Sure thing! Here’s a reimagined version of the article:
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So, ever notice how expensive those MicroSD Express cards are lately? I’m talking crazy money here. Anyway, this whole price issue got some creative folks, you know, the DIY crowd, itching to find new ways to pump up the storage on the Switch 2. Better Gaming on YouTube dived into this quagmire, trying out this newfangled adapter—that’s apparently open source—for the Switch 2 and it lets you use a full-on M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD. Slick, right? Except, spoiler alert, it didn’t really work. Bummer.
Now, if you’ve seen our earlier ramblings on this, you’d know Better Gaming’s using this groovy adapter project, SDEX2M2 it’s called. It leverages MicroSD Express’ PCIe vibes and NVMe charm to cozy up with M.2 SSDs. Sounds fancy, but it’s all about taking advantage of SD Express 7.1’s heart, which is snug with a PCIe Gen 3×1 interface keen on NVMe protocol. Are you still with me? Cool, ’cause I’m barely keeping up myself.
Oh, there’s this video floating around… “Let’s Run an SSD on the Switch 2!” I caught it on YouTube. Maybe you saw it, maybe you didn’t. No biggie. Better Gaming crafted the blueprints from the SDEX2M2 team and had these PCBs whipped up by some third party. Cue a montage of soldering antics, adding bits like the M.2 connector and something called an R1 resistor? Yeah, no clue, but it sounds important.
Fast forward—four boards and probably a few choice words later—finally, the adapter’s all set, tested with a Corsair MP600 Mini NVMe SSD. Slid into the Switch 2 like butter, if you can imagine that. The console recognized the adapter—I mean, that part’s a mini victory, right?
But then, hold that confetti. A nasty error “2016-0641” pops up, saying the Switch 2 can’t access the microSD. A real facepalm moment. Better Gaming pokes around and realizes these passive adapters are like whisperers—though not saying enough for the Switch 2 to get cozy with M.2 NVMe SSDs. Turns out, MicroSD Express cards have their own chatterbox (controller, technically), and without that, the Switch is like, “Who’s this stranger?” NVMe SSDs have their own style, but not tailored to dance with SD Express 7.1. Typical tech mix-up.
So the squad behind SDEX2M2? They’re already scribbling updates on napkins, working on a new design with this FPGA thingy that should fool the Switch into thinking it’s talking to a legit MicroSD Express controller. Here’s hoping that improvisation sticks.
To wrap it all in a bow, if this FPGA thing kicks off like it should, gamers might finally have a pocket-friendly alternative to these pricy MicroSD Express cards. Could save some serious coin—those 256GB cards are over 50 bucks, but you could opt for a 1TB NVMe SSD like the Corsair MP600 Mini for under 90 bucks. Kinda bulky for portable play, though. Trade-offs, you know?
Okay, that’s the rundown. Stay plugged in, check Google News if you’re into that. And yeah, don’t forget to hit the follow button there ’cause, why not?