Alright, so here’s the scoop. You ever look at those MicroSD Express cards and just think they’re kind of a wallet sucker? Seriously, they’re pricey, which got some clever folks diving into ways to dodge the cost, especially if you’re rocking a Switch 2. So, there’s this YouTube channel—Better Gaming—checking out this nifty open-source gadget: a MicroSD Express adapter built just for the Switch 2. It even lets you hook up those fancy NVMe 2230 SSDs. Sounds cool, right? Well, the first try didn’t quite hit the jackpot.
Here’s the deal: they’ve been mucking around with this SDEX2M2 project thing. It’s all about tapping into the MicroSD Express tech’s PCIe trickery to run NVMe M.2 SSDs smoothly. Basically, it’s supposed to vibe with the SD Express 7.1 standard, which rides the PCIe Gen 3×1 wave—yeah, geeky, I know.
So, Better Gaming got their hands on these blueprints from the project, farmed out for some custom PCBs, and then started soldering like it’s a soldering party. A few boards and some patience later, they connected the dots with a Corsair MP600 Mini NVMe SSD. Visually, the hardware was spot-on, sliding into the console like it was meant to be. But boom, error code “2016-0641” hit them outta nowhere. The Switch 2 just couldn’t find the microSD card.
Turns out, these adapters aren’t chatting right with the Switch 2. They lack the whole microSD controller convo. MicroSD Express cards come with this built-in controller that talks to devices, which is where the confusion happens—NVMe controllers aren’t singing the same tune.
Rumor has it the project folks are trying to fix this hiccup with some FPGA magic to mimic a MicroSD Express controller. Fingers crossed that works out. If it does, gamers might finally ditch those overpriced MicroSD cards. MicroSD Express cards are about 20 to 25 cents per gig, which sends a 256GB card over $50! But grab a 1TB NVMe SSD like the Corsair MP600 Mini, and we’re talking $89.99—way more bang for your buck.
So you see, we might be onto something here. Expanding storage without emptying your pockets? Sign me up. For all the latest DIY hacks and hardware chatter, keep an eye on Tom’s Hardware. You’re gonna want this in your life.
