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If you're a Nintendo Switch owner, you've astir apt noticed thing beauteous rapidly – the interior retention fills up fast! The modular Switch lone gives you 32GB, and adjacent the upgraded Switch OLED bumps that up to conscionable 64GB. Sounds decent until you recognize that astir of the champion Switch games necessitate astatine slightest 10GB of retention connected average, if not more. Before you cognize it, you're retired of space, particularly if you're into downloading games from the eShop. That’s wherefore having a Switch microSDXC paper similar the SanDisk 512GB Extreme is beauteous overmuch essential.
By popping an SD paper into your Switch, you tin load up connected each the games you privation without worrying astir deleting aged ones to marque space. Depending connected however overmuch you privation to store, determination are SD cards that connection up to 1TB of storage. Just support successful caput that each your crippled prevention information volition inactive unrecorded successful the console's strategy representation by default. If you're moving onto the Switch 2, cognize that your aged SD cards won't alert there; you'll request to determination connected to a MicroSD Express paper to upgrade the Switch 2's storage.
TL;DR - These Are the Best SD Cards for Switch:
SD cards travel successful a clump of antithetic sizes, speeds, and prices. But if you're looking for the champion experience, drawback 1 with UHS-I compatibility and higher transportation speeds – that’ll assistance with smoother gameplay and faster loading times.
If you’re wondering which SD paper is champion for Nintendo Switch, you’ve travel to the close place. We’ve handpicked immoderate large SD cards that enactment seamlessly with your Switch, whether you privation to instal tons of games, prevention gameplay video clips, oregon request thing to manus erstwhile you’re transferring information to different devices.
1. SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card
Best SD Card for Nintendo Switch
SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card
The cleanable premix of velocity and retention space.
Transfer Speeds
Up to 190MB/s
SanDisk is simply a acquainted marque name, truthful you tin expect reliability and durability erstwhile you acquisition the SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card. With a scope of retention options to take from, you tin max retired your Nintendo Switch’s storage, allowing you to instal plentifulness of games, prevention files, and screenshots without needing to delete different games to escaped up immoderate room. We deliberation the 512GB enactment is unthinkable worth for money, but if you privation to splash out, spell for the 1TB card.
If you upgrade to a antithetic SD paper successful the future, this SD paper comes with an adapter, meaning you tin usage it crossed different devices truthful it doesn’t spell to waste. In the meantime, the SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card boasts generous information transportation speeds of up to 190MB/s – conscionable download the games you privation and enactment them consecutive onto your SD paper successful a cinch.
This SD card’s durable plan is shockproof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and X-ray-proof (who knew that was a thing?). So if you’re going connected abrogation and taking your Nintendo Switch with you, you’ll person the other reassurance that your crippled files are somewhat harmless adjacent done a TSA scanner.
2. Samsung EVO Select A2 512GB microSDXC Card
Best Budget SD Card for Nintendo Switch
Samsung EVO Select A2 512GB microSDXC Card
Meeting minimum requirements for the Switch, this SD paper is simply a large fund affable enactment with somewhat slower transportation speeds.
Transfer Speeds
Up to 130MB/s
Have a choky fund but inactive privation a susceptible microSD card? The Samsung EVO Select A2 SD paper is simply a cleanable choice. Coming successful astatine astir $40, this paper meets the minimum requirements of the Switch with its UHS-I interface and A2 standing for faster optimization. Sure, transportation speeds lag down different cards. But fixed that Nintendo seems to headdress speeds astir 95MB/s anyway, determination won’t beryllium a discernable quality successful crippled load times compared to those faster, pricier cards. It’s lone erstwhile utilizing the microSD paper with different devices that those quicker speeds travel successful handy.
Even if Samsung EVO Select A2 is connected the cheaper side, it inactive offers a steadfast dose of retention abstraction astatine 512 GB. That’s plentifulness of country to store a sizable gaming library, gameplay clips, and more. If you privation to usage this paper with different devices, it’s imaginable to treble the retention to 1TB. And for those that instrumentality to playing lone a mates of games, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB options beryllium to suit conscionable astir immoderate need.
What’s adjacent amended is this paper is built to last, ensuring precious crippled information remains safe. It's waterproofed successful lawsuit of accidental splashes oregon dips successful liquids, portion absorption to utmost temperatures, X-rays, and magnets means the Samsung EVO Select A2 is acceptable to spell conscionable astir anywhere. It tin adjacent withstand drops implicit 16ft. Clearly, this SD paper tin grip acold much deterioration and teardrop than the Switch itself.
3. SanDisk 1TB Ultra A1 microSDXC Card
Best High Capacity SD Card for Nintendo Switch
SanDisk 1TB Ultra A1 microSDXC Card
Rocking 1TB of storage, the SanDisk Ultra A1 SD Card is an fantabulous prime for the Nintendo Switch with country for good implicit 75 titles.
Transfer Speeds
Up to 150MB/s
With 1TB of storage, the SanDisk Ultra A1 SD paper is an fantabulous prime for the Nintendo Switch. The SanDisk Ultra A1 has transportation speeds of up to 150MB/s, which is good supra the scope needed for accelerated downloads connected the console. It's apt that you won't adjacent travel adjacent to moving retired of storage, with country for good implicit 75 games to beryllium installed astatine once.
Most games connected Nintendo Switch are good beneath 15GB, truthful this SD paper should much than suit your needs. The biggest games scope from anyplace betwixt 30GB and 60GB, but determination are little than 10 that autumn nether that umbrella. Any other abstraction connected this SD paper is cleanable for taking arsenic galore screenshots and video captures arsenic you'd like.
4. SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO microSDXC Card
Best High Speed SD Card for Nintendo Switch
SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO microSDXC Card
QuickFlow Technology allows for speedy optimization of files for the champion show possible.
Transfer Speeds
Up to 200MB/s
SanDisk QuickFlow Technology optimizes files
If you're looking for the champion precocious velocity SD paper for your Switch, look nary further than this SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card. This paper uses SanDisk QuickFlow Technology to rapidly optimize files and springiness you the champion show possible. When it comes to launching oregon downloading games, this diagnostic tin travel successful highly useful for load times.
With 256GB, you shouldn't tally into immoderate issues installing a steadfast room of games to your system. Although the Switch does not person 4K enactment of immoderate kind, this SD paper is made for speedy transportation of 4K content. So, your 1080p screenshots and videos volition rapidly transportation implicit to a laptop oregon PC with the blink of an eye.
5. SanDisk 1TB microSDXC Card - The Legend of Zelda
Best SD Card Design for Nintendo Switch
SanDisk 1TB microSDXC Card - The Legend of Zelda
Who doesn't emotion a unsocial design, tons of storage, and awesome speeds?
Transfer Speeds
Up to 100MB/s
Officially licensed by Nintendo
Slower speeds than different cards
This Zelda SD paper has arguably champion plan you tin find for a compatible Switch SD card. At 1TB of storage, you should person nary issues with moving retired of abstraction for caller games. Although the speeds are a spot little than different options connected this list, this is the lone SD paper officially licensed by Nintendo we diagnostic here.
This paper is made with the Nintendo Switch successful mind, truthful you tin expect a prime merchandise overall. The plan featured is the iconic Triforce from The Legend of Zelda series, which is simply a cleanable mode to showcase your emotion of the Nintendo franchise (even if you can't really spot it erstwhile you're utilizing it). Overall, determination are amended options, but this is simply a bully prime if you similar to snag a unsocial design.
How to Choose an SD Card for Nintendo Switch
Investing successful an SD paper for your Nintendo Switch is simply a game-changer. But knowing what to look for is important too. You could conscionable bargain a inexpensive SD paper that’s got a decent magnitude of retention space, but determination are different factors to consider.
- Storage capacity: This should beryllium your archetypal consideration. Depending connected the types of games you play, a 128GB SD paper mightiness suffice. But games similar The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that takes up 16GB mightiness request a larger SD card. Not to notation your prevention files and immoderate screenshots you instrumentality volition adhd to the wide record size.
- Compatibility: If you’re looking for an SD paper for Nintendo Switch, you’ll evidently request to marque definite you find 1 that’s compatible with the console. The Switch supports microSD cards – this includes microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC. Be cautious not to bargain an SD oregon miniSD paper arsenic these volition not work!
- Transfer speed: The higher the transportation speed, the amended your gameplay acquisition volition be. Speed classes are graded successful 2, 4, 6, oregon 10, denoting the card’s minimum baseline speed. So a people 2 equates to 2MB/s, 4 is 4MB/s, and truthful on. If you find a microSD paper with a UHS (Ultra High Speed) people similar UHS-1, you’re bully to go.
Nintendo Switch SD Card FAQs
Do you request an SD paper for the Switch?
For the Nintendo Switch, a microSD paper is an indispensable Switch accessory. Without it, you'll lone person capable abstraction to instal a fewer games connected the system. An SD paper volition let you to instal dozens of titles connected Switch without immoderate interest of deleting games to escaped up storage.
Generally, Nintendo tends to support its games connected the smaller side, but determination is simply a sizeable magnitude of 3rd enactment titles disposable that are good implicit 32GB. This is the onboard retention for modular Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite models, truthful you won't adjacent beryllium capable to instal that crippled without an SD card.
How overmuch retention bash you really need?
Most apt immoderate SD paper with 256GB of retention oregon higher volition beryllium much than capable for your Nintendo Switch. Some of the largest Nintendo titles, similar The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, lone measurement successful astatine 16GB and 14GB, respectively. If you program to chiefly play Nintendo-developed titles, you should beryllium much than good with a 256GB SD card.
However, if you would similar to play large 3rd enactment releases connected the platform, similar Mortal Kombat 1, you should purpose for an SD Card with implicit 512GB of storage. The latest NBA 2K crippled takes up implicit 60GB connected Switch, which adds up rapidly if you don't person a important SD card. Overall, the size of SD paper champion for you depends connected the games you play, but it is indispensable for immoderate Nintendo Switch proprietor to person 1 slotted into their system.
Will Switch SD cards beryllium compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2?
No. Though much details connected the Switch 2 corroborate that astir games volition beryllium backward compatible, SD cards for the modular Switch models volition not enactment with the caller Switch 2. You're going to request a MicroSD Express paper if you privation to grow the retention connected the Switch 2. These cards are presently compatible with the modular Switch, but person mostly been little accessible (and are much expensive) than modular SD cards.
Noah Hunter is simply a freelance writer for IGN, covering deals, buying guides and more.
IGN's tech freelancer Danielle Abraham contributed to this buying guide.
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