MicroSD cards are fairly ubiquitous across today's tech devices, providing or expanding data storage across gear such as cameras, phones, gaming consoles and computers, and they can hold photos, videos, games, apps and files.
Over the 20 years since its introduction, there have been progressive updates to the format to allow for things like faster speeds and higher capacities, and the latest (and arguably most significant) upgrade arrived in 2025, going by the name microSD Express. This new type of card is based on the same storage system that's used in devices like laptops and desktop PCs, and high-end gaming consoles, and its key improvement is that it allows substantially faster data transfers (anywhere from 5-10x vs microSDXC) than all previous types.
Currently, the only mainstream product that really uses this new format is the Nintendo Switch 2. Although the Switch 2 can read screenshots and videos off older types of microSD cards, they can't be used to download and install games, or hold savegame data. To store and run games on the Switch 2, you'll explictly need a microSD Express card.
128GB microSD Express deals
A 128GB microSD Express card is usually much cheaper than higher-capacity options, making it a good choice if you're on a tight budget. However, its small size means it will fill up quickly, especially if you plan to download large AAA games.
How many games you can store on a 128GB microSD Express card depends on the games size. Some take up a lot of space, for example, Cyberpunk 2077 requires about 60GB, meaning a 128GB card could only cold about two games of this size.
For a 128GB microSD Express card, you can expect to pay anything from $70 to over $100.
256GB microSD Express deals
A 256GB microSD Express card is a mid-capacity option. Giving you double the storage of a 128GB card, it's a good option for users who don't want to consistently delete games, and it's cheaper than 512GB or 1TB options.
On a 256GB card, you can store a handful of large games or many smaller ones.
Price wise, these cards generally cost between about $60 and $130, which means you are paying around $0.2 to $0.50 per GB.
512GB microSD Express deals
A 512GB microSD Express card is ideal for those who want a lot of fast storage without paying for a 1TB card. This storage option allows for many large AAA games and means you can keep a large library of games installed without having to regularly delete.
For a 512GB card, you can expect to pay around $160 which equals just over $0.30 per GB.
1TB microSD Express deals
A 1TB microSD Express card is the largest storage option available and as such, is a much more pricey option. This amount of storage is good for anyone who wants to store a very large library of games and still have leftover storage space, or anyone who can afford it.
In terms of cost, you can expect to pay between $300 and $450, which equals the equivalent of between $0.30 and $0.45 per GB.
MicroSD Express FAQs
What is the highest capacity microSD Express card you can buy?
As of early 2026, the largest microSD Express card capacity is 1TB.
Why are microSD Express cards so expensive?
MicroSD Express cards are more expensive because they have newer and faster technology, allowing for data to be transferred much faster.
Are microSD Express cards backwards compatible?
Yes, but only at substantially slower speeds – the older storage controllers found in microSD, microSD HC and microSD XC devices will bottleneck performance.
What size microSD Express card should I buy?
This will depend on how much you want to spend as well as how many games you want to be able to store at a time.
To help you decide, here are the file sizes of some of the most popular Nintendo Switch 2 games:
• Mario Kart World - 22GB
• Pokemon Legends: ZA - 11.3GB
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 10.8GB
• Donkey Kong Bananza - 8.9GB
• Metroid Prime 4 Beyond - 27.7GB
• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition - 60.59GB
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - 20.01
• Kirby Air Riders - 21.8GB
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment - 43.5GB
• Red Dear Redemption - 11.8GB
Only some of the games mentioned above are AAA titles (big budget, high quality video games usually made by well-known studios with higher quality graphics, sound, story etc). AAA games typically range from 40Gb to 60GB, so based on this, here's an approximate number of AAA games each microSD Express card can hold.
128GB: 2-3 AAA games
256GB: 4-6 AAA games
512GB: 8 - 12 AAA games
1TB: 17 - 25 AAA games
