SAMSUNG MICROSD EXPRESS 256GB FOR SWITCH 2: THE BANANA VAULT YOUR CONSOLE ACTUALLY NEEDS
8.0 of 10 bananas. The official Mario-branded microSD Express card that Switch 2 owners keep buying, because old microSD cards cannot hold Switch 2 games.
By the Alpha. Gear review. Updated Oct 16 2026.
Honest note: This is not a hands-on test. I have not put this card in my own Switch 2 for this review. I built this verdict from Samsung's spec sheet, Nintendo's store page, the Amazon listing and its Best Sellers rank, buyer ratings, and published press tests. If I get one on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Sit with me a moment. A memory card is not exciting. A full console is worse. Every big Switch 2 season, the same small red card climbs the Best Sellers list next to the games, because the troop runs out of room. So I read the fine print before you spend the bananas.
What It Is
This is Samsung's microSD Express card made for Nintendo Switch 2 and licensed by Nintendo, sold in a Super Mario package with the Official Nintendo Seal. Samsung lists it as model MB-MZ256S: 256GB, microSDXC, Class 10, V30, U3, on a PCIe Gen 3.0 x1 NVMe interface. Samsung rates sequential reads up to 800MB/s in SD Express mode and up to 90MB/s in older UHS-I mode. Nintendo sells the same card on its own US store, and the UPC on the Amazon listing matches Nintendo's. Samsung does not print a write speed on the product page I checked.
Why It Is Selling
Nintendo says it plainly: Switch 2 only works with microSD Express cards for expanded storage, and older microSD cards that are not Express cannot be used. That one rule pushes every new Switch 2 owner toward a card like this. On October 16 2026 it sat at number 7 on Amazon's Best Sellers in Nintendo Switch 2, and the listing showed number 32 in all of Video Games, number 3 in Nintendo Switch Accessories, and Amazon's Choice. At my check it was 59 dollars, sold by Amazon.com, rated 4.8 of 5 from 3,991 ratings. GamesRadar+ calls it one of the best value cards for Switch 2 at its 59.99 list price. Prices move, so check the listing before you buy.
Who It Is For
Switch 2 owners who buy digital games, keep big installs around, or share a console with a family that never deletes anything. It also works in other devices with a microSD Express slot, and falls back to slower UHS-I speed in ordinary readers.
What To Watch Out For
Listen well. 256GB is the only size in this licensed Samsung design, so heavy digital collectors may want a bigger card from another brand. SanDisk's licensed Express card advertises a higher read rating, up to 880MB/s per GamesRadar+, though real load times depend on the game. GIGAZINE's own test of this card measured roughly 610 to 630MB/s sequential reads and about 220MB/s sequential writes, below the box number, which is normal for rated maximums. Most laptops and card readers lack an SD Express reader, so copying files on a PC runs at UHS-I speed. If you mostly play game cards, you may not need it yet.
STRENGTHS
- Works with Switch 2 game storage
- Nintendo licensed, UPC matches Nintendo store
- Up to 800MB/s rated reads
- Sold by Amazon.com at my check
HONEST COSTS
- 256GB only in this design
- Pricier per GB than old microSD
- Slow in ordinary card readers
- Rivals rate higher read speeds
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