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There are so many different types of microSD cards now that you can be forgiven for missing out on the latest version. But—and stick with me here—the latest version, microSD Express, is so much better than its predecessors that you really will want to upgrade immediately.
What Is MicroSD Express?
MicroSD Express is a next-generation microSD card format that integrates PCI Express (PCIe) and NVMe interfaces into the microSD form factor. This integration allows for substantially higher data transfer rates than traditional microSD cards, which rely on older interfaces.
microSD Express
Regular microSD (UHS-I/UHS-II)
PCIe + NVMe
SD interface (UHS-I/UHS-II/UHS-III)
Up to 985 MB/s
UHS-I: up to 104 MB/s
UHS-II: up to 312 MB/s
Backward Compatible
Yes (with standard SD interface)
Yes (generally across UHS versions)
Although microSD Express was officially announced in 2019, it hasn’t featured in many devices. However, theNintendo Switch 2 revealed in early April 2025requires microSD Express cards—and only microSD Express cards.
This means the old microSD cards you were using with your trusty Nintendo Switch can’t be used if youupgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2. You’ll have to fork out some cash and start again.
Is MicroSD Express Faster Than Regular MicroSD?
The table in the previous section shows that microSD Express is much faster than the previous generation of “regular” microSD cards. It delivers around 300MB/s faster sequential read speeds than the previous fastest standard UHS-III. It’s also worth noting that there aren’t a great deal of UHS-III microSD cards on the market; you’ll mostly find the slower (but still completely usable) UHS-I and UHS-II cards instead.
UHS-III was mooted as the next big upgrade for microSD technology, but it never really took off. And now, it’s been leapfrogged by microSD Express instead, so it is unlikely to ever become a real standard.
The biggest difference between these two microSD card types is the use of NVMe technology (the same tech that makes your SSD super fast). MicroSD Express uses NVMe to enable much faster data processing, capable of simultaneously processing both read and write functions. The older UHS standard uses serial processing, where one task is completed at a time, resulting in slower performance. Furthermore, microSD Express uses the faster PCI Express Gen 3 standard to boost data transfer rates further.
So, yes, microSD Express is significantly faster than regular microSD cards. This speed difference is a key reason why Nintendo has upgraded the Switch 2 microSD Express. Where UHS-II is decent for 4K video playback, microSD Express’s 985MB/s read/write is vastly superior. As the quality and size of games increase, the capacity and data bandwidth of our storage devices must grow with it.
What Devices Use MicroSD Express? Is MicroSD Express Backward Compatible?
The good news is that microSD Express cards use the same form factor as the older, regular microSD cards. The bad news is that in an older device, your microSD Express card will default to slower speeds, typically that of UHS-I (around 100MB/s).
Now, that’s obviously not great. At the time of writing, very few mainstream devices support microSD Express; the Nintendo Switch 2 is breaking new ground. However, more devices are launching with support for microSD Express all the time, so investing in microSD Express cards won’t be for nothing.
You can tell the difference between a microSD Express card and its older counterparts with a simple tell: microSD Express cards all have themicroSD EXlogo, as pictured above.
How Expensive Are MicroSD Express Cards?
As you’ve probably gathered, microSD Express cards are more expensive than regular microSD cards. It’s not a horrendous difference, but it’s certainly more expensive than the super cheap memory cards we’ve become accustomed to.
For example, this256GB SanDisk microSD Express cardcosts $65, while this256GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I cardcosts just $25.
Okay, so $40 isn’t the end of the world if you’re already dropping nearly five hundred bucks on a Nintendo Switch 2 with all the trimmings, but it’s still an extra cost.If you want to go really wild, you could always stump up the $200 for the1TB Lexar Play PRO microSD Express, but that might be overkill, given that the Switch 2 hasn’t even launched yet.
In short, microSD Express cards are more expensive at the current time. I’d expect that to change in time, though, as more devices adopt microSD Express and the laws of economics take over. With the Nintendo Switch 2 leading the way and device manufacturers always looking for new ways to deliver better hardware, it won’t be long until more devices support microSD Express.
