The Nintendo Switch is a tremendous amount of fun. When buying one for the first time, you’ll need some extras beyond the console itself, like controllers and cases. But perhaps most important is storage, in the form of a microSD card—preferably the biggest one you can find.
The Nintendo Switch relies on microSD storage—tiny little cards—to hold all the downloadables you’ll end up getting. There are plenty of games for the console that are only available for digital download—including the entire library of classic NES and SNES games, so you’ll need external memory to avoid your console slowing down or running out of room. MicroSD cards have never been more affordable, so get a big size, like 256GB, to avoid having to buy another card later.
There are a few different speeds available for microSD cards, and this determines how quickly the card can read and write data. You want as fast a card as possible for gaming, so opt for a card that can transfer data quickly. You might notice a little logo reading “U1” or “U3” on a card; these refer to the speed. U3 is faster, and what you should be looking for.
MicroSD cards are incredibly versatile. Many come with an adapter, which looks like a full-size SD card with a slot at the bottom. Insert the microSD card into the adapter, and you have a card that’ll work in normal SD applications, like digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards for storage in all kinds of devices, including smartphones, some computers and even some streaming boxes.
