In addition to an officially licensed microSD card, SanDisk has several memory cards that are compatible with the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite with the SanDisk Ultra, SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro. So, which one of these is best suited for the gaming systems?
You can find out in this comparison guide.
Quick Summary
Although the SanDisk Extreme Pro has the fastest read speed out of this group, the performance for all four cards should be the same as the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite can only support read/transfer speeds of up to 95 MB per second.
We recommend picking up either the officially licensed SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card or the SanDisk Extreme Card as these two are more affordable than the SanDisk Extreme Pro while offering the same performance at loading games on the Switch and Switch Lite.
The writing speeds between the official Switch microSDXC Card, SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro are also identical at capacities of at least 128GB.
Although the SanDisk Ultra is the cheapest out of this group, the card has unknown writing speeds, which could lead to slower performance when it comes to certain actions, in addition to having a shorter warranty coverage period when compared to the other three memory cards.
SanDisk Nintendo microSDXC vs. Ultra vs. Extreme vs. Extreme Pro Comparison Chart
You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the Nintendo Switch cards below.
| SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card | SanDisk Ultra microSDHC/microSDXC Card | SanDisk Extreme microSDHC/microSDXC Card | SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDHC/microSDXC Card | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity Options | 64 GB: SDSQXBO-064G-ANCZA 128 GB: SDSQXBO-128G-ANCZA 256 GB: SDSQXAO-256G-GNCZN 512 GB: SDSQXAO-512G-ANCZN | 16 GB: SDSQUNC-016G-AN6MA 32 GB: SDSQUNC-032G-AN6MA 64 GB: SDSQUNC-064G-AN6MA 128 GB: SDSQUNC-128G-AN6MA 200 GB: SDSQUAR-200G-GN6MA 256 GB: SDSQUNI-256G-AN6MA 400 GB: SDSQUAR-400G-GN6MA 512 GB: SDSQUAR-512G-AN6MA | 32 GB: SDSQXVF-032G-AN6MA 64 GB: SDSQXA2-064G-AN6MA 128 GB: SDSQXA1-128G-AN6MA 256 GB: SDSQXA1-256G-GN6MA 400 GB: SDSQXA1-400G-AN6MA 512 GB: SDSQXA1-512G-AN6MA 1 TB: SDSQXA1-1T00-AN6MA | 32 GB: SDSQXCG-032G-GN6MA 64 GB: SDSQXCY-064G-GN6MA 128 GB: SDSQXCY-128G-GN6MA 256 GB: SDSQXCZ-256G-GN6MA 400 GB: SDSQXCZ-400G-GN6MA 512 GB: SDSQXCZ-512G-GN6MA 1 TB: SDSQXCZ-1T00-GN6MA |
| Form Factor | 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC | 16GB: microSDHC 32GB: microSDHC 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 200GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 400GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC | 32GB: microSDHC 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 200GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 400GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC 1TB: microSDXC | 32GB: microSDHC 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 200GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 400GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC 1TB: microSDXC |
| Bus Interface | UHS-I | UHS-I | UHS-I | UHS-I |
| Sequential Read/Transfer Performance | 64GB: Up to 100 MB per second 128GB: Up to 100 MB per second 256GB: Up to 100 MB per second 512GB: Up to 100 MB per second | 16GB: Up to 98 MB per second 32GB: Up to 98 MB per second 64GB: Up to 100 MB per second 128GB: Up to 100 MB per second 200GB: Up to 100 MB per second 256GB: Up to 100 MB per second 400GB: Up to 100 MB per second 512GB: Up to 100 MB per second | 32GB: Up to 100 MB per second 64GB: Up to 160 MB per second 128GB: Up to 160 MB per second 256GB: Up to 160 MB per second 400GB: Up to 160 MB per second 512GB: Up to 160 MB per second 1TB: Up to 160 MB per second | 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second 64GB: Up to 170 MB per second 128GB: Up to 170 MB per second 256GB: Up to 170 MB per second 400GB: Up to 170 MB per second 512GB: Up to 170 MB per second 1TB: Up to 170 MB per second |
| Sequential Write Performance | 64GB: Up to 60 MB per second 128GB: Up to 90 MB per second 256GB: Up to 90 MB per second 512GB: Up to 90 MB per second | N/A | 32GB: Up to 60 MB per second 64GB: Up to 60 MB per second 128GB: Up to 90 MB per second 256GB: Up to 90 MB per second 400GB: Up to 90 MB per second 512GB: Up to 90 MB per second 1TB: Up to 90 MB per second | 32GB: Up to 90 MB per second 64GB: Up to 90 MB per second 128GB: Up to 90 MB per second 256GB: Up to 90 MB per second 400GB: Up to 90 MB per second 512GB: Up to 90 MB per second 1TB: Up to 90 MB per second |
| Operating Temperature Range | -13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C) | -13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C) | -13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C) | -13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C) |
| Storage Temperature Range | -40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C) | -40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C) | -40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C) | -40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C) |
| Warranty | Lifetime Limited Warranty | 10-Year Limited Warranty | Lifetime Limited Warranty | Lifetime Limited Warranty |
| Pricing | Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned) | Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned) | Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned) | Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned) |
Supported Nintendo Switch Memory Cards
The Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite supports the following form factors:
- microSD
- microSDHC
- microSDXC
Nintendo Switch Memory Card Recommend Specs
Nintendo recommends that you use a memory card that has a bus interface of UHS-I.
Although you can also use UHS-II memory cards with your Switch and/or Switch Lite, your speeds will be limited to the UHS-I specifications. Thus, there is no reason to get an UHS-II memory card over an UHS-I memory card for your Switch system.
The other recommend specification is the read/transfer speed as Nintendo suggests the specs to be at least 60 MB per second. You will get a better gameplay experience, such as better load times, with higher read speeds.
However, both the Switch and Switch Lite only supports a maximum reading speed of up to 95 megabytes per second. So, even if you have a memory card with a much faster speed, you will be bottlenecked to 95 MB/s.
Thus, there is no point in getting a memory card that has a read/transfer speed that is significantly above 98 MB.
Capacity Options
All four of the Switch compatible memory cards in this versus guide are available in capacities of 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The SanDisk Ultra also offers 16GB and 32GB options.
The SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro are available in 32GB as well as 1TB.
If you download a lot of games and/or downloadable content, then we recommend getting the biggest capacity you can afford for the extra convenience of not having to delete anything and/or swap out cards if you ran out of free space.
You can find the model number for the capacity options of each product below:
SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card:
- 64 GB: SDSQXBO-064G-ANCZA
- 128 GB: SDSQXBO-128G-ANCZA
- 256 GB: SDSQXAO-256G-GNCZN
- 512 GB: SDSQXAO-512G-ANCZN
SanDisk Ultra:
- 16 GB: SDSQUNC-016G-AN6MA
- 32 GB: SDSQUNC-032G-AN6MA
- 64 GB: SDSQUNC-064G-AN6MA
- 128 GB: SDSQUNC-128G-AN6MA
- 200 GB: SDSQUAR-200G-GN6MA
- 256 GB: SDSQUNI-256G-AN6MA
- 400 GB: SDSQUAR-400G-GN6MA
- 512 GB: SDSQUAR-512G-AN6MA
SanDisk Extreme:
- 32 GB: SDSQXVF-032G-AN6MA
- 64 GB: SDSQXA2-064G-AN6MA
- 128 GB: SDSQXA1-128G-AN6MA
- 256 GB: SDSQXA1-256G-GN6MA
- 400 GB: SDSQXA1-400G-AN6MA
- 512 GB: SDSQXA1-512G-AN6MA
- 1 TB: SDSQXA1-1T00-AN6MA
SanDisk Extreme Pro:
- 32 GB: SDSQXCG-032G-GN6MA
- 64 GB: SDSQXCY-064G-GN6MA
- 128 GB: SDSQXCY-128G-GN6MA
- 256 GB: SDSQXCZ-256G-GN6MA
- 400 GB: SDSQXCZ-400G-GN6MA
- 512 GB: SDSQXCZ-512G-GN6MA
- 1 TB: SDSQXCZ-1T00-GN6MA
Form Factor
The 32 GB version SanDisk Extreme, 32 GB version of SanDisk Extreme as well as the 16 GB and 32 GB versions of the SanDisk Ultra use microSDHC as the form factor.
The rest of the cards, which are at least 64 GB, use microSDXC.
You can find the full breakdown of the form factors for each capacity below:
- 64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
- 128GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
- 256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
- 512GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
- 16GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDHC
- 32GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDHC
- 64GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
- 128GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
- 200GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
- 256GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
- 400GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
- 512GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
- 32GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDHC
- 64GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
- 128GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
- 256GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
- 400GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
- 512GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
- 1TB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
- 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDHC
- 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
- 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
- 256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
- 400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
- 512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
- 1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
Bus Interface
The SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card, SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Card, SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card and SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC Card utilize UHS-I as the bus interface.
Sequential Read/Transfer Performance
When it comes to the sequential read/transfer performance, all capacities of four memory cards in this comparison are faster than the aforementioned recommend speed of 95 MB per second.
Although the SanDisk Extreme Pro is the fastest of the group, it doesn’t matter when it comes to the loading Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite games as the speed will top out at 95MB/s.
You can check out the sequential read/transfer speed specifications below:
- 64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
- 16GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 98 MB per second
- 32GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 98 MB per second
- 64GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
- 200GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
- 400GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
- 32GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 100 MB per second
- 64GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
- 400GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
- 1TB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
- 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
- 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
- 400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
- 1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
Sequential Write Performance
With the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite, you can save downloadable games and other software, patches and title updates, DLC and expansions in addition to screenshots and videos on a memory card.
The sequential write speed determines how fast data are saved to the storage.
The 32GB SanDisk Extreme, 64GB SanDisk Extreme and 64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card have sequential write speeds of up to 60 MB per second while the other cards come with write speeds of up to 90 MB per second.
Unfortunately, the writing specs were not listed for any of the capacities of the SanDisk Ultra.
You can take a look at the writing speed specifications below:
- 64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 60 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 90 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 90 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 90 MB per second
- 16GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 32GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 64GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 128GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 200GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 256GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 400GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 512GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
- 32GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 60 MB per second
- 64GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 60 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
- 400GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
- 1TB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
- 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
- 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
- 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
- 256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
- 400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
- 512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
- 1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
Operating Temperature Range
The SanDisk memory cards have the same operating temperature ranges of -13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C).
Storage Temperature Range
The four products also have identical storage temperature ranges of -40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C).
Warranty
The SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Card comes with a 10-Year Limited Warranty. The SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card, SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card and SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC each come with a Lifetime Limited Warranty.
Resources:
- https://shop.westerndigital.com/products/memory-cards/sandisk-nintendo-switch-microsd
- https://shop.westerndigital.com/products/memory-cards/sandisk-ultra-uhs-i-microsd
- https://shop.westerndigital.com/products/memory-cards/sandisk-extreme-uhs-i-microsd
- https://shop.westerndigital.com/products/memory-cards/sandisk-extreme-pro-uhs-i-microsd