Best Nintendo Switch micro SD card 2023 – 1TB picks for Lite and OLED models

There are a bunch of benefits to getting one of the best Nintendo Switch micro SD cards. The popular handheld console only comes with 32GB of internal storage, or 64GB if you go for the OLED version. This is enough to store photos and videos you’ve captured, as well as system updates, but if you want to start downloading your game library you’re likely to run into issues.

Fear not, however, because there is built-in microSD card support, allowing you to massively increase the capacity of your Switch, and you don’t have to break the bank to do so.

This means you can take your Switch on the go without having to bring a physical copy of your games. The SD cards we’ve picked here are all compatible with the normal Switch, as well as the Lite and OLED version.

Now is a good time to expand your storage too, with the Zelda Tears of the Kingdom release date coming up, and the game looking set to be one of the biggest ever in terms of file size, some players will have to expand their storage if they want to download the game.

We’ve got a range of options here, from premium to budget, with a description of the pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed choice. Let’s get into it.

Best overall SD card for Nintendo Switch – SanDisk microSDXC

This official SD card from SanDisk is, perhaps, the perfect way to expand the 32GB or 64GB your Switch comes with, depending on whether you have the Switch or Switch OLED. As you would expect from a Nintendo-certified and branded card it is one of the best. No compromises have been made here with a read speed of 100MB/s, and a write speed of 90MB/S.

This means you can get the most use out of the benefits that a Micro SD can bring. The Switch itself is made to be portable, and an SD card compliments this by allowing you to leave the physical copies of your games at home.

The high read and write speeds especially improve the overall experience, allowing you to access and load your games quicker.

In some ways, this MicroSD card’s main strength is also its weakness. Its official Nintendo branding brings with it assurances of high quality but also higher prices. If it’s within your budget, however, it is one of the best SD cards out there for the Nintendo Switch.

Best 1TB SD card for Nintendo Switch – Gigastone Gaming Plus 1TB Micro SD Card

For players who want to go big or go home, a 1TB SD card could be the one to go for. 1TB is a tonne of space and will expand the default storage count of your Nintendo Switch by as much as 30 times. That means 30 times as much space for games, videos, photos, and more.

This should be enough for even the biggest Nintendo games libraries. For example, Mario Kart 8, a must-have for any Switch gamer, takes up around 7GB of space. The biggest game we’ve seen so far on the Switch is the upcoming Tears of the Kingdom and even that looks set to stay under 20GB, despite its DLC-like nature.

This specific card from Gigastone gets the job done well too, with a zappy 100 megabytes-a-second read time and UHS-3 compatibility it’ll load games and information from the card as quickly as any other card on this list.

Best cheap SD card for Nintendo Switch – PNY Elite Performance 128 GB

While PNY may not have the brand recognition of other cards on this list, the company offers a tempting SD card for those looking to expand the storage of their Switch on a budget.

With over a thousand reviews on Amazon and a 4.5-star average, you don’t need to worry about the quality of the product and you can save a tonne of cash compared to when buying from the more recognisable names.

They offer this lower price without sacrificing read speed either, with this card still being able to achieve up to 100MB/s. One compromise is that it comes with UHS-1 rather than the UHS-3 compatibility that we have seen with the other cards. However, this only actually comes into play if you want to ever use your SD for anything other than your Switch.

This is because the Switch itself is only actually able to be compatible with UHS-1. This doesn’t mean that UHS-3 cards are not supported, just that the higher speeds they are capable of cannot be put to use.

If you want to save a bit of cash and don’t mind slower speeds when using the card for something other than your Switch, then this PNY Elite Performance is a great choice.

Frequently asked questions

Is 128GB enough for Switch?

128GB of storage space will be enough for many Switch gamers, though it does of course depend on the size of your gaming library. If you have a tonne of games you want to download onto your Switch, it could be worth looking at the larger SD card capacities.

How long do Switch SD cards last?

SD cards should last for years without much issue. For example, Sandisk even offers a lifetime warranty for their Switch branded card.