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Lexar has released the world’s first 1TB microSD Express card, made specifically for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console. The new PLAY PRO card uses advanced technology to deliver speeds up to 900MB/s for reading and 600MB/s for writing, making it about ten times faster than regular microSD cards.
The card was announced on April 2, 2025, just weeks before the Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5. The cards have already sold out at Amazon, where they were first available, showing strong demand from gamers planning to buy the new console.
“The new microSD Express standard offers us a way to deliver a memory card with incomparable performance in that form factor,” said Joey Lopez, Lexar’s Director of Brand Marketing. “We’re excited to create a card for our customers that leverages the benefits of this new standard and prepares gamers for the next generation of handheld gaming.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, not the older microSD cards used in the original Switch. This change allows for faster loading times needed for bigger games coming to the system, such as Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which takes up 64GB of space.
While the Switch 2 comes with 256GB of built-in storage (eight times more than the original Switch’s 32GB), many players will need extra storage as game files continue to grow in size.
Lexar offers three versions of the card: 256GB ($49.99), 512GB ($99.99), and the largest 1TB model ($199.99). All cards come with a lifetime warranty and access to recovery software that can help retrieve accidentally deleted files.
The cards will also work in older devices that use UHS-I and UHS-II standards, but at slower speeds of about 100MB/s.
Other companies like SanDisk and Samsung currently only offer microSD Express cards up to 256GB, making Lexar’s 1TB card unique in the market.
Experts believe this new technology will eventually spread to other devices beyond gaming consoles, including smartphones and cameras that need fast storage in a small size.
GameStop and other stores plan to stock these cards by June, when the Switch 2 releases. Anyone planning to buy a Switch 2 is generally advised to try getting a compatible card early because of limited supplies.
