PNY microSD Express Card: The Ultimate Solution for Nintendo Switch 2

The PNY microSD Express card is an excellent choice if you're looking for a storage upgrade for your Nintendo Switch 2, offering super-fast performance at an affordable price, backed by a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately, the 512GB version is currently hard to find outside the US, and a 1TB model is not yet available for those with massive game libraries.

Performance and Price

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The PNY microSD Express card is one of the fastest Nintendo Switch 2 cards tested. In benchmark tests, the 256GB model achieved an impressive write speed of 712.42MB/s, surpassing competitors and closely approaching the manufacturer's advertised 750MB/s. It also excels in read speed, reaching 893.74MB/s, exceeding the advertised speed of 890MB/s. This difference is likely due to varying testing conditions and equipment, but it's safe to say this card is incredibly fast. Its read speed is almost identical to the SanDisk microSD Express card licensed for the Nintendo Switch 2, an officially certified Nintendo model.

What does all this mean in practice?: The PNY MicroSD Express card is excellent for use with the Nintendo Switch 2. With internet access, games download quickly and everything runs smoothly during gameplay. High-performance games like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and Hitman World of Assassination - Signature Edition, which are very demanding on the Nintendo Switch 2, showed no noticeable drop in performance in either, whether it was frame loss, slow-loading models, or increased loading times.

Best of all: The 256GB PNY MicroSD Express card is practically the same price as its main competitors. At $59.99 USD / £59.99 / approximately AUD 100, its leading write speed is a compelling reason to choose this card over alternatives. This is also true for the warranty, as PNY offers a five-year warranty or a "limited lifetime warranty" in some regions. This refers to the card's lifespan (not the user's lifespan) and doesn't cover you if PNY stops manufacturing it, but it should support you for at least the lifetime of the Nintendo Switch 2 – just be sure to keep proof of purchase and retail packaging in case you need to claim the warranty.

PNY is also: one of the few manufacturers that offers a cheaper 128GB model, which sells for $44.99 USD / £39.99 (or even less during sales), allowing gamers with very modest storage needs to avoid paying more for capacity they don't require.

The Downside

There's a downside: when you start looking for versions over 256GB. The recently released 512GB model is available on the market for $119.99 USD / approximately £150, but it seems very difficult to find outside the US at the moment. There is also no 1TB model yet, making those with massive libraries prefer the competing Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card instead.

Conclusion

If you want high performance: and the peace of mind of a lifetime warranty, the PNY microSD Express Card is an excellent choice for your Nintendo Switch 2. However, if you need storage capacities larger than 256GB, you may find it difficult to locate the 512GB model outside the United States, and the 1TB model is not yet available.