Fresh Switch 2 leaks suggest MicroSD Express support, lack of Switch 1 dock compatibility

The ongoing deluge of Switch 2 leaks continues today with purported retail listings for Switch 2 MicroSD Express cards, a report that Nintendo’s new console won’t be compatible with the Switch 1 dock, and speculation over the new handheld’s mysterious optical sensor.

Let’s begin with those MicroSD Express listings, which look to be have been spotted by a GameStop employee and posted to reddit. These include Switch 2-branded MicroSD Express card variants in the already-existing 256GB and 512GB sizes, which sell for around £40 and £50 respectively.

SD Express is a newer standard for SD cards with much faster transfer speeds, enabling performance not dissimilar to SSDs. If the Switch 2 is indeed adopting this standard, it’ll be interesting to see how the console performs with multiplatform games versus current gen consoles with SSD memory.

Moving on to word of compatibility with the Switch 1 dock, IGN has been told by Switch 2 accessories manufacturer Genki that Nintendo’s new console won’t fit the older base.

While the Switch 2 itself can physically fit within the Switch 1 dock, “indentations” in its design have been added to ensure users don’t actually plug it in.

Finally, The Verge has been told by Genki CEO Eddie Tsai that the Switch 2’s mysterious new optical sensor – located on its Joy-Con – could offer mouse-like functionality when paired with another attachment. The concept sounds similar to Lenovo’s Legion Go handheld, which also features Joy-Con like controllers.

When paired with a base, the Legion Go controllers can stand upright and act like a vertically-aligned mouse – almost akin to a joystick.

Nintendo has so far kept schtum on all of its Switch 2 plans, other than stating the new console will be backwards compatible with Switch 1 games and will be fully unveiled before 31st March.

The company has not responded to comment on the now-rampant Switch 2 leaks – many of which have been fuelled by third-party accessory manufacturers who claim to have access to the console’s final design.