Valve’s Steam Deck console is arguably one of the best gaming consoles out there as it merges Steam’s vast library with a portable gaming PC that runs a custom OS that can be modified to play indies and emulated games or even run a full-fledged version of Windows for those looking to experiment.
The Steam deck comes in 3 major SKUs, a 256GB LCD variant, a 512GB OLED display model, and a top-end 1TB version that has an $650 ask. This is in addition to two recently phased-out models including the eMMC-based 64GB variant and the older 512GB version that came with LCDs at launch.
SABRENT Rocket 2230 NVMe 4.0 1TB SSD
Just The Right Size At Almost The Right Price
The Sabrent Rocket 2230 is a DRAM-less PCI-E 4.0 SSD backed by an excellent 5-year warranty (with mandatory registration) which offers impressive Gen 4 speeds coupled with reliability that makes it an essential add-on storage option for the Steam Deck or ultra-portable PC.
Cost Per Gigabyte:$0.10
When it comes to the Steam Deck, one of the most popular options for an SSD upgrade also happens to be one of the best on offer. The SABRENT Rocket 2230 NVMe 4.0 1TB SSD offers 1TB of fast PCI-E 4.0 storage that easily maxes out the Steam Deck’s PCI-E 3.0 spec while offering higher durability than most of the competition, something that gamers who regularly switch between titles on the go would appreciate.
With a TBW rating of 600 and excellent read/write speeds of 4750 MB/s and 4300 MB/s, the Rocket 4.0’s 2230 form factor SSD is fast for both read and write cases despite it skipping dedicated RAM when compared to its larger siblings. It also comes in packaging that feels considerably more premium than most of its peers, which could make a much more presentable gift with or without a Steam Deck in tow.
With up to 800K IOPS claimed by Sabrent, the Rocket is a performant, reliable option in a market where it faces fierce competition but delivers a more premium product with a reliability rating matched with a 5-year warranty for users wanting peace of mind to match their Steam Deck purchase in 2024.
Corsair MP600 Core Mini
A Balanced Value-Centric Play
The Corsair MP600 Core Mini is a small, compact SSD that confirms to the M2 2230 standard allowing it to be used in a host of hardware options including, but not limited to PCs, the Steam Deck, and other handheld consoles and hardware such as the Microsoft Surface Pro lineup alike.It comes in a DRAM-less design and offers PCI-E 4.0 speeds with a read rate of up to 5000MB/s. This makes it an ideal SSD offering that also keeps power consumption in check for a wide variety of use cases.
Cost Per Gigabyte:$0.08
For users looking to spend under $100 and get a value-centric SSD option, the Corsair MP600 Core Mini is hard to beat when it comes to an SSD for the Steam Deck. It offers excellent read/write speeds that exceed the maximum spec of the Steam Deck even as it costs as much as similar 2280 form factor M2 SSDs that are traditionally cheaper than their smaller 2230 offerings.
This allows the Corsair MP600 Core Mini to command a price tag that is considerably lower than the competition, making it one of the cheapest options per unit of storage available to users upgrading their handheld. The MP600 does have a lower TBW rating which also directly influences its warranty terms at 250 TBW, but most users would be hard-pressed to reach that kind of usage on a Steam Deck within the 5 years of warranty on offer otherwise.
WD_BLACK SN770M 2TB
The WD_BLACK SN770M 2TB is a fast NVMe SSD that offers speeds that take advantage of PCI-E 4.0’s bandwidth while offering an impressive amount of storage in a relatively small form factor.It is one of the best M2 2230 SSDs currently available as an option for handheld consoles, smaller laptops and tables, and even for minimalistic builds, backed by an extensive 5-year warranty.
Cost Per Gigabyte:$0.107
The WD_BLACK SN770M 2TB is a durable and fast SSD offering for users that also doubles the maximum storage on offer for any stock Steam Deck at a minimum. It costs marginally more than the Sabrent Rocket’s 1TB model above (per storage unit) and offers the same ratio of TBW and a 5-year warranty.
It also promises potentially higher peak read and write speeds than most of its peers and comes with a capable controller in tow even as it has a higher mean time between failures (MTBF) of 1.8 million hours. There are, however, cheaper models out there for the Steam Deck,including the Silicon Power UD90 belowthat offer the same capacity for a considerable discount.
WD offers a faster, more durable solution than the competition but comes at a premium that not all users might be willing to pay in 2024. There are cheaper solutions out there in the 2230 form factor, but few, if any, that combine reliability, durability and performance in a sleek package like Western Digital’s offering at the time of writing.
INLAND TN436 512GB NVMe SSD
The Low-Budget Player
The pocket-friendly INLAND TN436 512GB NVMe SSD offers entry-level PCI-E 4.0 performance along with 512GB of SSD storage, making it a great budget-friendly option for gamers and users looking for a replacement for their laptops and tablets alike.It comes with a 6-year warranty and acceptable read/write rates for consoles like the ASUS ROG Ally and the Steam Deck, making it a solid contender for a replacement SSD or an upgrade for most users.
Cost Per Gigabyte:$0.098
For users on a budget looking to upgrade a 64GB or a 256GB LCD Steam Deck or replace a faulty 512GB Steam Deck’s SSD module without spending a considerable sum of money, the INLAND TN436 512GB NVMe SSD might be exactly what fits the bill. It costs just under $50 while offering significant performance uplift for users migrating from older Steam Decks.
With a comprehensive 6-year warranty in play to back it, in addition to a price tag that is easier to digest versus the competition in the same capacity, the INLAND TN436 seems to be a great fit for users on a budget looking to get more out of their Steam deck in 2024. It isn’t the fastest 2230 PCI-E 4.0 SSD on offer by far, but at its price point, it doesn’t have to be, especially when it handles the Steam Deck’s needs without any qualms.
Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe SSD
More Capacity At A Better Asking Price
The Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe SSD is a fast, inexpensive SSD option for users looking to add a larger storage option to their handheld console or tablet in the near future.It offers up to 5000MB/s read speeds and 3200 MB/s write speeds, leveraging its PCI-E 4.0 interface to do so even as it comes in a DRAM-less design while offering better pricing than most of its competition.
Cost Per Gigabyte:$0.074
For users looking for more capacity under the hood of their Steam Deck without spending any more than is required of them, the Silicon Power UD90’s 2230 variant comes in a 2TB SKU that costs just under $150. This makes it one of the cheapest SSDs on offer for users looking to max out their Steam Deck’s storage currently with a cost per gigabyte well under the average 10 cents in play.
Not only is Silicon Power’s offering considerably cheaper than the competition, but it does, for the most part, keep up when it comes to read speeds and offers decent write speeds to match. It offers a comprehensive 5-year warranty along with a 1200 TBW rating that should keep all but the most mercurial Steam Deck users sated for the life of their console.
The Steam Deck’s SSD Requirements Explained
Much like the Sony PlayStation 5 and the ASUS ROG Ally, the Steam Deck uses a standard M2 slot to communicate with its primary storage medium: its SSD (or eMMC for the 64GB Steam Deck). It does have an important caveat however: unlike the PlayStation 5, it doesn’t take a full-length M2 SSD, opting for a 2230 (22mm x 30mm) SSD instead, while supporting PCI-E 3.0 read/write speeds.
This could be due to thermal considerations or the fact that all the 2230 SSDs in the market currently are in a DRAM-less (read: slower but more power efficient) configuration which also has battery life implications. While the bulk of the SSDs on offer for the Steam Deck are compatible with faster PCI-E 4.0 standards, the Steam Deck is, for better or worse, limited to a rough 3500 MB/s peak theoretical speed if it uses all 4 PCI-E 3.0 lanes available to its M2 slot.
Modern M2 NVMe drives offer speeds of 5,000 MB/s or more in a 2230 trim with Sabrent’s offering that Game Rant recommends above being a great example. PCI-E 4.0 SSD drives are backward and forward-compatible, much like modern GPUs. This means that it will max out the Steam Deck’s requirements generally by exceeding the maximum throughput the console can handle.
Given that the Steam Deck ships with SSDs that are generally under 2000 MB/s in terms of read/write speeds, one can make a logical conclusion that any faster is beneficial, but not a necessity for most titles that are considered “Deck Verified” by Valve. There are, after all, no bad choices, but given the small price increases for better performance and reliability in play, the guide above aims to capitalize on better, faster storage wherever possible to keep one’s Steam Deck humming for years to come.
Why Should Users Look To Upgrade The Steam Deck’s SSD?
Moving up in terms of storage is often an expensive exercise in a variety of consumer-grade hardware with the storage increase coming with a significant price bump. While the Steam Deck clocks in much more reasonably than mobile devices or tablets, there are still savings to be had by upgrading its storage yourself.
Alternatively, users wanting a larger capacity SSD might be forced to consider getting an upgrade that suits their needs while also proving to be a relatively cost-effective solution versus grabbing a 3rd party modified unit or the highest capacity Steam Deck off a shelf. Given that modern games have a penchant for increased capacity and titles such as Baldur’s Gate 3, which takes up as much as 150GB, the Steam Deck can be quickly filled up for users with large Steam libraries.
These are but some of the major reasons why one might be looking for an SSD upgrade now or in the near future. Given its size limitations, the Steam Deck works with only 2230 M2 SSDs. These are smaller SSDs that adhere to the 22mm width and 30mm length spec that also happen to be the smallest user-upgradeable consumer-grade SSD modules in the market.
FAQ
Q: Does The Steam Deck Support 2TB SSD Storage?
Yes, the Steam Deck supports 2TB NVMe SSDs with a 2230 form factor to replace its existing storage solution which can range from an eMMC drive to a 1TB SSD offering on the new Steam Deck OLED models.
Q: Is It Easy To Upgrade The SSD Of The Steam Deck?
Upgrading the Steam Deck’s SSD is not a particularly hard task for most users who have basic hardware know-how. To see if this is a task that you can perform,check out the excellent guide by iFixit here.
