We genuinely sense the urgency
- by Jim Norman
In 2024, the Switch’s transfer rates leave much to be desired; however, this is likely one of the issues Nintendo is eager to resolve with ‘Switch 2’, if we are to believe the rumors surrounding a new job listing (thanks to Gameranx).
Indeed, the latest buzz from the ‘Switch 2’ speculation mill centers on microSD cards, particularly Samsung’s forthcoming ‘SD Direct’ cards, which the company announced earlier this year. Samsung asserts that these microSDs can achieve transfer speeds of up to 800 MB/S — a significant increase over the current Switch’s 60 MB/S on the branded SanDisk cards and 150 MB/S maximum on the SanDisk SDXC card — and it appears Nintendo is aiming to enhance it ultimately.
As noted by SuperMetalDave64 in a recent YouTube segment, Nintendo of America is currently seeking an Electro Mechanical Engineer to join its Technology Department. According to the job listing, the role’s prerequisites include “Experience with transmission line theory and its implications for practical PCB design” and “Experience with high-speed signaling and power delivery on PCB designs that involve elements like PCIE, DDR4, MIPI, SD/SD Express”.
It is that final mention of “SD Express” that has raised the alarm for SuperMetalDave64 and others. If Nintendo is searching for someone with expertise in SD Direct technology and Samsung is applying this technology in an upcoming product, it was only a matter of time before the two were connected.
Moreover, there was even speculation that the new microSD variation was developed in partnership with Nintendo, as Samsung described the cards as resulting from “a successful collaboration with a customer to create a bespoke product.” A cost-effective, low-energy solution that offers a sort of middle ground between current standards and high-end competition? It certainly sounds like it could very well be Nintendo, but who can say for sure!
Video games are becoming increasingly large, and while the likes of the SD Direct transfer speeds may not compete with some claimed by powerful PCs or next-gen consoles, it might just open the door for more “impressive ports” making their way to Nintendo hardware in the future.
As always, despite what some rumors would have you believe, this is far from any form of confirmation. Nintendo remains tight-lipped regarding all things ‘Switch 2’ and will likely keep it that way until the console’s official announcement at some point “this fiscal year.” Talk of enhanced transfer speeds is indeed exciting, but let’s not forget that it’s still speculation for now.
What do you think of this microSD rumor? Let us know in the comments.
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