GB microSDXC card is the ideal match for the Switch.
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