Everybody loves a great gift bundle, even when it’s of the DIY variety. If you already have a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch 2 bought and wrapped and ready, there’s still time to create an awesome holiday bundle by making the very small addition of the Samsung P9 Express microSD card — the 256GB version is selling at Amazon for 40% off, and going fast.
The P9 Express microSD card isn’t exclusively a gaming accessory — it works like any microSD card, with the ability to add storage and memory to tablets, drones, digital cameras, and more — but it has the speed and thermal protection that make it ideal for handheld consoles like the Switch 2 and the Steam Deck. Its transfer speeds reach up to 800 MB per second, which is an impressive 4x faster than Samsung’s standard microSD cards. When you’re using it as an extended storage device for games and downloadable content, that speed makes a huge difference.
Best of the Best
Samsung’s enormous footprint in the tech world makes it easy to forget the fact that they’re also the world’s No. 1 flash memory brand, and have held that title since 2003. It makes sense that in the Samsung universe that’s populated by elite-level big-screen TVs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and wearables, a humble microSD card that measures just 0.59 by 0.43 inches and weighs less than one-hundredth of an ounce can be easily overlooked.’
But the data sheet for the P9 Express microSD card makes it look like an absolute giant. That sequential read speed of 800 MB/s is tailor made for handheld gaming consoles. Games load and install far faster than with other microSD cards, and the all-important downloadable content that often requires weeks of gaming to earn is also safely stored and at the ready.
More Than Just Fast
The amazing speed is obviously the main draw to the P9 Express microSD card, along with its seamless compatibility with the market’s two top handheld gaming consoles — the Nintendo Switch 2 and the Steam Deck. Then there is its expansive compatibility with other tech devices like digital cameras, drones, smartphones, and more. But none of that would matter if the card itself was fragile, or prone to breakdowns and data failure.
Samsung, thankfully, has given the P9 Express six distinct forms of protection to ensure its long life and reliability. The P9 Express is designed to withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -13°F to 185°F, up to 72 hours immersed in seawater, airport x-ray machines, magnetic forces up to 15,000 gauss (equivalent to a high-field MRI machine), drops of up to 16.4 feet, and up to 10,000 swipes. Needless to say, it’ll survive the rigors of handheld gaming.
The Samsung P9 Express microSD card makes a fine stocking stuffer on its own because it’s so universally useful, but as a companion with a brand-new handheld gaming console, it’s a serious winner. It’s also selling seriously fast at Amazon right now, so get there before the 40% off deal dropping its price to just $33 ends.
