Samsung P9 Express 256GB microSD Express Card Review – A Performance Value Compromise

We’ve been conducting comprehensive microSD Express card reviews for some time, and if you look back at our original charts, Samsung was included in that group. We initially held back on publishing the Samsung report because the card was supplied by a third party, never spoke of performance variables, and showed behavior that differed from the rest. It didn’t align with the performance norms of other SD Express cards, with write speeds topping out at just above 200 MB/s. This was Samsung’s first microSD Express release, and because so few cards were available at the time, we ultimately chose to include it in our performance charts, yet not provide its own report.

Several months later, Samsung has released an updated model, now branded as the Samsung P9 Express card. The card is rated for read speeds of up to 800 MB/s and write speeds 200 MB/s. While the write performance figure falls well short of what we’re seeing from competitors, Samsung clearly has its own positioning in mind, possibly focused on value.

For those new to the microSD Express card game, this card is remarkably similar to microSD cards and, in fact, it is fully backward compatible.  The difference is that the newer microSD  Express release uses a PCIe 3.0 lanesand the NVM Express protocol, allowing for a significant performance boost when you have SD Express compatible gear such as the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming console.

In our evaluation, we test game load and data transfer from the the Nintendo Switch 2 once the software has been loaded onto the card, as well as independent data transfer speed which seems to be an exclusive on the web, at least up to this point.  We validate just how fast that card is.

The Samsung P9 is available in 256GB and 512GB capacities and provides SD7.1 performance up to 800MB/s read and 200MB/s write data throughput. It does this by using PCIe 3.0 single lane travel and the NVMe 1.3 operating protocol.  Samsung guarantees 6-way protection and this card is waterproof up to 1m depth, temperature protected with Dynamic Thermal Guard (DTG), x-ray, magnetic, drop proof up to 1 metre and wear proof up to 10,000 swipes.

Although it is future ready for such things as action cameras, drones, smartphones tablets and PCs, the immediate need for the Samsung P9 Express lies within the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming console. This is a Class 10, V30 and U3 speed rated card which will also reach 90MB/s in standard UHS-1 mode.  It comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

Value is where this card stands out.  Checking Amazon, we are seeing the 256GB version of the Samsung P9 Express card listed at $32.99 with the 512GB version listed at $99.99.  This card has driven those initial high prices of competitors cards down and has easily placed itself as the top value candidate for microSD Express cards.

Let’s get to its performance and see first hand how it compares in real world Switch 2 use.