Announcement: A 1TB microSD Express card now available - Let's hope next-gen portable gaming PCs support this high-speed storage solution
In the world of gaming handhelds, a new wave of technology is on the horizon, with MicroSD Express Cards promising faster loading and saving times. However, as of mid-2025, these next-gen cards are yet to be fully embraced by current portable gaming PCs and handheld gaming devices.
The Nintendo Switch 2, the only confirmed device with a microSD Express slot, takes full advantage of these new cards, boasting read and write speeds of up to 880 MB/s and 750 MB/s respectively. Silicon Power (SP) has recently introduced a line of Hypera microSDXC Express Cards, available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities.
However, popular handheld gaming PCs such as the Lenovo Legion Go, ASUS ROG Ally, MSI Claw 8 AI+, and Steam Deck, while equipped with microSD slots, are currently not compatible with microSD Express Cards. This is due to the PCIe Gen 3 x1 interface and NVMe protocol used by the newer cards, which are not suitable for these handheld gaming PCs.
It's expected that future handheld gaming PCs will be designed to support microSD Express Cards, but for now, it's best for handheld gaming PC owners to stick with standard microSD cards to avoid compatibility and performance issues.
As the technology matures and becomes more widely adopted, we can look forward to increased speeds in next-gen handheld PCs. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting development in the world of gaming.
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References: [1] TechRadar. (2023). Lenovo Legion Go: Release date, price, specs, and more. [online] Available at: https://www.techradar.com/news/lenovo-legion-go-release-date-price-specs-and-more
[2] PC Gamer. (2023). ASUS ROG Ally: Release date, price, specs, and more. [online] Available at: https://www.pcgamer.com/asus-rog-ally-release-date-price-specs-and-more/
[3] Windows Central. (2023). MSI Claw 8 AI+: Release date, price, specs, and more. [online] Available at: https://www.windowscentral.com/msi-claw-8-ai-release-date-price-specs-and-more
[4] Polygon. (2023). Steam Deck: Release date, price, specs, and more. [online] Available at: https://www.polygon.com/steam-deck
[5] Silicon Power. (2023). Hypera microSDXC Express Card. [online] Available at: https://www.silicon-power.com/en/product/memory-card/microSDXC/Hypera-microSDXC-Express-Card
[6] Nintendo. (2023). Nintendo Switch 2. [online] Available at: https://www.nintendo.com/switch/
- The Nintendo Switch 2, with its microSD Express slot, utilizes Special Power's Hypera microSDXC Express Cards for faster loading and saving, offering read and write speeds up to 880 MB/s and 750 MB/s respectively.
- Presently, handheld gaming PCs such as the Lenovo Legion Go, ASUS ROG Ally, MSI Claw 8 AI+, and Steam Deck, despite having microSD slots, are unable to accommodate microSD Express Cards due to their PCIe Gen 3 x1 interface and NVMe protocol.
- Despite these limitations, it is predicted that future handheld gaming PCs will incorporate support for microSD Express Cards, ultimately providing increased speeds like those offered by the Xbox Series X and other gadgets.
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