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PNY microSD Express Card: Review
The PNY microSD Express card is one of the fastest. Nintendo Switch 2 cards I tested.
It also excels when it comes to read speeds, actually achieving a claimed 890MB/s at 893.74MB/s in my testing. This difference is most likely due to different conditions and hardware, but it's safe to say that this card is fast. Its reading speed is almost equal to that of a licensed SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 is a model officially approved by Nintendo.
What does all this mean in practical terms? Well, the PNY MicroSD Express Card is great for use with the Nintendo Switch 2. Internet access, games load quickly, and everything runs smoothly while you play. I tested similar Cyberpunk 2077: Complete Edition And Hitman World of Assassination – branded editiontwo very demanding games on the Nintendo Switch 2, and neither experienced any noticeable performance degradation – be it dropped frames, slow loading models, or increased loading times.
The best part is that the 256GB PNY MicroSD Express card costs almost the same as its main competitors. At $59.99 / £59.99 / around AU$100, the leading write speeds are a compelling reason to choose this card over alternatives. The same goes for the warranty: In some regions, PNY offers a five-year or “limited lifetime warranty.”
This is for the life of the card (not you) and won't apply to you if PNY stops making them, but otherwise you should see you for at least the life of the Nintendo Switch 2 – just make sure you keep your proof of purchase and retail packaging in case you need to claim it.
PNY is also one of the few manufacturers to offer a cheaper 128GB model, which costs $44.99/£39.99 (or even less on sale), allowing gamers with very modest storage needs to avoid paying more for storage they don't need.
There's a catch, however, when you start looking at options larger than 256GB. A 512GB model has recently hit the market for $119.99/around £150, but it seems to be very hard to find outside the US at the moment. There's also no 1TB model yet, so those with larger libraries may be better off sticking with competing models. Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card instead of.
PNY microSD Express card: price and specifications
|
Price |
$59.99 / £59.99 / around AU$100 (256GB) |
|
Capacity |
128 GB/256 GB |
|
Claimed reading speed |
890 MB/s |
|
Claimed write speed |
750 MB/s |
|
Test reading speed |
893.74 MB/s |
|
Test recording speed |
713.42 MB/s |
Should I buy a PNY microSD Express card?
Buy if…
Don't buy it if…
Also consider
Here's how the PNY microSD Express card compares to its two main competitors.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
microSD Express PNY card |
Lexar Play Pro microSD Express Card |
SanDisk microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 |
|
Price |
$59.99 / £59.99 / around AU$100 (256GB) |
$58.98 / £59.45 / AU$119.34 (256GB) |
US$59.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.95 |
|
Capacity |
128 GB/256 GB/512 GB |
256 GB/512 GB/1 TB |
256 GB |
|
Claimed reading speed |
890 MB/s |
900 MB/s |
880 MB/s |
|
Claimed write speed |
750 MB/s |
600 MB/s |
650 MB/s |
|
Test reading speed |
893.74 MB/s |
831.97 MB/s |
894.4 MB/s |
|
Test recording speed |
713.42 MB/s |
310.03 MB/s |
674.1 MB/s |
How I tested the PNY microSD Express Card
- Tested for several weeks
- Compared to other microSD Express cards
- Measured using standardized performance tests.
I tested the PNY microSD Express card along with several other microSD Express devices over the course of several weeks. During this time, I used the card with my personal Nintendo Switch 2, evaluating its performance in a number of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games.
To get comparative data, I compared the card to its competitors in a series of standardized tests. I measured each card's sequential read and write speeds using the standard CrystalDiskMark benchmark with default flash settings.
To do this, I used a Lexar Play Pro MicroSD Express card reader, which has an active cooling fan.
Find out more about how we test
First inspection November 2025
