1. The quick list
2. Best overall
3. Best premium
4. Best budget
5. Best high-capacity
6. Best endurance
7. FAQs
The best SD cards for Switch allow you to play and store even more of your favorite games on the platform without breaking the bank. Now, halfway through 2023, it's entirely possible to double or even triple your storage for incredibly competitive rates. Below you'll find our top picks to suit all capacity considerations and budgets.
If you're playing on the standard Nintendo Switch or the Nintendo Switch Lite then you'll notice the rather limited 32GB of internal storage can fill up quickly. It doesn't take too many of the best Nintendo Switch games to be installed before you find yourself rapidly running out of room for new and exciting titles to download and play. Even though the Nintendo Switch OLED ups this to 64 GB, doubling what's available, it's still far from ideal when wanting to build up your digital games library.
That's why the best SD cards for Switch are among the best Nintendo Switch accessories on the market. With that said, if you're after more hardware for your hybrid handheld then you can't go wrong with some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers, the best Nintendo Switch carry cases, or the best Nintendo Switch headsets either.
The Quick List
The best overall Micro SD card for Switch
With its competitive price point, wide amount of capacity sizes, worldwide availability, and official blessing from Nintendo, the SanDisk microSDXC is the best SD card for Switch.
The best premium SD card for Switch
The Kingston Canvas Go Plus SD cards are over twice as fast as what Nintendo recommends for the console, so while they cost more than your average model, they are worth it to put compatibility fears at rest.
The best budget SD card for Switch
The Micro Center Premium microSDXC SD cards are ideal for those wanting to expand their console's storage cost-effectively.
The best high-capacity SD card for Switch
If you're looking for the maximum amount of storage for games then the SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC has you covered. For a competitive price point, this is one of the fastest and most consistent performing models in this capacity.
The best endurance SD card for Switch
While the Samsung Evo Select isn't quite the fastest SD card in our roundup, it has the most consistent performance and the highest endurance as it's made for huge file transfers first and foremost.
The best SD cards for Switch for 2023
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Best overall SD card for Switch
✅ You want an officially licensed SD card for Switch: The SanDisk microSDXC for Nintendo Switch has the company's seal of quality meaning it natively works out of the box, ideal for fuss-free use.
❌ You're on a tight budget: The SanDisk microSDXC for Nintendo Switch is one of the pricier SD card options, as non-branded options could be a little cheaper.
SanDisk's officially licensed microSDXC for Nintendo Switch is our top pick for its wide market availability, competitive pricing, and different sizes available. If you're unsure of whether a microSD card will run inside your machine, you have a lot less to worry about here as this variant is endorsed by the company.
Capacities range from 64GB all the way up to 512GB, which means you're doubling the total storage of the stock Nintendo Switch and matching that of the OLED model straight out of the gate. We personally believe that 128GB to be the sweet spot as this capacity is frequently available for around $25 and will give you likely all the overhead you will ever need to download expansive games from the eShop without worry.
In terms of the rates that other capacities can run you, you can expect to pay around $50 for a 256GB variant and roughly double that for 512GB at MSRP. Deals are common, however, and it's entirely possible to score the largest capacities available for around the $60 mark at trusted retailers.
Best premium SD card for Switch
✅ You want a fast SD card for Switch: The Kingston Canvas Go Plus microSDXC is one of the fastest SD cards of its class for a competitive price in 2023.
❌ You want a higher capacity: If you want to go beyond 512GB, consider the Micro Center Premium or SanDisk Extreme microSDXC we have listed below.
Kingston Canvas Go Plus microSDXC SD cards put any fears about transfer rates inside of a Nintendo Switch console firmly to bed. While the company recommends rates of between 60 to 95 MB/s as a minimum, you won't have to worry with these cards as they are rated at a blistering 170 MB/s, over double the official suggestion.
The speed of the Kingston Canvas Go Plus microSDXC cards isn't their only strength, though. That's because it's common to find them selling at, or cheaper than, the officially licensed counterparts from SanDisk. For instance, a 128GB capacity card will run you $24 at MSRP, though it's frequently available at $20. This is true of the 256GB card, which retails frequently around the $30 mark.
Although not necessarily marketed towards Nintendo Switch, instead aimed at shooting 4K video, the speed of these cards means that you will have a smooth gameplay experience for a competitive price here. In terms of which capacities offer the best value for money, we recommend either 128GB or 256GB so you won't fill it up any time soon.
Best budget SD card for Switch
✅ You're working to a budget: The Micro Center Premium microSDXC is one of the cheapest high-speed SD cards available from a known and trusted brand.
❌ You're after something faster: While the Micro Center Premium microSDXC is affordable, it just barely lives up to the console's recommended benchmarks instead of greatly surpassing them.
If you're after some of the best value for money then you can't go much cheaper than with Micro Center Premium MicroSDXC cards. Prices start from $7.99 for a 64GB capacity card which would give you far more room for your games at a bargain price. What's more, you won't have to worry about the transfer speeds, as all these SD cards run at 95 MB/s, right at the top end of the scale of Nintendo's recommendation.
This option becomes stronger when considering some of the higher capacity variations available. If you're someone who wants the most bang for your buck then the 512GB for $60 is about as cheap as it comes. There's also a 1TB version for $120 if you truly never want to run out of storage space again. All told, this price-to-performance cannot really be argued with here.
Best high-capacity card for Switch
✅ You want the biggest capacity available: The SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC is perfect for storing as many Nintendo Switch games as you could ever need.
❌ You're working with limited funds: While the SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC is impressive, it certainly doesn't come cheap.
Few names are as well regarded in the storage world than SanDisk, and the company's Extreme line of MicroSDXC cards certainly live up to the name. If you're after the fastest available SD card for Switch with the biggest capacity then look no further than the SanDisk 1TB Extreme.
It's a pricey investment compared to some other market alternatives, but with its performance of up to 190 MB/s, you won't need to worry about games not running their best. This 1TB configuration retails currently for $165 and frequently sells closer to the $140 mark. That's down from the previous rates of $190, which the card sold at throughout most of 2022 before MSRP was officially lowered.
Best endurance SD card for Switch
✅ You plan on doing big data transfers: The Samsung EVO Select MicroSDXC is ideal for transferring big Nintendo Switch games from the internal storage thanks to its encoding and sequential rates.
❌ You want something officially licensed: If you would rather have peace of mind then the SanDisk Nintendo Switch SD cards could be a better choice.
If you’re searching for an affordable and reliable MicroSD for your Nintendo Switch, you don’t need to look much further than the Samsung EVO Select MicroSDXC. Prices start at $10.99 for a 64GB card, which would provide ample space to store a substantial game library, and with sizes going up to 512GB for $49.99, it would be a struggle to find a size to accommodate all your games.
Additionally, despite read speeds not being at the top end of the scale, 130MB/s guarantees seamless gaming for a reasonable price. Even though its read speed isn’t as high as other, more expensive models, it still exceeds the base expectations set by Nintendo without breaking the bank. Furthermore, this SD card for Switch is designed to support Full HD video, guaranteeing a solid and seamless performance.
Best SD cards for Switch - FAQs
Does the Nintendo Switch need an SD card?
You might not need an SD Card for your Nintendo Switch immediately, especially if it's not your primary console, but if you plan on downloading some of the biggest titles you will undoubtedly run out of space eventually. It's best to purchase an SD Card, even if it's one of the smaller sizes, just to make sure you're not caught short when a big title drops.
What is the best brand of SD card for Nintendo Switch?
Although it doesn't matter which SD card you pick for your console, we tend to rely on brands like Kingston, SanDisk, and Micro Center for our top picks. They may run a little more expensive, especially the Nintendo-branded SanDisk SD cards, but you're guaranteed a high-quality product.
We're also rounding up the best Micro SD cards for a more general overview. We recommend the cheapest Nintendo Switch deals for offers on hardware and console bundles.
