Last updated: October 22, 2026. Picks are based on reviews from Wirecutter, IGN (guide indexed Feb 2026), TechRadar (Oct and Nov 2025), Rock Paper Shotgun (updated Jan 7, 2026), PCGamesN (Oct 20, 2025) and ZDNET (Mar 6, 2026), plus Nintendo's support page, all read October 22, 2026.
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Quick answer- Switch 2 needs microSD Express: PNY 256GB is Wirecutter's pick, Lexar Play Pro suits big libraries, and Samsung P9 is the value option.
- Steam Deck takes ordinary UHS-I cards, and the Samsung Pro Plus is the most recommended all-rounder.
- For cameras, choose SanDisk High Endurance or Samsung Pro Endurance, and buy from authorized sellers to avoid fakes.
A microSD card is not one product category anymore. Nintendo says the Switch 2 only accepts microSD Express, the Steam Deck works with ordinary UHS-I cards, and cameras care more about endurance than speed. This guide combines what Wirecutter, IGN, TechRadar, Rock Paper Shotgun, PCGamesN, ZDNET and others reported, so you can match a card to your device. Prices have been volatile, so check current listings before you buy.
1. How to choose a microSD card by device
Start with the device, because it decides almost everything else. Nintendo's support page says the Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards, and it marks ordinary microSD cards as unsupported for games and save data. The same page says Express cards up to 2TB are supported and that the first use requires an internet system update.
The Steam Deck is much less demanding. Rock Paper Shotgun says any UHS-I microSD card should work, and PCGamesN notes that the Deck's UHS-I interface is limited to about 104MB/s, so faster cards add little there.
- Interface and ratings: Wirecutter suggests a U3 rating as a baseline. PCGamesN recommends A2 and U3 for the Steam Deck, and Rock Paper Shotgun explains that A2 means at least 4,000 read IOPS versus 1,500 for A1.
- Capacity: PCGamesN suggests at least 512GB for a Steam Deck because big games fill smaller cards fast. IGN says a 256GB Express card doubles the Switch 2's internal storage and is plenty for most people, with 512GB as a safer buffer.
- Usable space: MemoryWolf, a card retailer, reported on November 26, 2025 that 512GB Express cards showed between 456GiB and 477GiB in the Switch 2 after formatting, depending on the brand.
- Endurance for cameras: ZDNET (March 6, 2026) says SanDisk sells High Endurance and Max Endurance lines built for dash cams and security cameras, and rates them in hours of recording rather than speed.
- Warranty and seller: Wirecutter advises buying from reputable first-party sellers because counterfeit cards can be slower, smaller than advertised, and unwarrantied.
At a glance
| Pick | Best for | Key spec | Reviewed by |
|---|
| PNY microSD Express Memory Card | Switch 2, balanced | 256GB; 893.74MB/s read (TechRadar) | Wirecutter, TechRadar, IGN |
| Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card | Switch 2, large libraries | Up to 1TB; 900MB/s rated read | IGN, TechRadar, MemoryWolf |
| Samsung P9 microSD Express Card | Switch 2, value | 256GB and 512GB sizes | IGN, Wirecutter, MemoryWolf |
| Samsung Pro Plus microSD Card | Steam Deck, overall | U3, V30, A2; 10-year warranty | Wirecutter, Rock Paper Shotgun, PCGamesN |
| SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card | Steam Deck, speed | Fastest in PCGamesN guide | PCGamesN, ZDNET, Rock Paper Shotgun |
| SanDisk High Endurance microSD Card | Cameras, 24/7 use | 256GB rated 20,000 hours | ZDNET, Gough's Tech Zone |
| Samsung Pro Endurance microSD Card | Cameras, alternative | 256GB rated up to 140,160 hours | StorageReview, Camera Jabber |
2. Best microSD Express cards for Switch 2
PNY microSD Express Memory Card: Best overall for most Switch 2 owners
Best for: Switch 2 owners who want a fast 256GB card from a familiar brand.
What reviewers say: Wirecutter (page references 2026 price trends, no exact update date shown) picked the 256GB PNY as its Switch 2 recommendation, calling it the fastest across its benchmarks, widely stocked, and covered by a limited lifetime warranty. TechRadar (reviews from October and November 2025) listed benchmarked speeds of 893.74MB/s read and 713.42MB/s write for the 256GB PNY, and about $59.99 for that size at the time. IGN's Samsung P9 review (undated page) found PNY and Samsung close on game load times, but said PNY's writes were slower and more uneven. MemoryWolf (November 26, 2025) found the 512GB PNY loaded Mario Kart World slightly faster than four rivals. Prices change often.
- Pros: Strong benchmark results, trusted brand, and a warranty Wirecutter rated well.
- Cons: TechRadar listed only 128GB and 256GB, while Wirecutter said four capacities exist, so check current stock. Wirecutter also notes Express cards cost far more than standard microSD cards.
See PNY microSD Express Memory Card on Amazon →
Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card: Best for large libraries
Best for: Players who want 512GB or 1TB and do not want to manage storage.
What reviewers say: IGN's guide (indexed as February 2026) named it the best Express card, citing read speeds up to 900MB/s, capacity up to 1TB, and the highest price. TechRadar (November 2025) measured 831.97MB/s read but only 310.03MB/s write against a claimed 600MB/s, yet saw no stutters in real games. It listed about $58.98 for 256GB and $199.99 for 1TB when reviewed. MemoryWolf found its 512GB card showed 465GiB usable, less than Samsung's 477GiB. Prices have likely moved since then.
- Pros: Up to 1TB, solid read speed, and smooth real-world play.
- Cons: Write speed fell short of the label in TechRadar's benchmark, and IGN calls it the priciest option.
See Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card on Amazon →
Samsung P9 microSD Express Card: Best value pick
Best for: Buyers who want a name-brand card without paying top dollar.
What reviewers say: IGN's guide labeled it the best budget Express card and listed about $32 for 256GB and $99 for 512GB at the time of writing. Its separate P9 review (undated) found steady write transfers of roughly 71 to 73MB/s and called it a solid purchase, though it noted the card trails the console's internal storage slightly. Wirecutter tested it and said it performed well but was slower or pricier than its PNY pick. MemoryWolf disagreed on writes, finding the 512GB P9 slowest at copying a game onto the card, though it offered the most usable space.
- Pros: Good value, steady writes in IGN's testing, and generous usable capacity.
- Cons: IGN says random speeds trail some rivals, and reviewers disagree on write performance.
See Samsung P9 microSD Express Card on Amazon →
3. Best microSD cards for Steam Deck
The Steam Deck uses a UHS-I slot, so standard microSDXC cards are the right choice. Rock Paper Shotgun adds that UHS-II and UHS-III cards work but only run at UHS-I speed, so there is little point paying extra for them.
Samsung Pro Plus microSD Card: Best overall
Best for: Steam Deck owners who want a fast, durable card with a long warranty.
What reviewers say: Wirecutter named the 512GB Pro Plus its top microSD pick, noting U3, V30 and A2 ratings, the best random speeds in its group, and a 10-year warranty. Rock Paper Shotgun (guide updated January 7, 2026) also ranked it first, with a 10.9 second average launch time in Aperture Desk Job and strong price-to-performance. PCGamesN (October 20, 2025) agreed it was the best balance of speed, capacity and price. The outlets differ on capacity: PCGamesN listed no 1TB model, while Rock Paper Shotgun mentioned one.
- Pros: Fast launches, strong warranty, and wide retail availability.
- Cons: Not the cheapest, and Rock Paper Shotgun says it is slightly slower than SanDisk's Extreme Pro.
See Samsung Pro Plus microSD Card on Amazon →
SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card: Best for speed
Best for: People who also want to copy files quickly from a PC.
What reviewers say: PCGamesN (October 20, 2025) called the SanDisk Extreme the fastest card in its guide but said the Deck cannot use its full speed. ZDNET's microSD guide (listed as a 2026 update) named it best overall, but flagged counterfeits and price hikes. Rock Paper Shotgun tested the related Extreme Pro, a different model, and found it the only card to consistently beat the Deck's 512GB SSD in a Tomb Raider load test, 15.6 seconds to 15.9 seconds.
- Pros: Top-end speed and a long warranty, according to PCGamesN.
- Cons: Costs more than budget cards, and fakes are common, so buy from an authorized seller.
See SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card on Amazon →
4. Cameras, budget alternatives and who should skip
For dash cams and security cameras, endurance matters more than speed. ZDNET notes that speed is not the critical factor for looped video recording, and both cards below are UHS-I.
SanDisk High Endurance microSD Card: Best for 24/7 recording
Best for: Home security cameras and dash cams that write constantly.
What reviewers say: ZDNET (March 6, 2026) ran 256GB cards in three dash cams for about three years, an estimated 26,500 hours, past the 20,000-hour rating, with no scan errors. It cautioned that its low-motion garden scenes wrote less data than a busy scene would. Gough's Tech Zone, reviewing an older 64GB version in 2020, measured write speeds above the claimed 40MB/s and no data errors, but called the 2-year warranty short and said it could not judge real endurance. Ratings scale with capacity, so check the hours listed for your size.
- Pros: A long real-world run in ZDNET's test and speeds that beat the label.
- Cons: A 2-year warranty, and the older reviews cover earlier versions.
See SanDisk High Endurance microSD Card on Amazon →
Samsung Pro Endurance microSD Card: Best alternative
Best for: Buyers who want a longer warranty on a larger endurance card.
What reviewers say: StorageReview (May 11, 2022) listed ratings up to 140,160 hours for the 256GB size and warranties of 2 to 5 years by capacity, and measured about 90MB/s read and 79MB/s write. Camera Jabber (August 29, 2022) found it worked without fault in action cameras and survived its drop, magnet, heat, freezer and water checks, but suggested the cheaper Samsung EVO Plus for action cameras. Both reviews are older than 2026, so confirm current specs and prices.
- Pros: High endurance rating and a 5-year warranty on larger sizes.
- Cons: Older reviews, and it is overkill for light, motion-only recording.
See Samsung Pro Endurance microSD Card on Amazon →
Budget options and what to skip
- Onn microSD Express (Walmart): IGN called it reliable and only slightly slower. Wirecutter found it significantly slower with a one-year warranty, so reviewers split.
- SanDisk Ultra: Rock Paper Shotgun named it the best cheap Steam Deck card, though it is a lower U1 class.
- Lexar Play: PCGamesN picked it as the budget Deck card with a five-year warranty.
Who should skip: Steam Deck owners should skip Express cards, since the slot cannot use the speed. Rock Paper Shotgun also advised making do with internal storage for now, because memory shortages have pushed some card prices up sharply.
5. Setup, warranty and fake-card safety
On a Steam Deck, Rock Paper Shotgun says to insert the card, open System settings, choose Format SD Card, then set it as the default install location under Storage.
On a Switch 2, expect to update the system the first time you use an Express card, per Nintendo. Nintendo also says a card used in an original Switch will not save or load games on the Switch 2, and Wirecutter advises keeping Express cards in the Switch 2 only and backing up saves with Nintendo Switch Online cloud backup.
Counterfeits are the biggest risk. Wirecutter suggests buying from first-party sellers or manufacturer-listed retailers, and checking a new card's speed and real capacity with a tool such as CrystalDiskMark. Keep your receipt too.
Warranty terms can vary by seller. In reader comments on Tom's Hardware's Switch 2 list, one buyer said GameStop's branded card had no warranty and a 15-day return window, while Tom's Hardware staff said GameStop had told them it carries a one-year manufacturer warranty. Confirm terms in writing before buying.
As a general tip, not a reviewer finding, wipe any camera card before you sell, recycle or hand over the device, because it may hold footage of your home or driveway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Switch 2 really need a microSD Express card?
Yes. Nintendo's support page says the Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards, and standard microSD cards cannot save or load games or save data. Cards up to 2TB are supported.
What card speed does a Steam Deck need?
Any UHS-I microSD card works, according to Rock Paper Shotgun. PCGamesN notes the slot is limited to about 104MB/s and recommends A2 and U3 ratings.
Do security cameras and dash cams need high-endurance cards?
Reviewers point to them as the safer choice for constant recording. ZDNET called a regular card a gamble if you may need the footage later, and its High Endurance cards ran about three years without errors.
How can I avoid fake microSD cards?
Wirecutter says to buy from reputable first-party sellers or manufacturer-listed retailers, then test the card with a disk benchmark and a capacity-check tool. Very cheap listings from unknown sellers deserve extra caution.
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These are the cards reviewers named most often for each use case.
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