Browse our FAQs about General Knowledge

How long a card lasts depends on a variety of factors, including environment and device care. Integral’s Gamer’s Edge card is shockproof, waterproof, and x-ray proof to ensure maximum longevity and user confidence.

No. Traditional microSD cards do not meet the demands of the Switch 2.

While the Gamer’s Edge microSD Express card is backwards compatible with MicroSD card devices like the Switch 1, transfer/read speed will be limited to UHS-I level.

PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) and NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) are technologies that work together to optimise data transfer speeds. PCIe is a new, physical interface that allows the transfer of data, while NVMe is a communication protocol that makes this transfer faster and more efficient. Combined, they enable unprecedented read/write speed and high-quality gaming experience.

microSD Express uses PCIe and NVMe technology, delivering transfer speeds up to 985MB/s—much faster than older microSD cards. In contrast, UHS-I microSD cards peak at 104MB/s, and UHS-II cards reach 312MB/s.

A key physical difference is the number of pins:

• Standard microSD and UHS-I cards have 9 pins.
• UHS-II cards add a second row, increasing the total to 17 pins.
• microSD Express keeps the 9-pin layout (like UHS-I) for backward compatibility but adds a second row of extra pins to enable PCIe connectivity—resulting in a total of 17 pins.

This design allows microSD Express to fit and function in older slots (though only at legacy speeds), while unlocking blazing-fast PCIe/NVMe performance in compatible devices. Perfect for 4K/8K video, gaming, and mobile computing.

While the Switch 2 boasts an impressive 256GB of internal storage, the size of game files is increasing with every update. For example, one of Nintendo’s most anticipated releases, Mario Kart World, will be 23.4GB in size – almost 10% of the Switch 2’s overall capacity. Updates on existing games also often come with hiked storage demand. We therefore recommend maximising space and performance with a microSD Express card so you can keep playing all your favourite games and maintain blazing-fast speeds.

The number of games that can be stored on a card depends on file size. Large, open-world RPGs and action-adventure games such as Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime 4 take up much more storage than less complex games like Stardew Valley. Integral’s Gamer’s Edge card comes in multiple storage options – 128GB, 256GB and 512GB – so you can find the option that is right for you.

Yes, but you’ll be limited to the older device’s supported speed—typically UHS-I.

microSD Express provides blazing-fast transfer speeds, improved power efficiency, and the ability to handle 4K/8K video, RAW burst photography, AI workloads, and portable gaming without lag.

Support is expected in next-gen smartphones, tablets, cameras, gaming consoles, and other performance-driven devices like the Nintendo Switch 2

Yes. It works in older microSD devices but will operate at UHS-I speeds in those devices.

A: microSD Express is the next-generation memory card that combines the microSD form factor with PCIe and NVMe interfaces—offering ultra-fast data transfer speeds similar to SSDs.

The default formatting for cards up to 2GB is FAT16.

In recent years, memory cards have gained more storage capacity; 4GB and above. The file format FAT32 is now commonly used in memory cards between 4GB and 32GB.

If a digital device supports only the FAT16 file system you cannot use a memory card bigger than 2GB (i.e. SDHC/microSDHC or SDXC/microSDXC memory cards).

Integral memory cards of 4GB or more such as those in the CompactFlash i-Pro, UltimaPro and SDHC ranges are only supported by FAT32 devices and must be formatted to FAT32.

It is best practice to format the card in your device before use, CAUTION formatting a card will delete all data, please see your device manual.

*Recommended limit by Microsoft for compatibility but can be up to 4GB

“UHS-1” or more accurately “UHS-I” stands for “Ultra High Speed” – 1 and is a speed class for SDHC and SXDC memory cards. UHS-I has a bus interface speed of up to 104 MB/s. An SDHC UHS-I card will work in any SDHC compatible device at lower speeds, but to take advantage of the UHS-I speed, a UHS-I compatible device is essential. An SDXC UHS-I card will work in any SDXC compatible device at lower speeds, but to take advantage of the UHS-I speed, a UHS-I compatible device is essential. UHS-I compatible cards and devices are normally marked with the symbol below ,”UHS-I” or “I” A speed class is also defined. = Class 1 .”UHS Class 1″

• SD cards are in the following capacities 4,8,16,32,64,128,256 512MB and 1GB, 2GB only.
• SDHC cards are available in the following capacities: 4, 8, 16, 32GB
• SDXC cards are available in the following capacities; 64, 128, 256, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
• SDUC cards are available in the following capacities 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128TB
• SDUC memory cards must only be used with SDUC devices.
• SDXC memory cards can be used with SDXC devices and SDUC Devices.
• SDHC memory cards can be used with SDHC devices, SDXC devices and SDUC Devices
• SD memory cards can be used with SD devices, SDHC devices, SDXC devices and SDUC Devices. SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) and SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) were established to meet the growing demand for data heavy apps, 8K, 4K, and HD video and high-resolution image photography. SDUC / SDXC / SDHC are all the same physical size and shape as standard SD.

If you have a digital camera, dashcam, or a phone it is better to format your card in the camera. If you are using the card in a device other than these, we recommend the formatting of the card using a card reader, as described below: If you are using the card in two different devices with different formats (e.g. a Digital Camera and a Phone) we would advise you to use two separate cards. If formatting in the Card Reader (WARNING: FORMATTING CAN & WILL DELETE ALL DATA) please see your device or camera manual before proceeding with a format. Be aware, by default Windows will format a memory card of 2GB or higher capacity to FAT32.

Formatting in a PC:

Windows 10/11 • Open My Computer o Locate the drive letter of your memory card o Right-click on this drive o Select Format… (This will launch the Format Utility Window) o Under the option File System select FAT32 o Click on the Start button • Press Start / Run o Type ‘cmd’ press the OK button o This will launch the MS-DOS window and prompt o Type format *: /fs:FAT32 or NTFS (* represents the drive letter that windows recognises the card as) o Press return and follow the onscreen prompts o Once the routine is complete type EXIT

If a memory card is used properly it will give many years of service. You could just have a single card but if you invest in 2 or 3 your flexibility is increased greatly:

• Use an extra card when it is impractical to download your pictures, e.g. on holiday, or on the move.
• It is sensible to set your camera to at the highest resolution (and therefore highest quality) setting. However, higher resolution images require more space, so with only one memory card you risk running out of storage space quickly. With an extra memory card this problem is eliminated.
• Many modern digital cameras also record high quality video. These video clips use produce a lot of data, so a single memory card can become full very quickly.
• Take more shots of your subject and select the best one without having to delete unwanted images straight away.
• What if your only memory card gets lost or damaged? Precious holiday, birthday, wedding photos could be lost forever! Spread the risk by using 2 or 3 memory cards with your camera.

Memory cards and USB drives are NOT designed for long term storage. You should always backup your data on to another device. The data will normally stay valid for a period of up to 10 years if stored under normal conditions. The data cells inside carry a charge which can dissipate over time. The data can be refreshed; copy all data off card and then format the card or USB drive and then restore all data to extend the data for another 10 years.

There may be a few reasons why your drive’s capacity may be lower than stated.

The first is that when your operating system formats your drive, it leaves some overhead storage for the file system, boot data, wear levelling, and “shadow storage”.

Second, computers and laptops often come with several partitions, including a hidden recovery partition. There is a chance that some of the space is taken up by this recovery partition.

The third, and the main reason, is due to the difference between how memory manufacturers, PC / Laptop manufacturers, and Windows / Android systems measure storage. Memory manufacturers use a decimal system and PC / Laptop manufacturers & Windows / Android systems use a binary system.

In simple terms:

Memory manufacturers see:

• 1KB = 1000 bytes
• 1MB = 1,000KB (1,000,000 bytes)
• 1GB = 1,000MB (1,000,000,000 bytes)
• 1TB = 1,000GB (1,000,000,000,000 bytes).

PC / Laptop manufacturers and Windows / Android systems see:

• 1KB = 1024 bytes
• 1MB = 1024KB (1,048,576 bytes)
• 1GB = 1024MB (1,073,741,824 bytes)
• 1TB = 1024GB (1,099,511,627,776 bytes)

This difference in measurement leads to a difference in how much space is shown on some PCs, Laptops, and Phones. This difference increases as the capacity of the drive increases between MBs, GBs, TBs.