Switch 2 Lexar microSD Express Cards Back in Stock, Dropping to Lowest Price Yet at Amazon

If you're gearing up for the Nintendo Switch 2 or simply seeking a fast, future-proof memory card, this deal is worth your attention. The Lexar 512GB Play PRO MicroSD Express Card is back in stock and now available for $89.92 on Amazon, reduced from its usual $99.99 price tag.

This card stands out as one of the few MicroSD Express options available in larger capacities and is officially compatible with the upcoming Switch 2. This compatibility is crucial, as Nintendo has confirmed that its next-gen console will exclusively support MicroSD Express for expandable storage. This means all your older cards from the original Switch won't work, regardless of their remaining space.

Lexar 512GB Play PRO microSDXC Express Card

$99.99 save 10%
$89.92 at Amazon

Why the shift to MicroSD Express? It's all about speed. These cards utilize the same PCIe interface as the high-speed NVMe SSDs found in modern gaming PCs, allowing the Lexar Play PRO to achieve read speeds of up to 985MB/s—nearly ten times faster than the UHS-I cards used in the current Switch. This enhanced speed results in faster load times and ensures that you won't experience performance bottlenecks when loading larger, more demanding games from your expansion card.

At 512GB, the Lexar card offers a perfect balance between storage capacity and price. Given that some confirmed Switch 2 games are over 20GB in size, the internal 256GB won't last long. While a 1TB Express card costs nearly $200, this 512GB option seems to be the current sweet spot, especially considering its availability. There's also a 256GB option available for $47.67 at Amazon.

Availability has been inconsistent, with many MicroSD Express cards selling out quickly after the Switch 2 reveal. If you plan to purchase the new console at launch, now is the time to secure one of these cards before they're gone again. Speed is non-negotiable for the next generation of portable consoles, and currently, this Lexar deal offers the fastest and most cost-effective way to prepare.

Switch 2 Game Storage Sizes:

Nintendo has disclosed some file sizes for Switch 2 games, and some are surprisingly compact. The Japanese My Nintendo Store has listed several Switch 2 games along with their file sizes. Based on these, the 256GB of internal storage seems like a significant upgrade.

The largest file size is for Mario Kart World at 23.4GB, which uses about 10% of the Switch 2's total internal storage. Comparatively, Mario Kart World is smaller than the heftier Cyberpunk 2077, which requires 64GB on the Nintendo Switch 2, occupying a substantial 25% of the internal storage.

• Mario Kart World: 23.4 GB
• Donkey Kong Bananza: 10 GB
• Nintendo Classics: GameCube app: 3.5 GB
• Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Jamboree TV: 7.7 GB
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Star Crossed World: 5.7 GB

**Bookmark IGN's Switch 2 preorder guide today, and when anything goes live, we'll post links the moment they become available. Get notified when a Nintendo Switch 2 console, game, or accessory preorder listing goes live by following IGN Deals on Twitter/X or Bluesky.**