Here’s the Switchuation; Nintendo’s latest console has just landed and if you’re lucky enough to own one, you’re going to want to start building a library of games to enjoy both at home and on the go. The trouble is, the Switch is only packing a poultry 32gb of internal storage, and with games such as The Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild weighing in at around 13gb – more if digitally downloaded – pretty soon you’ll be out of space.
Unless you’re willing to lug around a giant briefcase full of cartridges wherever you go, you should probably look at investing some money into an upgraded memory card. Nintendo’s own card is a rather over-priced 16 GB or 32 GB Hori UHS-I or class 10 card, but thankfully, unlike other handheld consoles that forced you to buy expensive licensed cards (I’m looking at you, Vita), Switch owners can expand memory by purchasing any brand of SDXC micro cards.
However, since not all memory cards are created equal, offering different sizing and speed options, where do you start? In this article, we’re giving you the low-down on both high performing and bang-for-buck third party memory card options for your Switch. All the prices we’ve quoted here come directly from Amazon at the time of writing.
32GB SanDisk Extreme PLUS – $13
On the whole, purchasing a Nintendo Switch and getting it set up with games and accessories is a rather expensive business, so the idea of spending more money on memory probably isn’t music to everyone’s ears. But even if you aren’t sure how much you will actually need any additional capacity, it’s probably a good idea to have something just in case. The SanDisk Extreme Plus allows you to double your Switch’s memory capacity for a very minimal amount of money in the grand (and pricey) scheme of purchasing a Nintendo Switch.
SanDisk Ultra 64GB – $21.99
As a general rule of thumb, anything SanDisk is going to balance quality with value. The ever popular SanDisk Ultra 64GB has earned shining user reviews on Amazon. 64GB might not sound like much, but for the money, it is a very decent upgrade that should suit most gamers.
SanDisk Ultra 128GB – $40
At the other end of the 128GB spectrum, SanDisk offers a much better value for the same size card. 128GB is probably going to be a sweet spot for most gamers, and the price point for this particular card is exceptional.
PNY Elite 128GB – $40
PNY’s 128GB memory card is similarly priced to SanDisk’s, though it has a claimed faster read and write speed.
Kingston Digital 64 GB – $24
The Kingston Digital is another 64GB option similarly price to SanDisk. The card has been given a fairly solid user rating on amazon, earning praise for reliability and speed.
Lexar Professional 1000x 128GB – $128
When it comes to speed, the Lexar Professional’s read and write speed of 150MB/s is the business. This is a UHS-II, high-performance card, and though we don’t actually know whether the Nintendo Switch will benefit from that if you can afford it, it can’t hurt to have the fastest on the market.
This is a high-quality card that is priced accordingly and might be best suited to those who might want to use the card for another device, such as a camera in the future.
Netac Pro 128GB – $46.99
Another great performing 128GB card at an affordable price. The Netac Pro is actually quicker than both SanDisk and PNY, though it is arguably a less reputable brand.
SanDisk Ultra 200GB – $69.95
SanDisk’s 200GB card is typically well-priced, and this is the ideal option for Switch owners who want plenty of space at an affordable price. SanDisk does offer a larger 256GB version, but it’s twice the price. Considering how much smaller Switch games are than PS4 and Xbox One files, 200GB should be more than enough for gamers who typically opt for digital downloads.
Lexar High-Performance 633x 200GB – $90
Another option at the 200GB range, the Lexar’s speed is a bit punchier than SanDisk at 95MB/s. The quality of the Lexar brand means that its $90 price tag is a pretty decent value, too.
Samsung EVO+ 256GB – $134
Those who want to use Switch primarily as a handheld or just prefer to download all of their games will want the most capacity possible, which makes this 256GB capacity very attractive. If you’re not fussed about Lexar’s immense read and write speeds but you still put a premium on quality, this is the one.
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