As the world gears up for the March 3 global launch of the Nintendo Switch, more news and rumors continue to trickle out regarding the upcoming hybrid console.
In the latest report regarding the Nintendo Switch, it has been revealed that Nintendo Switch-branded SD cards will cost more than regular ones, a fact that might add more expenses to the hybrid console's $299 price tag.
Nintendo Switch SD Cards Price
Nintendo has teamed up with HORI, a video game peripheral company, for official SD cards bearing Nintendo Switch branding. The SD cards, which are already listed in Amazon Japan, will come in capacities of 16 GB and 32 GB and will be released alongside the Nintendo Switch on March 3.
It is very likely that the same SD cards will be released globally, which means that future owners of the Nintendo Switch will be able to purchase these official SD cards as well. However, the question is whether gamers will want to do so, given the price of these accessories.
The price of the 32 GB official Nintendo Switch SD card, as listed on HORI's website, is ¥3,758, which is equivalent to around $32. A quick comparison reveals that a high-end 32 GB Sandisk SD card is being sold for ¥2,690, which is equivalent to around $23. There are also options for cheaper SD cards that are being sold for as low as ¥1,180, which is around $10.
The mark-up for the Nintendo Switch SD cards are not that massive, but still significant enough that gamers will feel the added cost.
Will Gamers Be Forced To Buy The Expensive Nintendo Switch SD Cards?
The hard drive of the Nintendo Switch will only be capable of storing 32 GB of data, which is far below the capacities of Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, which both start with internal storage of 500 GB. However, with the Nintendo Switch to use cartridges, 32 GB of data might not be a severe limitation as not much data will be saved in the hybrid console's hard drive compared to those of the CD-based PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
However, for gamers who prefer digital downloads over cartridges and those who are planning to load up on downloadable content, 32 GB will likely not be enough, which will necessitate the purchase of SD cards for the Nintendo Switch to expand its storage.
The good news is that the Nintendo Switch will work with any microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards, unlike the proprietary memory stick found in Sony's PlayStation Vita. As such, gamers will not be forced to buy the official SD cards to expand the storage of the Nintendo Switch, as they can opt to go with SD cards offered by other brands.
However, what Nintendo is selling through these official Nintendo Switch SD cards is the peace of mind that they are guaranteed to work perfectly with the hybrid console. It is then up to gamers if they are willing to pay several extra dollars for these accessories for the assurance that they are compatible with the Nintendo Switch, or if they are content with using regular SD cards.
