Samsung unveils P9 Express microSD Express Cards to power next-gen gaming

Samsung Electronics has introduced its first line of microSD Express cards, specifically designed to enhance gaming experiences optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2. Available in 256GB and 512GB capacities, the Samsung P9 Express microSD Express cards provide ample storage for all your favorite games and downloadable content, ensuring fast and reliable performance for both casual and competitive players.

Samsung’s 512GB P9 microSD Express card is already on sale for $94.99 ($5 off) at Amazon; you can clip the on-page coupon. The 256GB model is also available on Amazon, though only for its MSRP of $54.99.

The current discount may seem small, but the P9 is already approximately $20 less expensive than most other 512GB microSD Express cards. The only cheaper option available is a card from Onn, Walmart’s house brand, which typically costs around $85 but is often out of stock.

Additionally, while the Switch 2 is one of the first mainstream devices to utilize a microSD Express card for extra storage, these cards can also be used in certain cameras, tablets, and drones that have a microSD UHS-I slot. The P9 offers impressive sequential read speeds of up to 800MB/s, though only devices equipped with a microSD Express card slot can fully leverage these high speeds.

As for how far 512GB of storage gets you, well, it depends. The P9’s capacity for digital games varies significantly based on game size. For instance, you could fit many copies of Silksong, which is only 4.1GB, but a massive game like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment consumes 43.4GB. While 768GB of combined storage might sound excessive, keep in mind that the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade alone requires a 93GB download.

Even those who primarily buy physical games will likely need a microSD Express card. This is because many publishers are now distributing titles on “game-key cards.” While these cards include a physical cartridge for authentication, they necessitate downloading the full digital game file to the system’s internal storage.

Furthermore, many indie games are exclusively digital, or their physical cartridge release occurs long after their initial launch. Ultimately, regardless of your preference for physical or digital games, having more storage capacity than you currently need is always preferable to being forced to choose which games to leave behind when traveling.