Most microSD playing cards are quick sufficient for stashing images, recording video and transferring recordsdata, however some will get you just a little extra bang to your buck than others. In the event you’re seeking to enhance the storage of your Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, GoPro or some other gadget that also accepts microSD playing cards, we might help. We’ve totally researched the market and several other playing cards by a collection of benchmark exams. Listed here are the perfect that we’ve examined, together with some basic recommendation on what to search for when shopping for a brand new card.
Desk of contents
Finest microSD playing cards of 2026
Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: Lifetime restricted
UHS-I card is fast sufficient for most individuals’s wants, and the Lexar Professional Silver Plus is the perfect worth of those we’ve examined. Paired with Lexar’s USB card reader, it persistently delivered sooner sequential reads and writes than some other UHS-I mannequin throughout our benchmark exams. It’s rated for learn speeds as much as 205 MB/s and write speeds as much as 150 MB/s, each of that are comparatively excessive to start with, however we discovered the latter to achieve into the 180-190 MB/s vary in artificial benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark, ATTO and AJA.
Our 12GB take a look at folder wrote to the cardboard in 76 seconds on common, which was roughly 30 seconds faster than the Samsung Professional Plus and Samsung Professional Final, our two earlier prime picks. It successfully tied the Professional Final to steer all UHS-I playing cards we’ve tried in studying that take a look at file again to our PC. (That one averaged about 67 seconds, if you happen to’re conserving rating at dwelling.) Each Samsung playing cards and some others beat the Silver Plus in some random efficiency benchmarks, although it was nonetheless loads aggressive in that regard. Both means, it has all of the requisite rankings — U3, V30, A2 — and it’s greater than speedy sufficient for working with 4K movies or shifting recordsdata between gadgets with out main delays (as long as you will have a reader and/or host gadget that may allow these max speeds).
The cardboard itself is waterproof with an IPX7 score, and Lexar backs it with a lifetime guarantee. Sizes vary from 128GB to a spacious 1TB. The optional reader — which you should purchase individually or as a part of a bundle — is a bit massive, but it surely conveniently contains each USB-A and USB-C ports, so that you shouldn’t want any dongles to attach it to a cellphone or PC.
The Silver Plus’ pricing has normally been the factor that is put it excessive. For many of the previous a number of months, the 128GB model offered for round $15, whereas the 256GB, 512GB and 1TB variants have gone for about $23, $40 and $80, respectively. These aren’t the most cost effective costs we’ve ever seen, and the mathematics will change a bit if it is advisable think about a card reader, however they’ve both undercut or matched opponents just like the Professional Plus, Professional Final or SanDisk Excessive regardless of the Silver Plus being the extra performant card general. So, to recap: It’s quick, it’s sturdy and it’s typically moderately reasonably priced. That’s the recipe for a simple advice.
- Quickest sequential learn/write efficiency of any UHS-I card we have examined
- Has been cheaper than many slower options
- Has a 1TB possibility
- Lifetime restricted guarantee
- Wants USB reader to achieve most speeds (as anticipated)
Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
Storage costs are inclined to fluctuate, nonetheless, particularly with the driving reminiscence and storage demand extra towards knowledge facilities . As of our most up-to-date replace, the — our former “greatest for many” choose — is now obtainable for lower than the Silver Plus in most capacities, and it’s nonetheless properly price contemplating when that’s the case.
Its sequential learn and (particularly) write efficiency was slower than Lexar’s card throughout the board however nonetheless on par with or higher than almost each different UHS-I card we’ve examined. Its random reads and writes had been usually second to the pricier , however solely by just a little, so it’s well-suited for a transportable sport console or some other setup the place it’d be requested to entry tiny bits of knowledge scattered all through a tool. It’s held up completely tremendous in our long-term testing as properly. That stated, the Silver Plus is the higher card when it’s in the identical value vary, plus Samsung’s has a shorter 10-year guarantee.
In the event you do find yourself grabbing one, although, be sure you get the latest mannequin with learn speeds rated at 180MB/s. An older-generation mannequin with slower sequential reads and random efficiency should still be hanging round at some on-line retailers, so keep away from that one. Samsung additionally sells a Sonic the Hedgehog-themed version of the Professional Plus with equivalent efficiency rankings, however that normally prices a couple of dollars additional.
- Fast sequential and random speeds
- Available at trusted retailers
- Has a 1TB possibility
- Slower than our prime choose, particularly with sequential write efficiency
- 10-year guarantee is not the longest
Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Storage capability: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB (“new technology” mannequin solely) | Velocity courses: U3, V30, A2, Class 10 / (64GB) U1, V10, A1, Class 10 | Guarantee: 10-year restricted
The Samsung Evo Select is a transparent step behind our prime picks, significantly with regards to sequential write speeds (just below 70 MB/s on CrystalDiskMark). So we don’t suggest it for any form of digicam. Nonetheless, it’s completely usable for easy storage enlargement, and its sequential and random learn speeds had been nonetheless respectable in our benchmarks.
Most significantly, it’s normally cheap: We have beforehand seen the 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB fashions fall as little as $13, $18, $33 and $67, respectively. The latter two capacities may very well be significantly tremendous values if you happen to simply need a large chunk of area from a good model on a budget. That stated, it’s best to nonetheless seize the Lexar Skilled Silver Plus or Samsung Professional Plus as an alternative if both one is wherever shut in value.
- Typically discounted
- Acceptable efficiency if value is chief concern
- Has a 1TB possibility
- Slower than different prime picks, significantly in sequential write and random efficiency benchmarks
- 10-year guarantee is not the longest
Finest microSD Categorical playing cards for the Nintendo Change 2
Jeff Dunn for Engadget
Learn our full information to the best microSD Express cards for the Nintendo Switch 2
Let’s be clear about this: Except you intend to personal a Nintendo Switch 2 within the close to future, you do not want a high-speed microSD Categorical card simply but. Nintendo’s gaming handheld is the one well-liked gadget that natively helps this normal proper now, and microSD Categorical playing cards themselves are extremely costly in comparison with extra conventional choices.
Nonetheless, if you happen to do wish to improve a Change 2’s storage, they’re your solely selection. Fortuitously, figuring out precisely which mannequin to purchase for the console is fairly easy: Get whichever one you will discover in inventory, within the capability you need, at a value you’ll be able to abdomen.
We benchmarked a number of microSD Categorical playing cards for a separate Switch 2 guide, and for probably the most half, the efficiency variations between them weren’t nice sufficient to justify paying additional for any explicit mannequin. Loading instances weren’t fairly equivalent with each take a look at we ran, however the playing cards had been extraordinarily shut in most video games and customary eventualities. The few instances when there was a notable hole — fast-traveling to a very resource-heavy area in Cyberpunk 2077, for example — the gulf between the slowest and quickest card was solely ever about 4 or 5 seconds at most. That’s not nothing, but it surely’s additionally not one thing most individuals are prone to fret over until they’ve a stopwatch helpful.
The SanDisk microSD Categorical Card and Lexar Play Professional. (Jeff Dunn for Engadget)
The one time you’d discover a serious pace distinction is if you happen to switch video games to your Categorical card from the Change 2’s inner storage (and vice versa). In that case, the SanDisk microSD Express Card and Lexar Play Pro had been usually the quickest, whereas PNY’s microSD Express Flash Memory Card had significantly sluggish write speeds.
Shifting Mario Kart World to the SanDisk and Lexar fashions, for instance, took round 4 minutes and 35 seconds on common; with the PNY card, it took just a little over seven minutes. That stated, the PNY mannequin was the quickest when it got here to shifting video games again to the system storage. Walmart’s Onn microSD Express Card was considerably slower to maneuver video games from the cardboard to system storage, but it surely’s additionally probably the most reasonably priced card we’ve seen by a long way. Both means, most individuals aren’t continually shuffling their video games backwards and forwards like this. Efficiency in precise video games is extra vital, and in that regard the outcomes had been persistently a lot tighter.
What issues most is getting probably the most area to your finances. Sadly, inventory for all microSD Categorical playing cards has been spotty because the Change 2’s launch. On your comfort, we’ll checklist out the entire fashions we’ve examined so far and their respective checklist costs under. Word that some lower-capacity variations — the 128GB SanDisk card, for one — promote slower speeds than their extra spacious counterparts.
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Samsung microSD Categorical Card for Nintendo Change 2: 256GB ($60)
The Lexar Play Professional on prime of Lexar’s RW540 microSD Categorical card reader. (Jeff Dunn for Engadget)
Broadly talking, we suggest getting at the least 256GB of storage, as Change 2 video games are inclined to have a lot bigger file sizes than video games for Nintendo’s earlier handheld. However we additionally suggest holding off upgrading for so long as you’ll be able to, if solely as a result of all of those playing cards ought to (tariff shenanigans apart) come down in value as time goes on.
There’s no level in shopping for a microSD Categorical card for something apart from the Change 2, however we did run the fashions above by our ordinary PC benchmarks as properly. Unsurprisingly, they’re miles sooner than any conventional card available on the market.
With the 256GB SanDisk card, for example, sequential learn speeds checked in just below 900 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark and ATTO, whereas sequential writes topped out round 650 MB/s. Sustained writes speeds had been slower (round 210 MB/s), however that was nonetheless quick sufficient to maneuver our 12GB take a look at file to the cardboard in 52 seconds on common. It took a mere 20 seconds to learn the file again to our PC. The write take a look at with our smaller 1.15GB take a look at folder, in the meantime, averaged simply 4.5 seconds.
All of it provides as much as efficiency that is at the least twice as quick as the perfect UHS-I fashions we’ve examined when it comes to sequential reads and writes, with three or 4 instances the speeds in some instances. The gulf in random reads and writes is comparable, and in some benchmarks even larger. However you want a dear SD card reader to even see these will increase on a PC, so solely these with a Change 2 in hand or severe money to burn ought to take into account considered one of this stuff.
Different notable microSD playing cards
Samsung Professional Final
The Samsung Pro Ultimate was the closest competitor to the Lexar Skilled Silver Plus throughout our benchmark exams, but it surely’s tangibly worse when it comes to sequential write speeds, usually prices extra and doesn’t supply a 1TB possibility. The Samsung Professional Plus is a bit slower for sequential reads, but it surely’s shut sufficient in any other case and normally simpler to seek out at a lower cost.
Lexar Skilled Gold
We’ve not used it ourselves, however if you happen to’re keen to pay for a extra highly effective UHS-II card constructed for heavy-duty video recording, the Lexar Professional Gold has tested well elsewhere and may ship considerably sooner sequential write speeds than our UHS-I picks above. It’s one of many few UHS-II playing cards we might truly discover in inventory, but it surely’s expensive, with a 128GB mannequin usually priced within the $35 to $40 vary.
SanDisk Excessive
The SanDisk Extreme successfully matched the Professional Plus in just a few of our sequential exams, however that was partly on account of us solely with the ability to safe the 256GB mannequin, which is higher-rated than the 128GB model. It’s a tremendous selection if you happen to see it on sale at a good vendor, but it surely’s broadly slower than our prime choose and infrequently prices extra.
SanDisk GamePlay
The SanDisk GamePlay performs equally to the SanDisk Excessive however prices an excellent bit additional as of our newest replace. We couldn’t get it to achieve its marketed speeds with the corporate’s personal “Professional” card reader or different third-party choices, so it fell in need of our prime picks.
SanDisk Pokémon
The SanDisk Pokémon does outperform its marketed learn and write speeds, however not by sufficient to outpace the Lexar Silver Plus or Samsung Professional Plus. It primarily fees additional for having an image of Pikachu (or Gengar, or Snorlax) on a product you’ll by no means have a look at.
SanDisk Excessive Professional
The SanDisk Extreme Pro is an in depth analog to the Samsung Professional Final however, as of this writing, is both unavailable at most trusted retailers or priced too excessive by comparability. The Lexar Skilled Silver Plus has sooner sequential write speeds as properly.
PNY XLR8 Gaming
The PNY XLR8 is an reasonably priced card that comes with as much as 512GB of area. Its sequential and random writes speeds checked in just a little bit above these of Samsung’s Evo Choose, plus it comes with a lifetime guarantee. However its sequential reads had been a lot, a lot slower, placing it out of competition.
PNY Elite-X
The PNY Elite-X typically goes for reasonable and wasn’t too far off the random learn/write efficiency of Samsung’s Professional Plus in CrystalDiskMark. Just like the XLR8, it’s additionally barely above the Evo Choose in write speeds. However its sequential reads had been too far behind all of our prime picks, and it now not seems to be obtainable in capacities above 256GB.
What to search for in a microSD card
Capability
The very first thing to determine when shopping for a microSD card is how a lot space for storing you want. Fashionable playing cards are generally obtainable in sizes starting from 32GB to 512GB, with a number of fashions now obtainable in 1TB or 1.5TB capacities as properly. The primary 2TB cards from major brands have began to reach as properly, which is thrilling, however these are nonetheless pretty uncommon (and really costly) by comparability.
For a lot of, a 128GB or 256GB mannequin must be a candy spot between value and space for storing. However if you happen to want extra room — say, for stashing a bunch of video games on a Steam Deck — a 512GB card or larger might make extra sense and infrequently supplies a greater cost-per-GB ratio.
Pricing and inventory ranges are far and wide as of our most up-to-date replace because of ongoing AI-driven shortages, however you’ll be able to usually nonetheless discover a respectable 128GB card for round $15, an excellent 256GB card for lower than $30 and a stable 512GB card for round $40 (with sooner fashions priced just a little increased). There’s a starker improve whenever you go as much as 1TB playing cards, which frequently price nearer to $100, although we’ve seen some fall into the $70 to $80 vary over the past 12 months. The primary 2TB playing cards are an even bigger leap: the 2TB SanDisk Extreme, for instance, at present has an inventory value round $290, which is means up from what we noticed in 2025.
Word {that a} microSD card’s efficiency could differ relying on what capability you purchase. SanDisk says its 128GB Extreme card delivers sequential write speeds as much as 90 MB/s, for instance, whereas the higher-capacity fashions in the identical line supply as much as 130 MB/s.
Once we speak about microSD playing cards immediately, we principally consult with playing cards that use the microSDXC (eXtended Capacity) standard, which have a capability between 32GB and 2TB. Your gadget must help this for it to work with a microSDXC card. It will virtually by no means be a problem today, however some older gadgets (a Nintendo 3DS, for example) are solely suitable with microSDHC (Excessive Capability) playing cards, which vary from 2GB to 32GB.
Learn and write speeds
MicroSD playing cards are primarily judged on their learn and write speeds, that are normally measured in megabytes per second (MB/s). Typically, most microSD playing cards have sooner learn speeds than write speeds.
These metrics can then be damaged down into sequential and random efficiency. Sequential learn and write speeds matter whenever you’re making an attempt to entry (learn) or save (write) lengthy, fixed streams of knowledge, reminiscent of opening a big video or copying a giant batch of recordsdata from a PC. If you wish to use a microSD card for media storage, that is significantly vital. Random efficiency, in the meantime, is about how rapidly a card can learn and write small recordsdata scattered all through the gadget.
Since random learn/write speeds are a lot decrease than sequential ones, storage gadget makers have a tendency to not promote them as loudly. However they’re vital if you happen to use a card with a gaming gadget or a single-board pc just like the Raspberry Pi, the place it typically has to quickly save and entry small bits of knowledge in random places.
Velocity rankings
In the event you have a look at a microSD card, you’ll see a buffet of numbers, letters and symbols. Most of those consult with the cardboard’s speed class and efficiency rankings, that are decided by the SD Association.
A card’s Video Velocity Class, or V-rating, particulars its minimal sequential write pace, which is particularly vital when recording video from a digicam. It ranges from V6 to V90. A lot of the playing cards we examined had a V30 score, in order that they have a sequential write pace of at the least 30 MB/s. This must be sufficient to help as much as 4K video at decrease bitrates. Larger-rated V60 and V90 playing cards are normally higher for capturing 8K, however they arrive at a a lot increased price.
The UHS Velocity Class, or U-rating, additionally refers to a card’s minimal sequential write pace. It is available in two varieties: U3, which mandates a minimal of 30 MB/s, and U1, which is rated for 10 MB/s.
The older Velocity Class score overlaps with the opposite two techniques. It’s signified by a C image and goes from Class 2 to Class 10, with the quantity (once more) indicating minimal sequential write pace. This score is much less related these days, however you should still see a “C10” brand on some playing cards.
The Software Efficiency spec, marked by an An emblem, is an indicator of random learn/write speeds. That is measured in IOPS, or enter/output operations per second, reasonably than MB/s. There are two classes right here: A1 playing cards supply a minimal random learn pace of 1,500 IOPS and a minimal random write pace of 500 IOPS, whereas A2 playing cards bump these as much as 4,000 IOPS and a pair of,000 IOPS, respectively. Each rankings additionally assure sequential write speeds of at the least 10 MB/s.
To maintain it easy, most individuals ought to search for a card with V30, U3 and A2 rankings. It’s completely attainable to get a stable card with out these: A U1 card is likely to be price it if you happen to simply want an inexpensive, high-capacity possibility, for instance. V60 and V90 playing cards are price a glance if you happen to’re severe about capturing high-resolution images and video as properly. However general, playing cards with the certifications above ought to present the perfect mix of value and efficiency immediately.
It’s vital to emphasise that these rankings are baselines. Most V30 playing cards supply considerably increased write speeds than 30 MB/s, for example, and a few A1 playing cards can outperform some A2 fashions in observe. The speeds marketed by producers aren’t at all times 100% correct, both: Typically the cardboard will probably be slower in real-world use, different instances it could truly be a bit sooner.
Samsung
UHS bus speeds
The opposite spec to notice is the cardboard’s bus interface. Most microSD playing cards obtainable immediately are UHS-I, which has a theoretical most pace of 104 MB/s. There are additionally UHS-II playing cards, which have an additional row of pins on the again and may attain as much as 312 MB/s. (A UHS-III normal technically exists as properly however hasn’t seen broad adoption.) These are labeled on the cardboard with a Roman numeral I or II.
UHS-II playing cards are usually those with these increased V60 or V90 rankings. In the event you shoot a number of 4K to 8K video or incessantly use burst mode to seize extremely high-res images, the efficiency positive aspects of an excellent UHS-II card can prevent time.
Nevertheless, these are usually way more costly than UHS-I playing cards: This 128GB Lexar Professional Gold mannequin, for example, is a relative cut price at $35. Whereas that is lower than many UHS-II fashions we’ve seen prior to now, it is nonetheless greater than double the frequent avenue value of our prime choose above. You want a tool that’s suitable with the UHS-II interface to see any advantages, too, and inventory for UHS-II playing cards is commonly spottier. For now, the upper speeds aren’t definitely worth the value premium for most individuals, so we caught principally to UHS-I playing cards with our suggestions.
In contrast to conventional UHS-I playing cards, a microSD Categorical card just like the SanDisk mannequin on the precise comes with a second row of pins to allow its improved efficiency. (Jeff Dunn for Engadget)
microSD Categorical and the Nintendo Change 2
Absolutely the quickest microSD playing cards you should purchase, nonetheless, are based mostly on a special interface known as SD Express. This has technically been around for a number of years and now includes its personal subset of speed classes, however the gist is that it is a lot sooner than UHS-I or UHS-II: SanDisk’s just lately launched microSD Express card, one of many first commercially obtainable fashions, advertises sequential learn speeds as much as 880MB/s. That’s faster than some older SSDs.
It’s a considerable improve that has largely held up in our testing, however only a few well-liked gadgets natively help SD Categorical immediately. The primary main exception is the Nintendo Switch 2, which is only compatible with the newer normal, because it’s wanted to maintain up with the efficiency calls for of latest handheld video games.
Apart from SanDisk, producers like Samsung, Lexar and PNY have already launched microSD Categorical playing cards to go together with the console. The presumption is that having such a well-liked gadget embrace the tech will solely additional its adoption and drive costs down.
However it’s nonetheless early days, and proper now all microSD Categorical playing cards price way more than the perfect UHS-I and even UHS-II choices. Past the Change 2, it’s attainable to reap the benefits of these playing cards’ superior speeds with a devoted SD Categorical card reader, however that provides much more to the ultimate price. It’s additionally price noting that SD Categorical playing cards usually are not backwards suitable with UHS-II (or UHS-III), so if you happen to attempt to plug one into a tool with a UHS-II slot, it’ll be restricted to UHS-I speeds. Nonetheless, they’re a should for Nintendo followers going ahead, and the tech ought to have loads of enchantment if extra devices that help the interface do arrive.
For extra on how the primary wave of Categorical playing cards carry out on the Change 2, we have put collectively a dedicated buying guide only for Nintendo’s console.
A be aware on card readers and reaching marketed speeds
Whereas the UHS-I interface has a theoretical most of 104 MB/s, some UHS-I playing cards can exceed that pace by proprietary extensions. Nevertheless, you want a suitable card reader and host gadget to reap the benefits of that additional efficiency. In the event you discover a UHS-I card promoting speeds increased than 104 MB/s, that is what’s happening. You possibly can see these limits in motion with an authentic Nintendo Change or Steam Deck: Both of those gaming gadgets help the UHS-I interface however don’t transcend its official pace, flattening any sequential positive aspects some playing cards could have elsewhere. (Variations in random learn and write speeds can nonetheless matter, although.) The identical factor will occur if you happen to plug a extra highly effective UHS-II or SD Categorical card into a tool that doesn’t settle for these interfaces.
The takeaway: Your microSD card will solely be as quick because the slowest hyperlink in your chain.
Guarantee
Many microSD playing cards are designed to be sturdy, with safety from water, excessive temperatures, X-rays and drops. Nonetheless, in case of disaster, a protracted guarantee is at all times good to have. Many producers supply lifetime or 10-year restricted warranties, although we’ve observed that “endurance” playing cards marketed to face up to extra hours of writing are normally coated for a shorter time period. For instance, Samsung’s Pro Endurance, a mannequin geared toward safety cameras and different monitoring gadgets, comes with a five-year guarantee.
Avoiding counterfeits
The reminiscence card market has had a specific drawback with scammers promoting faux merchandise. To protect towards this, solely purchase from a identified model and a good retailer reminiscent of Finest Purchase, B&H Photograph or Adorama. In the event you store at Amazon, solely purchase if the shipper and vendor is Amazon.com. (That stated, a handful of customers have reported receiving counterfeits even from Amazon immediately prior to now, so train warning.) Keep in mind: If a value appears too good to be true, it most likely is. Be cautious of any retailer providing a considerably lower cost than everybody else.
When you obtain a card, examine its packaging for any irregularities. You possibly can run benchmark exams like CrystalDiskMark or BlackMagic Disk Speed Test to confirm its speeds aren’t drastically decrease than what’s marketed (or attainable, given its specs). You can even use software program that’s designed to confirm the true capability and efficiency of your card, reminiscent of H2testw and FakeFlashTest.
A couple of of the microSD card readers we have used for testing. (Jeff Dunn for Engadget)
How we take a look at microSD playing cards
We have put about 20 microSD playing cards by a collection of exams to confirm their sequential and random efficiency. These included benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark, BlackMagic Disk Speed Test, ATTO Disk Benchmark and AJA System Test, in addition to just a few “real-world” exams. We copied and pasted a small folder of images about 1.15GB in dimension to and from every card, then did the identical with a bigger 12.2GB folder containing a number of file varieties and subfolders, timing the method every time. We additionally checked how every card carried out on the Steam Deck, downloading video games of various sizes — together with Stardew Valley, Aperture Desk Job, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Apex Legends — then timing how lengthy it took to launch every sport and cargo save recordsdata. We do a number of runs of every take a look at to confirm our findings and account for potential outliers.
The place relevant, we used a Kingston USB 3.2 UHS-II reader to check every card on each Home windows 11 and macOS Sequoia. Nevertheless, if a card may very well be bundled with (or is particularly marketed to make use of) a proprietary reader, we primarily examined with that, since we determine that’s the one most patrons will find yourself utilizing. For Home windows testing, we used an Alienware gaming PC with an Intel Core i9-10900F, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. For macOS, we used a 2021 16-inch MacBook Professional with an Apple M1 Professional chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. If a reader couldn’t join over USB-C, we used CalDigit’s TS4 dock to check the corresponding card on the MacBook.
We examined the 128GB model of every card each time we might, although we had been solely capable of take a look at higher-capacity fashions for just a few choices. We additionally reformatted every card earlier than testing with the SD Affiliation’s Memory Card Formatter tool.
For microSD Categorical playing cards, we ran every mannequin by a collection of exams particular to the Change 2, since that’s the solely well-liked gadget that truly helps the tech. You possibly can learn extra about that course of in our separate shopping for information linked above.
Current updates
December 2025: We’ve examined the Samsung P9 Categorical microSD Categorical card and famous it in our Change 2 part above. We’ve additionally made just a few edits to spotlight latest value will increase and inventory shortages pushed by the continued AI growth.
November 2025: We’ve examined Walmart’s Onn microSD Categorical Card and edited our notes on the perfect playing cards for the Nintendo Change 2 accordingly.
September 2025: We’ve fleshed out our recommendation on shopping for a microSD Categorical card for the Nintendo Change 2.
Might 2025: We’ve up to date this information to make sure our recommendation is correct and to replicate the brand new Nintendo Change 2’s use of microSD Categorical playing cards. We’ve additionally added testing notes for the Lexar Play Professional microSD Categorical card and the extra normal PNY XLR8. We’ve eliminated mentions of some playing cards which have seemingly been discontinued, together with the unique Kingston Canvas Go Plus, the Lexar Skilled 1066x and the 2021 Samsung Evo Choose. We plan to check extra new microSD Categorical playing cards for a future replace.
February 2025: We’ve up to date this information with a brand new prime choose: the Lexar Skilled Silver Plus. The Samsung Professional Plus, our earlier advice, stays as a runner-up. We’ve additionally added SanDisk’s just lately launched microSD Categorical card as a choose for individuals who need absolutely the quickest card attainable, albeit with heavy caveats. This is among the first microSD playing cards to make use of the SD Categorical bus interface, so we’ve included extra particulars on what that entails in our “what to search for in a microSD card” part. Lastly, we’ve eliminated our write-up for SanDisk’s Apex Legends card, because it seems to have been discontinued, and included testing notes for a few the corporate’s more moderen releases.
November 2024: We have checked again with this information to make sure our suggestions are nonetheless correct and made mild edits for readability.
August 2024: We’ve up to date this information to notice the just lately launched 1TB fashions for 3 of our prime picks: the Samsung Professional Plus, the Kingston Canvas Go Plus and the Samsung Evo Choose. We’ve additionally made certain all pricing particulars are as updated as they are often.
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