A fascinating DIY experiment by YouTuber Yu from Better Gaming attempts to expand the Nintendo Switch 2’s storage by using a full-sized 1 TB NVMe SSD. The project hinges on an open-source adapter from NV&T Labs, aiming to turn the console’s microSD Express slot into a usable M.2 NVMe SSD port.
The concept seems straightforward. The Switch 2’s microSD Express interface supports PCIe Gen 3 x1 and uses the NVMe protocol, similar to many modern PC SSDs. Yu ordered a custom PCB adapter, designed to map the microSD Express pins directly to an M.2 slot. After some meticulous soldering and encountering a few setbacks, Yu managed to slot in a Corsair MP600 Mini 1 TB SSD formatted to exFAT.
Initially, the console detected activity, but it couldn’t recognize the SSD as usable storage, displaying an “Unable to access microSD card” error. The key issue is that while both SD Express cards and NVMe SSDs use PCIe, they lack compatible communication methods. The Switch anticipates a protocol negotiation that an NVMe drive’s controller doesn’t provide. NV&T Labs has suggested that future adapter versions might include a microcontroller or FPGA to address this.
So, while you can’t merely pop an SSD into your Switch 2 just yet, the progress is encouraging. If the handshake problem is overcome, this could open doors to cost-effective storage solutions for the next-gen console. Keep an eye out for updates as this intriguing endeavor unfolds.
