Do you wonder how many games can a switch hold? Or are you considering purchasing a Switch Lite and wondering how many games it can hold? With digital games becoming more popular, it’s essential to understand the storage capabilities of your gaming console.
We will guide you through the storage capacity of both the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite and tell you exactly how many games a Switch can hold. Additionally, we’ll explore the benefits of purchasing an SD card for your Switch and the compatibility of different microSD cards.
Curious about how to manage your data on your Nintendo Switch? Check out the Official Nintendo Switch Support’s Guide for Data Management.
Lastly, we’ll provide tips on choosing the right size microSD card to enhance your gaming experience. Get ready to optimize as we tackle how many games can a Nintendo switch hold.
How Many Digital Games Can a Switch Hold?
The number of games a Nintendo Switch can hold depends on the model you have and the size of its storage. The standard Nintendo Switch has 32 GB of storage, allowing you to store and install around 4-8 games, including large games like Zelda.
However, if you have the option for a Switch with 64 GB of storage, you can store double the number of games, up to 8-16.
This number increases further with larger storage options like 128 GB, with the ability to store 25-28 games, all depending on the size of the games.
If you find yourself running out of space on your Switch follow our guide on How to Delete Games on the Nintendo Switch the Right Way.
How Many Games Can a Switch Lite Hold?
You can hold around 5 average games in the internal memory of the Switch Lite. The Nintendo Switch Lite has an internal memory of 32 GB, but with the system software taking up 3 GB, you have effectively 29 GB of free space. On average, games take up 3-8 GB of space.
The number of games you can store can vary based on the size of the games and whether they are physical or digital. Physical games don’t require downloading the entire game, while digital games can take up a lot of space.
A common tip given when asked how many games can a Nintendo switch hold is to download smaller games. However, you can also transfer larger games to a memory card.
With a memory card, you can add up to 1 TB of storage to your Nintendo Switch Lite, allowing you to store hundreds of games.
Pro Tip! You can download Nintendo Switch games and play them offline. Find out how to do it here.
Is It Worth Getting an SD Card for Switch?
Yes, it is worth getting an SD card for the Nintendo Switch. The standard model only has 32GB of internal memory and games can take up a lot of space. For example, the Dragon Quest Heroes bundle pack is larger than the Switch’s internal storage capacity, and Nintendo suggests that you use an SD card when downloading it.
The average AAA game today is between 40GB and 60GB, so without external storage, the Switch will be limited in terms of storage space. Every Switch console supports up to 2TB MicroSD cards, which are cheap and easy to add.
Simply insert the card into the slot behind the kickstand on the original Switch or OLED design, or plug it in on the Switch Lite.
With the continued popularity of the Switch and the upcoming game releases, it may be time to consider purchasing one of the best SD cards for the Switch.
Do you know you can get Spotify songs on Switch using an SD Card?
Which SD Cards Are Compatible With Switch?
According to Nintendo Support, officially-licensed Nintendo Switch microSD cards are the best choices. Neither a regular SD card nor a miniSD card will work. The Switch requires a microSD card specifically. The Nintendo Switch supports the following types of microSD cards:
- MicroSD. Up to 2 GB.
- MicroSDHC. 4 GB to 32 GB
- MicroSDXC. 64 GB and above.
A system update is required to use a microSDXC card on the Nintendo Switch. We recommended you use a microSD card with a high transfer speed to improve your gameplay experience.
A UHS-I (Ultra High-Speed Phase I) compatible card with a transfer speed of 60 to 95 MB/sec is ideal.
SanDisk Ultra 128GB MicroSD is the best Nintendo Switch SD card for most people. SanDisk Ultra 200GB MicroSD and SanDisk Ultra 64GB MicroSD are also good options with 200GB and 64GB of storage respectively.
If you want to consider another brand, Silicon Power 1TB Superior SD card is also a great option.
If you want to check more options at different prices, any of these compatible Micro SD cards will allow you to hold between 4 – 6 games on your Nintendo Switch.
What Size MicroSD Card Should I Buy?
Currently, the best options for MicroSD Card capacity range from 64GB to 1TB, with SanDisk offering a 1TB option. However, we recommend you go for the 200-256GB range as a 128GB card will fill up quickly. Focus on capacity rather than speed as the Switch only supports UHS-1 cards with a maximum theoretical speed of 104MB/s.
To save money, you can opt for multiple cards and switch between them as needed.
The Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite have 32GB of internal storage, while the Switch OLED has 64GB, which may not be enough for those who buy a lot of digital games.
To ensure you have enough storage, invest in a larger microSD card.
Related Post: Do DS Games Work on Switch?
Do Faster SD Cards Make a Difference on Switch?
Yes, but with a caveat! A faster SD card can make a significant difference in the Nintendo Switch’s performance when it comes to game loading times. It can help reduce the time you spend waiting on loading screens but there is a limit. But don’t forget that it is also important to focus on capacity.
The Nintendo Switch can only transfer data at up to 95 MB/s, so a faster SD card might not be necessary. It is better to spend money on capacity, as storage can easily be underestimated, instead of speed.
As long as the SD card is UHS-I, you will get similar loading times or even slightly better loading times compared to a faster-rated card.
Related article: Why is my Nintendo Switch screen black?
How Many Games Can a 128GB SSD Hold on Nintendo Switch?
A 128GB SSD can hold approximately 19 Nintendo Switch games based on an average of 6.7GB per title, considering unusable storage space on the card itself. However, the size of the Switch games varies greatly, ranging from just a few MBs to over 20GB.
So how many games a switch can hold with a 128BG SSD will depend on the specific sizes of the games you choose to install.
To maximize the number of games that can be stored, you can regularly transfer game data from one SSD to another. This way you can use one SSD as a backup or storage space while using the other as the main one.
This way you can keep unused data saved somewhere else and transfer it to your SSD card whenever you need it.
Here are 10 of the best visual novels on Switch if you’re looking for new games to enjoy.
How Many Switch Games Can 1TB Hold?
With an average game size of 6.7GB, you can store approximately 150 games on a 1TB memory card. Breath of the Wild, one of the largest games on the Switch, takes up around 13.4GB of storage space, and you could store up to 74 copies of the game on this 1TB memory card.
A good option for this is the SanDisk Ultra. It is easy to install and compatible with all Switch models, including the original Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED. It has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Amazon.
Related Post: Are Games Included When You Buy a Nintendo Switch?
Number of Games per SSD Card Capacity
As a rule of thumb, these are the number of games that you can keep on your SD card depending on your SSD card capacity:
| Capacity | Number of Games |
|---|---|
| 16 GB | 2 games |
| 32 GB | 4 games |
| 64 GB | 9 games |
| 128 GB | 19 games |
| 256 GB | 38 games |
| 512 GB | 76 games |
| 1 TB | 152 games |
| 2 TB | 304 games |
| 4 TB | 608 games |
How to Move Games From Your Switch to SD Card?
To move games from your Nintendo Switch to a microSD card, follow these steps:
Step 1. Insert the MicroSD Card
Turn off your Switch and insert the microSD card into the slot under the kickstand.
Step 2. Open “System Settings” From the Switch’s Home Screen
Step 3. Scroll Down & Choose “Data Management”
Step 4. Select “Move Data Between System / MicroSD Card”
Step 5. Choose “Move to MicroSD Card”
Step 6. Select the Game(s) or App You Want to Transfer
Step 7. Click “Move Data” & Confirm
The game will now be transferred to the microSD card. Note that game save data cannot be moved to the card and will still be stored on the console’s local storage.
Screenshots and videos can be stored on the microSD card, but there is a limit to the number of files that can be stored.
Summary
So how many games can a switch hold? That depends on the model of your Nintendo Switch. The standard Switch has 32 GB of storage, allowing you to store around 4-8 games.
The Switch Lite has an internal memory of 32 GB, with the system software taking up 3 GB, leaving you with effectively 29 GB of free space.
An SD card for the Switch can add more storage, with the Switch supporting microSD cards of up to 2 TB.
We recommended you use a microSD card with a high transfer speed for a better gaming experience. The options in terms of capacity range from 64 GB to 2 TB.
