Updated: October 12, 2026

Got a stack of microSD cards from your old Switch? They won’t hold Switch 2 games. Nintendo is blunt about it: “Nintendo Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards” [1]. Honestly, it’s an easy one to miss.

Here are two microSD Express cards at 256GB, set side by side using what SanDisk and Samsung publish, plus what changes if you game on a handheld PC instead.

How we chose: research-based. We used Nintendo’s and Valve’s support and spec pages and the card makers’ own US product pages and datasheet (cited below). We picked from microSD Express cards sold on their makers’ own US stores at check time; this isn’t a full market roundup (for example, Lexar wasn’t included). We have not physically tested these cards. Speeds are the makers’ ratings and depend on the device you put them in.

Which card fits

• Switch 2, from SanDisk: SANDISK microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2: SanDisk says it’s officially licensed for Nintendo Switch 2, up to 880 MB/s read and 650 MB/s write at 256GB, lifetime limited warranty [2].
• Switch 2 and a UHS-I device too: Samsung P9 Express: maker-rated up to 800 MB/s read in SD Express mode and 90 MB/s read in UHS-I mode, 3-year limited warranty [4].
• Steam Deck: its slot is UHS-I [5]. Express cards that also support UHS-I fall back to UHS-I speed in a UHS-I slot; others may run slower or may not work. Samsung lists UHS-I mode for the P9 Express (90 MB/s read) [4]; SanDisk’s datasheet lists a microSD UHS-I interface but gives no UHS-I speed [6].
• Our take: for Switch 2, pick capacity first; both are microSD Express cards, which is what Switch 2 requires [1]. That’s our view, not a test result.

Side-by-side (256GB versions)

	SANDISK microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 (256GB)	Samsung P9 Express microSD Express Card (256GB)
Works in Switch 2	Yes: “Designed, tested, and approved for use with Nintendo Switch 2” [2]	Yes: “works with Nintendo Switch 2” [4]
Read speed (max)	Up to 880 MB/s, with a compatible device; based on SanDisk’s internal testing [2]	SD Express 800 MB/s; UHS-I 90 MB/s (maker-rated) [4]
Write speed (max)	Up to 650 MB/s; 210 MB/s minimum sustained write [2]	Sequential write not listed; random write up to 52K IOPS (4KB, QD32) in SD Express mode [4]
UHS-I mode (e.g. Steam Deck slot)	microSD UHS-I listed in the interface; no UHS-I speed listed [6]	Listed; UHS-I 90 MB/s read [4]
Speed class	Not listed on product page/datasheet	U3, V30, A1 [3]
Warranty	Lifetime limited warranty [2]	Limited 3-year warranty [3][4]
Model	SDSQXFN-256G-GR6ZZ [2]	MB-MK256T/AM [3]
Price tier	Mid	Mid

Price tiers are relative to the products in this article. Each tier is based on the maker’s own US store listing, checked October 12, 2026 (ET). We don’t list street or retail prices because they change. “Not assigned” means we couldn’t find a price on the maker’s own US site. Check the current price before you buy.

What Switch 2 needs

Nintendo’s support page says Switch 2 works only with microSD Express cards [1]. A system update over the internet is needed the first time you use one, and cards up to 2TB are supported [1]. An old microSD card that was used in a Switch “will not allow you to save or load digital games or save data” on Switch 2; you can still import screenshots and videos from it [1].

SANDISK microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2

SanDisk calls it “officially licensed” and says it’s “Designed, tested, and approved for use with Nintendo Switch 2” [2]. At 256GB, SanDisk rates it “Up to 880 MB/s read speeds; up to 650 MB/s write speed. 210 MB/s minimum sustained write speed,” with a compatible device and “Based on internal testing” [2]. It has a lifetime limited warranty [2].

• Good fit: a Switch 2 owner who wants the card SanDisk says is officially licensed for Switch 2 [2].
• Trade-off: SanDisk’s datasheet lists a microSD UHS-I interface but gives no UHS-I speed, so there’s no published figure for a UHS-I-only slot [6].

See the SANDISK microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 on SanDisk

Samsung P9 Express microSD Express Card

Samsung rates it at “SD Express 800 MB/s, UHS-I 90 MB/s” read, speed classes U3, V30 and A1, and a limited 3-year warranty [4]. Samsung’s datasheet says it “works with Nintendo Switch 2” [4].

• Good fit: one card that moves between a Switch 2 and a UHS-I device, with a stated speed for both.
• Trade-off: no sequential write speed on Samsung’s page or datasheet [3][4]; shorter warranty than SanDisk’s [2][3].

See the Samsung P9 Express 256GB on Samsung

Gaming on a Steam Deck or other handheld PC?

Valve lists the Steam Deck’s slot as “UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC” [5]. So an Express card won’t run at Express speed there. Express cards that also support UHS-I fall back to UHS-I speed in a UHS-I slot; others may run slower or may not work. Samsung lists UHS-I mode for the P9 Express at 90 MB/s read [4]; SanDisk’s datasheet lists a microSD UHS-I interface but gives no UHS-I speed [6]. Our take: if the card will live in a Steam Deck only, a regular UHS-I card makes more sense than paying for Express. Check your handheld maker’s spec page for its slot type.

How to choose

If you…	Look at
Want the card SanDisk says is officially licensed for Switch 2	SanDisk microSD Express for Switch 2 [2]
Want a stated UHS-I speed for other devices	Samsung P9 Express [4]
Need more space than one card	Nintendo supports up to 2TB [1]; for bulk backups see our NAS vs DAS vs external drive guide

FAQ

Can I use my old Switch microSD card in a Switch 2?
Not for games or save data. Nintendo says only microSD Express cards work; you can import screenshots and videos from the old card [1].

Does a microSD Express card work in the original Switch?
Yes, but Nintendo says it runs at regular microSD speed there [1].

Is a microSD Express card faster in a Steam Deck?
No faster than UHS-I: the Steam Deck slot is UHS-I [5]. Express cards that also support UHS-I fall back to UHS-I speed in a UHS-I slot; others may run slower or may not work. Samsung lists 90 MB/s read for the P9 Express in UHS-I mode [4]; SanDisk’s datasheet lists a microSD UHS-I interface but gives no UHS-I speed [6].

Related: NAS vs DAS vs External Drive · Hall Effect vs TMR Controllers

Related comparisons: SanDisk vs Samsung microSD Express for Switch 2 · Elgato 4K S vs 4K X capture cards

Nintendo Switch 2 is a trademark of Nintendo. GearSift isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo.

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Sources (checked October 12, 2026, ET, except where noted)

1. Nintendo Support (US), “microSD Card and microSD Express Card Compatibility with Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch”: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/68425/
2. SanDisk, SANDISK microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 product page, specifications and footnotes (256GB, SDSQXFN-256G-GR6ZZ): https://www.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/microsd-cards/sandisk-microsd-express-card-for-nintendo-switch-2
3. Samsung US, 256GB microSD Express Card P9 Express (MB-MK256T/AM) product page and specs: https://www.samsung.com/us/memory-storage/memory-card/p9-256gb-microsd-express-card-sku-mb-mk256t-am/
4. Samsung Semiconductor, P9 Express microSD Express card brochure/datasheet (PDF): https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/brochure/microSD_Express_Card_P9_Express_Brochure.pdf
5. Valve, Steam Deck tech specs: https://www.steamdeck.com/en/tech
6. SanDisk, SANDISK microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 data sheet (PDF), specifications, “Interface” (checked October 17, 2026, ET): https://documents.sandisk.com/content/dam/asset-library/en_us/assets/public/sandisk/product/memory-cards/microsd-express-card-for-nintendo-switch-2/data-sheet-microsd-express-card-for-nintendo-switch-2.pdf