Best SD Cards for Nintendo Switch in 2022
Why you can trust Pocket-lint
(Pocket-lint) — Whether you own the original Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite or shiny Switch OLED, it’s likely that the onboard storage won’t be enough to hold your game library. And that’s where microSD cards come in.
While you may get away with downloading a few games directly to your console, the onboard 32GB storage can fill up fairly quickly. Even the 64GB that comes with the Switch OLED isn’t really adequate for most users.
- Top Nintendo Switch games: Best Switch games every gamer must own
- Nintendo Switch Online: How much does it cost and what free games do you get?
Luckily, this can be easily remedied with an external microSD card, which can then live in your console via the small slot underneath the kickstand.
Below, we’ve listed some of the best memory cards for Nintendo Switch, whether you want to break the bank and futureproof your storage for the long term or just add a bit more space on the cheap.
Best Nintendo Switch memory cards in 2022
- SanDisk 128GB microSDXC Card
- SanDisk 64GB
- Samsung Evo Select 256GB
- SanDisk 256GB
- Gigastone 512GB
Best Switch SD card: Our top pick
SanDisk
SanDisk 128GB microSDXC Card
squirrel_widget_168298
For
- Official option
- Great value
Against
- Faster speeds available
While there are obviously options that provide both more and less storage than this 128GB option from SanDisk, we believe this is the ideal mid-point for most people.
It’s still very affordable, and, providing you’re not downloading new games very frequently, it won’t leave you short on storage.
Since it’s also the officially licensed version, there’s no need to format it prior to popping it in your Switch. Plus, you get that cute logo on the card itself.
Nintendo Switch SD cards we also recommend
We think the above pick is probably the ideal pick for most users, but, really, all of the Nintendo Switch memory cards on this list are worthy of your consideration.
Here are similar options we’ve tested and recommend.
SanDisk
SanDisk 64GB microSDXC Card
squirrel_widget_6134024
For
- Officially licensed
- Very affordable
Against
- Only really for light users
If you’re likely to only download things to your Switch occasionally, there’s perhaps no need to splash out on more storage than you need.
Enter, then, this 64GB option from SanDisk. As with others, this is officially licensed by Nintendo, which means there’s no need to format it, and you’ll get a Triforce logo for good measure.
Just be sure that you won’t eventually need more than this storage option, since it’s preferable to have a big card with empty space rather than running two cards simultaneously.
Samsung
Samsung Evo Select 256GB microSDXC Card
squirrel_widget_6134053
For
- Super speeds
Against
- Sometimes inconsistent reading
You won’t get a fancy Nintendo logo on the card itself, but you do get extremely fast speeds and excellent affordability with this Samsung option.
We’ve noticed the odd inconsistency compared to the SanDisk options we tested, but nothing major — often the card will just need popping out and clicking back in and it’ll format correctly.
SanDisk
SanDisk 256GB microSDXC Card
squirrel_widget_3717401
For
- Simple and reliable
Against
- Official option means slight premium
If you want something that’s officially licensed and still offers the 256GB bump in memory, SanDisk also has this option to consider.
It’s slightly more expensive than likeminded cards, but you do get improved reliability, easy formatting and that fun design to enjoy.
This storage option does appeal more to heavy users, we’d suggest, and the price reflects that, so consider whether this is truly the right level for you before splashing out.
Gigastone
Gigastone 512GB microSDXC Card
squirrel_widget_6134082
For
- An impressive amount of storage
Against
- Mild inconsistencies
If you want storage levels on par with the latest consoles from Microsoft and Sony, then Gigastone’s 512GB card is really the only option to consider.
We’ve found the odd inconsistency during testing, but, like with others, this only really requires a reboot of the console or releasing the card and placing it back in the slot.
For the price, you really can’t do better than this option if you’re looking for maximum external storage.
How to choose a memory card for Nintendo Switch
If you’ve just picked up your Nintendo Switch, it can be difficult to know whether you actually need a memory card — and which one is best for your playing style. We’ll address some FAQs in this section.
Do I need a microSD card for my Nintendo Switch?
Unless you’re only planning to have a handful of games downloaded to your console, and will stick mostly to cartridges, owning a memory card is pretty much a necessity, we’d say. Some popular titles can take upwards of 10GB to store if downloaded from the virtual store, and having a storage card inserted means that you’ll have the convenience of quickly swapping between them.
It’s often more a case of figuring out just how much additional storage you’ll need — with options typically offering 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.
What is stored on a Nintendo Switch microSD card?
Once inserted, your card will simply take care of game downloads and media, not save files. If you have Nintendo Switch Online, these save files can also be backed up to the cloud, meaning that a change of console (or an unfortunate loss) isn’t a big drama. You’re able to easily redownload games and restore save files.
Which microSD cards work on Nintendo Switch?
Any microSD card will work with the Switch, but, obviously, it’ll have to offer relatively big storage capabilities to make it worthwhile. That’s why we’ve recommended cards ranging from 64GB to 512GB, which are known as microSDXC (extended capacity)
Do I need to check the microSD’s transfer speeds?
All of the cards we’ve recommended fall within Nintendo’s guidelines for Switch microSD cards, but, if you decide to go with something that isn’t on our list of picks, transfer speeds is a factor to consider.
See that circle with a number in it? That’s the card class. Class 10 means 10MB/second minimum sustained write speed, Class 6 means 6MB/sec, and so forth. Nintendo recommends a minimum speed of 60-90mb/s.
Often you’ll see an «I» towards the bottom corner of a card, too, in numeral style, which represents UHS-I, or ultra-high-speed, assuring a decent buffer speed to keep data chugging along. UHS-II («II» rather than «I» symbol) is a lot faster, but rarely supported — so it’s best avoided on a cost basis here as it’ll bring no benefit. If you see a 3 symbol in a bucket then, again, that’s the higher UHS speed class and not necessary.
More about this story
Every Switch microSD card in this list has been tested in real-life situations, just as you would use them in your day-to-day life.
As we do with many of our Nintendo Switch guides, we collected the opinions and experiences of the wider Pocket-lint team in order to deliver the top picks. Many of these options have lived in our consoles since launch day, with some even tested with the latest Switch OLED model.
In truth, not much differs between microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch, given that speeds aren’t a particularly big factor in performance. What is important is reliability, which is why we always recommend exploring the officially licensed options, as well as considering the cheaper alternatives. After all, there’s nothing more frustrating than a card that’s DOA, and, in our experience, that’s been more frequent with non-SanDisk options.
In all of our buyer’s guides, we try to avoid pointless number-crunching and marketing spiel; we just want to provide an easy to understand review that gives you an idea of what it’s going to be like to use. Our verdicts are concise, but this is in the interest of brevity — rest assured all the things on this list have been fully tested.
In all our guides, there are also plenty of models we consider that don’t make the cut.
Writing by Conor Allison. Editing by Luke Baker.
SanDisk microSDXC Card 128GB for Nintendo Switch
- Up to 128GB of storage capacity for all your digital files.
- Designed, tested and approved for the Nintendo® Switch™ game system.
- Read speeds up to 100MB/s and write speeds up to 90MB/s.
- A single card to store multiple games, screenshots and videos.
- Compatible with microSDXC UHS-I supporting host devices.
- Lets you move files easily among other SD compatible devices, such as digital cameras and computers.
- Waterproof, X-ray proof, temperature proof, and shockproof.
- Lifetime limited warranty.
Get the most of your memory card with the microSDXC Card 128GB for Nintendo Switch! With incredible speed, this microSDXC card allows you up to 128GB of space for all your digital files. Spend less time waiting and more time gaming with read and write speeds of up to 100MB/s and 90MB/s respectively. Perfect for keeping your favorite games in one place. Backed by a lifetime limited warranty, so you’re ready for the long haul. Simply plug your memory card in and start playing!
The officially-licensed SanDisk microSDXC card for the Nintendo Switch provides dependable, high-performance storage for your console.
Add up to 64GB* of capacity, so you can keep your favorite titles on a single card.
- Officially-licensed memory card for the Nintendo Switch
- Instantly add up to 64GB* of additional space
- Load games faster with transfer rates up to 100MB/s1
- Store your games and additional content in one place
| Product ID | 159970 |
|---|---|
| Brand Name | SanDisk |
| GameStop Exclusive | No |
| UPC | 619659162238 |
| Vendor Part Number | 2GC007 |
| Storage Capacity | 128GB |
| Publisher Name | SanDisk |
| Developer Name | SanDisk |
| Product Height | 0.19 |
| Product Weight | 0.06 |
| Product Length | 6 |
| Product Width | 4 |
General
| Brand Name | SanDisk |
|---|---|
| GameStop Exclusive | No |
| UPC | 619659162238 |
| Vendor Part Number | 2GC007 |
Storage
| Storage Capacity | 128GB |
|---|
Fandom
| Publisher Name | SanDisk |
|---|---|
| Developer Name | SanDisk |
Dimension
| Product Height | 0. 19 |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 0.06 |
| Product Length | 6 |
| Product Width | 4 |
Ratings & Reviews
4.7
Star FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar Three Quarter Filled
rated 4.7 out of 5
822 product ratings
5 Stars
710710 5 stars reviews
4 Stars
5454 4 stars reviews
3 Stars
1616 3 stars reviews
2 Stars
22 2 stars reviews
1 Stars
4040 1 stars reviews
Bought this product?
Share your thought with the community
Top Customer Reviews
scammerino neighborino
Star FilledStar FilledStar OutlinedStar OutlinedStar Outlined
rated 2.
0 out of 5
Carl
Verified Purchaser
1 month ago
Get a non-nintendo branded one they’re usually cheaper and work just as well.
Was this review helpful?
Easy way to have more for a pro
Star FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar Filled
rated 5.0 out of 5
Elisha Brown
Verified Purchaser
5 months ago
Customer Service had item on stand by which is very well managed and easy Service the item works great and ice recommended to more.
GameStop Customer Service
5 months ago
Thanks so much for leaving your honest review! We really appreciate you taking the time and hope you enjoy the Nintendo Switch 128GB MicroSDXC Card 🙂 Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns, we’re always game to help!
Was this review helpful?
My kid is loving it.
..
Star FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar Filled
rated 5.0 out of 5
L Welch
Verified Purchaser
6 months ago
My kid is loving his switch and this additional memory made it easy to purchase new games and significantly less expensive.
GameStop customer service
5 months ago
We’re so happy to hear the little ones are enjoying this! Thanks so much for sharing your honest review.
Was this review helpful?
Storage for all those games.
Star FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar Filled
rated 5.0 out of 5
LANARIRA
Verified Purchaser
6 months ago
Always need extra storage. Switch theme is fun extra.
GameStop Customer service
6 months ago
Thank you for your review!
Was this review helpful?
128 GB SanDisk does the Job
Star FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar FilledStar Filled
rated 5.
0 out of 5
Jr31
Verified Purchaser
10 months ago
Easy to install and enough storage for games that I have.
Was this review helpful?
See All Customer Reviews
Questions & Answers
5
customer question
s
Have a question?Ask your question to our community.
Top Questions
Q
:
does the micro sd card also give you internet on it?
benneyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy1 year ago
A
:
No, this is only for storage.
JE GameStop SMRT11 months ago
Was this answer helpful?
Q
:
Will this work with the Nintendo 3DS XL?
david2361 year ago
A
:
You will need a regular SD card for the 3ds xl. The micro sd card would be too small, and wouldnt fit. So no, it wouldnt work.
SnowyRascal421 year ago
Was this answer helpful?
Q
:
Can you use a scandisc 1028 GB microsdxc card in the switch lite
Machinist5311 year ago
A
:
It works with 1tb cards there’s a guy on youtube showing a 1tb card used
Pavy4151 year ago
Was this answer helpful?
Q
:
does it make downloads faster i want to download warface and stuff but i want to know if theyll download fast
guy who eats food1 year ago
A
:
Yes if will to a point! However it also increases processing speed of the switch lite! If you are planning on playing games such as fortnite it does help! Additionally if your playing breath of the wild the sd card will allow for smooth transitions and cleaner rendering! There are better ones out there if your willing to spend bigger money! I bought one just so botw and other high rendering games processed better and I’m glad I did!
Higherlvlgaming1 year ago
Was this answer helpful?
Q
:
Does this work on any other devices does does this work on?
Would it work on windows?
Bakugan8242 years ago
A
:
I believe as long as the sd card is not formatted on the switch you can use it on other devices.
Once it is formatted for a specific device then no.
Wolfboi922 years ago
Was this answer helpful?
See All Customer Questions & Answers
Will an expensive SD card improve the performance of Nintendo Switches?
Nintendo.
Do you have a quirk
Nintendo Switch
, portable
Switch Lite
or improved
Oled switch.
You will probably need a memory card. Limited internal memory will quickly disappear even if you play physical releases first.
The real question is whether the memory roadmap for the added performance is worth the profit, or if you’re better off focusing on capacity instead.
The switch supports UHS-I memory cards
All Nintendo Switch models support UHS-I (Ultra High Speed Phase I) microSD cards. The UHS-I standard has a theoretical maximum read speed of 104MB/s, although proprietary technologies from Sandisk and Lexar have seen improvements in the 160-170MB/s range.
Nintendo.
indicates
Minimum read speeds for MicroSD UHS-I MicroSD cards are 60 to 95 MB/s. This suggests that even cards with higher read speeds are associated with these limitations. As long as your chosen card can hit the quoted Nintendo from 60 to 95MB/s, «faster» alternatives shouldn’t provide any advantage in terms of load times or game performance.
Nintendo.
Cards at the lower end of this scale may suffer from slightly longer load times or performance issues, but as long as they fall within that range, they are within Nintendo’s spec.
Nintendo specifically claims that «the higher the transfer speed, the better the gaming experience on the Nintendo Switch», but that’s only true to the point where the microSD’s read speed matches the console’s maximum read speed.
What kind of memory card does the switch support?
Nintendo claims the Switch is compatible with MicroSD cards (up to 2GB), MicroSDHC cards (from 4GB to 32GB), and MicroSDXC cards (64GB and up).
There is no benefit to buying a UHS-II or UHS-III MicroSD card as they have extra pin rows that enable faster read and write speeds. The switch lacks the appropriate pins to achieve these speeds.
Luckily, the price of a high capacity UHS-i card has dropped significantly in the last few years and you can now buy 256GB or 512GB cards from $35 at the small end to $75 at the wider end. Memory prices tend to fluctuate, so these prices can jump around a bit depending on when you buy.
Buy a brand you trust
By far one of the biggest factors when it comes to buying a memory card is buying a quality product from a brand you trust. The old «If it seems like it’s too good to be true» I guess it’s worth bearing in mind. Cheap cards that promise the world are often not worth the money you save when they don’t deliver in terms of performance.
Look for brands like Sandisk, Kingston, Lexar, Samsung, and Pny. Avoid any obvious fees that try to emulate the brandy seen in more recognizable brands.
You get what you pay for and it will last.
The same applies to
where
You buy your memory cards. Counterfeits are plentiful on many online markets, so choose a retailer you trust. You can check the speed of your card using free tools like
CrystalDiskmark
(Windows) or
Blackmagic Drive Speed Test
(Mac) to make sure you get the performance you paid for.
Cartridges or internal memory faster?
According to tests performed
Digital foundry
Physical cartridges (game cards) have the slowest read times, and the console’s internal flash memory provides the fastest boot times.
Games stored on MicroSD cards were marginally faster to load compared to a physical cartridge (usually under a second when fast travel
The Legend of Zelda:
take a breath
), but still aimed the internal storage down to a few seconds in the same game.
Nintendo.
This anchors the theory that the switch is limited to around 100MB/sec read speeds in terms of removable media, since it’s unlikely that a MicroSD card can achieve higher read speeds than internal flash storage.
Ultimately, there isn’t a huge difference between the three environments, and it shouldn’t affect where or how you choose to store your games.
Transferring games between storage is tedious
It’s a good idea to buy a memory card as soon as you get your Switch console, as Nintendo doesn’t make it particularly easy to transfer games between internal storage and removable MicroSD cards. The only way to do this is to zip the software and download it again to the microSD card.
It takes time, bandwidth and patience. We recommend purchasing an adequately sized MicroSD card that suits your gaming habits. If you play a lot of games and bounce between titles regularly, a large storage pool will be beneficial. For casual gamers, 128GB or 256GB will likely be enough for the console’s lifespan.
In addition to a better display,
Revised OLED Switch
Ships with 64GB of internal storage, double the original and Switch Lite Models. It’s still a toy space considering how some games are sharable up to 30GB or more in size, so we definitely recommend a memory card.
Whether you buy physical game cartridges can also influence your decision. Most cartridge releases are big budget games that tend to be larger than smaller indie eshop titles. If you download games like
Mario Odyssey
or the last open world
Zelda
Title, you want a bigger microSD card.
It’s worth noting that saving data is handled differently from game data on the Switch, which makes
Transfer Save Data Between Switch Consoles
relatively painless. you also can
Screenshots of transfer switch and video on USB
quickly free up some space.
Spend on capacity, not speed
With 256GB and 512GB UHS-I memory cards now more affordable than ever, you’re better off spending your money on capacity, not speed. If you buy a memory card, you intend to digest with a later date (for example, in a camera or smartphone), then a faster memory card will be used for you.
It’s easy to underestimate how much you need to store, so learn
How to free up space on your Switch
So you can keep playing new games.
How to insert an SD card into the Nintendo Switch
Tremplin Numérique
published
Here’s the easiest way to insert an SD card into your Nintendo Switch.
The Nintendo Switch is one of the best consoles on the market today. It’s available in three flavors and features a huge collection of Nintendo games, ranging from fun family games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons to challenging titles like Metroid Dread.
However, one of the disadvantages of the console is the limited amount of internal memory. With just 32 GB, you may find that you run out of space after a few games. This means that you will have to choose between deleting data from all your favorite games or expanding storage.
Fortunately, setting up an SD card on the Switch is very easy and can be done in just a few steps. Read on to find out the easiest way to insert and set up an SD card on your Nintendo Switch.
summary
What you need:
short version
- Flip switch
- Carefully detach the switch support
- Place SD card in slot
- Click on it in
- Close Stand Switch
- turn on your switch
- reset it
-
hiker
1
Flip switch
To start this process, make sure your Switch is turned off and all software is closed. Flip the switch so that you are facing the rear panel.
-
hiker
2
Carefully detach the switch support
Disconnect the switch bracket on the back of the switch. It’s a little tedious, so you’ll have to be careful.
-
hiker
3
Place SD card in slot
Insert the SD card into the slot with the colored side facing you.
-
hiker
4
Click on it in
Insert the SD card into the switch until it locks into place. When you do this, you will hear a click.
-
hiker
5
Close switch stand
After the SD card is inserted successfully, return the switch holder to its original slot.
-
hiker
6
turn on your switch
Turn on the switch using the power button on the top of the device.
-
hiker
Seven
reset it
After turning on the device, you will be prompted to reset it.
