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microSD Express cards
price per GB How we compare Buying guide ↓
- “Up to” figure
- Peak read, not write
- UHS-I bus limit
- 104 MB/s
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Games need microSD Express
- Capacity test
- H2testw, F3 or ValiDrive
Per GB of labelled capacity (1 TB = 1,000 GB). Speeds are rated maxima. ~ marks an inferred module or card count, or a kit that contradicts its stated total.
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microSD Express cards: what to know before you buy
microSD Express. microSD Express cards use PCIe for up to 985 MB/s and are what the Nintendo Switch 2 needs for games. In 2026 they cost several times as much per GB as UHS-I cards and bring no extra speed outside Express devices and readers, where they run as UHS-I cards. Look for “EX” or “Express” on the card itself.
microSD cards serve phones, handheld consoles, action cameras, drones, dashcams and single-board computers. Buyers most often read an “up to 190 MB/s” headline as write speed, when it is a read peak above the UHS-I bus’s 104 MB/s, and buy UHS-II cards for UHS-I devices. Others buy an ordinary card for a Nintendo Switch 2, which needs microSD Express, or a fake-capacity card.
Specs and terms that matter
Speed class: V10–V90, U1, U3, Class 10
Each class guarantees a minimum sequential write: V10, U1 and Class 10 mean 10 MB/s; V30 and U3 30 MB/s; V60 60 MB/s; V90 90 MB/s. The V classes are the current scheme. They describe video recording, not app speed.
Bus: UHS-I, UHS-II, Express
UHS-I tops out at 104 MB/s. UHS-II adds a second row of contacts for up to 312 MB/s, and V60 and V90 cards need it. microSD Express uses PCIe for up to 985 MB/s. A card in an older slot falls back to that slot’s speed.
A1 and A2 application class
A1 guarantees 1,500 random reads and 500 random writes per second, A2 4,000 and 2,000. A2 needs the device to support command queuing, otherwise it behaves like A1. It matters for apps, games and operating systems on the card, not for video.
Read and write “up to”
The headline figure (100, 160, 190 or 200 MB/s) is peak read. On UHS-I cards, figures above 104 MB/s are reached only in a maker-specific mode that some readers support. Write speed is often unstated on cheap cards; premium cards state it.
SDHC and SDXC
SDHC covers up to 32 GB (FAT32), SDXC 64 GB to 2 TB (exFAT). A device’s stated maximum is sometimes lower than what works in practice, but larger cards are then unsupported.
High Endurance
“High Endurance”, “Max Endurance” and “Pro Endurance” cards are rated for continuous overwriting in dashcams and security cameras, in hours or TBW. A three-year test of 351 cards posted to r/homelab in August 2026 found them averaging about 14,000 write cycles against about 10,000 for consumer cards, and not consistently better than good consumer cards.
microSD Express marking
“EX” or “Express” on the card marks it; “Extreme” is a product-line name, not Express. The Nintendo Switch 2 runs games only from Express cards, officially up to 2 TB; older cards hold only screenshots and video there.
Adapter and warranty
Many cards include a full-size SD adapter (“with adapter”). Warranties run from five years to lifetime, and some consumer cards’ terms exclude continuous recording such as dashcam use.
Before you buy
- Check the device’s bus and maximum size: Steam Deck and Switch 1 are UHS-I, so UHS-II brings nothing; Switch 2 needs microSD Express; action cameras and drones usually ask for V30 or U3 and list a maximum per model; dashcams often state 128 or 256 GB.
- Match the card to the job: U3 and A2 for game downloads on a handheld, V30 for 4K action cameras and drones, High Endurance for dashcams and security cameras, A1 or A2 for phones and Raspberry Pi.
- Buy from the maker’s store or listings shipped and sold by Amazon; fakes come in convincing packaging, and commingled stock means this lowers the risk rather than removing it.
- Test every new card’s full capacity before trusting it: H2testw on Windows, F3 on Mac or Linux, or ValiDrive. A fake reports more space than it has and loses data beyond its real capacity.
- Treat implausible prices as a warning: in 2026 a 1 TB card far below about $40, or any “2 TB” card below about $60, is very likely fake.
Myths and mistakes
- V30, U3 and A2 measure different things: V30 is sequential write for video, A2 random access for apps. A card can be A1 and V30, or A2 and V10.
- Read speed is not write speed, and the “up to” figure depends on the reader.
- A UHS-II card in a UHS-I slot works, at UHS-I speed: 104 MB/s at most.
- “Class 10” alone guarantees 10 MB/s of write and nothing more.
- Bigger cards are not slower: a 1 TB card performs like the 512 GB card of the same line.
- A lifetime warranty does not mean dashcam coverage: some makers exclude continuous recording.
Questions people ask
Which microSD card is best for a Steam Deck?
A UHS-I card rated U3 and A2, 512 GB or 1 TB. The Deck’s slot is UHS-I, so UHS-II brings nothing; U1 cards stall during game downloads and unpacking, according to the long-running r/SteamDeck card guide. Buy from a trusted seller and test the capacity.
Which card works in a Nintendo Switch 2?
A microSD Express card, marked “EX” or “Express”; common sizes run 256 GB to 1 TB and the console officially supports up to 2 TB. Ordinary microSD cards work there only for screenshots and video. “Extreme” on a card is a product line, not Express.
Which card for a GoPro or a DJI drone?
V30 (U3) for 4K recording, in a size within the model’s stated maximum. The camera maker’s recommended card list is the safest guide, since some models have tested lists and size limits.
Which card should I use in a dashcam?
A High Endurance card of 64–256 GB, within the camera’s stated maximum; larger cards often work but are unsupported. Formatting the card in the camera about once a month is common practice, and the warranty should cover continuous recording.
How do I know if a microSD card is fake?
Fill and verify it with H2testw (Windows), F3 (Mac, Linux) or ValiDrive; a fake shows errors once its real capacity is exceeded. Some makers also let you check the serial number on their site. A price far below the market is the first sign; in the r/homelab endurance test of August 2026, 35 of 284 purchased cards turned out to be fake flash.
Is an A2 card worth it?
Only for apps, games and operating systems run from the card, and only if the device supports A2’s command queuing; otherwise it behaves as A1. For video recording, the V class matters instead.
Is 128 GB or 256 GB better value?
In 2026 the price per GB usually bottoms out at 256–512 GB: smaller cards cost more per GB, and 1 TB cards often cost more per GB than 512 GB ones. The crossover moves with flash prices, so compare per-GB prices on the day.
Sources: Wikipedia, SD card, SD Association, speed class, TweakTown, Switch 2 supports only microSD Express, r/homelab, three-year microSD endurance test (August 2026), r/SteamDeck, microSD card guide. Reviewed 19 Oct 2026. Product information compiled from public sources and spec sheets, not a compatibility guarantee: the support list of your board, laptop, camera or device decides what works in it.
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