Updates on physical Switch games: Runs faster on System Memory or on Micro SD?

[Starry Windy]

Well, I've been buying some physical Switch games lately, and I find that the games' updates are stored to either Micro SD or System Memory. I heard some claims that the digital games from eShop would run faster on internal memory, but I want to know, does the same happen to physical game updates? Or is there no differences in speed at all?

Thanks in advance.

 

[eonia]

i dont see any difference either if the games are in the internal memory or a SD

 

[randysilverwolf]

Having done some personal tests as well as some benchmark videos and stats, system memory read and write times are the fastest, followed by micro sd card and the slowest is cartridges.

Keep in mind as well that not all micro sd cards are equal. Ive looked heavily into this with personal benchmarks and others specific to the switch, The cards with the fastest read.write performance are cards that are rated at USH1 and U3. I've attached a screenshot below from someone that did extensive benchmarks to give an idea of the load time differences with BOTW.

The time differences arent a large contrast, but it does make a difference in the long run and with games that do a lot of loading.

 

[Starry Windy]

So... as the follow up, I've been putting some tests and find that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe boots slightly faster by 100-200 milliseconds if the updates are in Internal Memory instead of in the Micro SD. It's minor and not quite noticeable unless you're tracking its time, but it still counts in a way. Even though some games might not count if the updates are embedded in the cart, like Snipperclips Plus for example. I'm still yet to test this on large updates like those on Splatoon 2 though.

EDIT: Splatoon 2 seems to load 2 seconds faster on Internal Memory too.