The Nintendo Switch is a solid gaming device for on-the-go gaming. With an impressive library of games and lots of unique and experimental titles, Nintendo really nailed the portable aspect. One lacking aspect for the system is storage, and any Switch gamer knows this. While other consoles have much larger, albeit pretty slow storage, the Nintendo Switch and the Switch Lite have 32GB. At least the offerings from Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, have, at minimum, 500GB of storage. This is slightly offset by the unique portability of the Switch consoles, but it can’t really hold up on its own without some help.
Some of the most popular games for the Nintendo Switch take up a ton of space. There are so many titles that take up more than 6 GB as a digital copy. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a rather large game digitally, clocking in at 13.4GB. While the physical copy only takes up around 3 GB. And here are some other Switch games which are quite massive:
- Breath of the Wild: 13.4GB
- Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield: 10.3GB
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 6.4GB
With all that said, there is a saving grace here. You can use microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite. But, which microSD cards for the system work best?
MicroSD Cards for the Nintendo Switch
Nintendo themselves recommend UHS-I (Ultra High-Speed Phase I) compatible cards with a 60-95 MB/sec transfer speed when gaming. This means you will need to focus on reputable brands from decent suppliers to make it work. From this recommendation, we can pick a few different options for storage. You can expect to spend $30-$50 USD for decent microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch.
We’ve included a few of the best recommendations from each major SD card brand below. Check them out and click the image to buy them if you like.
SanDisk 256GB Ultra MicroSDXC UHS-I Memory Card
Image Via Sandisk
A great memory product overall, the Sandisk offering are relatively recent and ranges in size from 16GB to 512GB. This $37.99 option is a decent starter for most Switch owners, with plenty of storage and speed for a few games. The 128 GB model is enough for most owners who have a few digital games. Although more hardcore Switch players might want to jump up to a higher capacity.
Samsung Electronics EVO Select 256GB microSDXC
Image via Samsung
Samsung is probably one of the most well-known makers of memory. With their own chip fabs and years of experience, you’re probably using devices with Samsung memory and you don’t even know it. In short, you can never go wrong with a Samsung product. Priced similarly to the Sandisk model above, it really only comes down to brand preference between the Sandisk and Samsung models.
Gigastone 128GB Micro SD Card
Image via Gigastone
A bit cheaper of an option, with a 128 GB card being $17, but still pretty solid. The speed hits the minimum requirements for the Switch, making this an even better option for those gamers with smaller digital libraries. With plenty of options in other ranges, these will be just fine for most users. The “Game Pro” and “Gaming Plus” options from Gigastone are not really important, as they are mostly rated for A1 speed, the same as the option above.
Lexar High-Performance 633x 512GB microSDXC UHS-I Card
Image via Lexar
The Lexar name might be something that’s more familiar to those of you dealing with office equipment. With A2 speed, it’s one of the faster ratings that’s commonly available. And if you’re in need of higher capacity microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch, the Lexar 512 GB model is a pretty solid choice. Lexar has been improving their memory offerings for some time, and this SD card can do pretty well.
