Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles in the world, thanks to its versatility and portability. It allows gamers to play their favorite games on-the-go or at home on their TV. However, one of the most common questions asked by Nintendo Switch users is how many games can a Switch hold? In this article, we will explore the storage capacity of the Nintendo Switch and how many games it can hold.
Storage Capacity of Nintendo Switch
The standard Nintendo Switch comes with 32 GB of internal storage [1]. However, not all of this storage is available for game downloads. Some of it is reserved for the operating system, system data, and pre-installed games. As a result, you can only store and install around 4-8 games on the standard Nintendo Switch, including large games like Zelda [1].
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 [1]. The new Nintendo Switch OLED model also comes with 64 GB of internal storage, which is twice the storage capacity of the standard model [3].
Using an SD Card
If you want to store more games on your Nintendo Switch, you can use an SD card. The Nintendo Switch supports microSDXC cards up to 2 TB in size. However, most people opt for a 64 GB or 128 GB microSD card [2].
According to iMore, a 64 GB microSD card is the best option for most gamers [2]. This size lets you hold a few big games at around 14 GB each, a few medium-sized games at around half that mark, and a smattering of smaller games to fill out the bottom [2].
Number of Games Without an SD Card
Without an SD card, the number of games you can store on your Nintendo Switch is limited. Most games require about 10 GB of space, so you can store 3-6 games on the console [4]. However, some games are much larger than 10 GB, which means you can store fewer games on your console.
According to DeviceTests, with only about 21 GB of usable space on your Switch console, the number of games it can hold is severely limited without an external micro SD card storage [4]. Regardless of how much you can optimize your storage space to save video games, you’ll at most squeeze 5-6 games into the console [4].
File Sizes of Nintendo Switch Games
The file size of Nintendo Switch games varies widely. Some games are small and take up only a few hundred MBs, while others are large and take up tens of GBs. According to Twinfinite, Nintendo leaves you with only 25.9 GB for all of your games [5].
To give you an idea of how much space some popular Nintendo Switch games take up, here are a few examples:
– The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 13.4 GB
– Super Mario Odyssey – 5.7 GB
– Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 6.2 GB
– Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 6.8 GB
– Pokémon Sword and Shield – 10.3 GB
Conclusion
In conclusion, the number of games a Nintendo Switch can hold depends on its storage capacity and whether or not you use an SD card. The standard Nintendo Switch has 32 GB of storage, allowing you to store and install around 4-8 games. 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. However, without an SD card, the number of games you can store on your Nintendo Switch is severely limited. Most games require about 10 GB of space, so you can store 3-6 games on the console.