Selecting the perfect Steam Deck SSD is a sure-fire approach of accelerating your inner storage in your Steam Deck with out compromising on efficiency. In contrast to going with probably the greatest micro SD playing cards for Steam Deck, although, an SSD is a extra permament answer that replaces your Steam Deck’s authentic SSD (if current) with a bigger (and infrequently sooner) choice.
All these drives have one massive factor in frequent – their smaller type issue. Every of the drives listed under are M.2 2230 drives, which means they’re designed to slot in smaller areas, akin to contained in the Steam Deck, or ROG Ally, or comparable handheld consoles. Observe that the Steam Deck is proscribed to PCIe 3.0 speeds, however it fortunately accepts PCIe 4.0 drives too – you simply will not be accessing their full potential. Later handhelds just like the ROG Ally and Legion Go, alternatively, do supply PCIe 4.0 help and due to this fact will see elevated speeds.
It is value noting additionally that the set up course of is somewhat fiddly, however completely achieveable with somewhat persistence and this useful iFixit information that explains all of it.
Click on the hyperlinks under to leap proper into the drive you are most thinking about, or scroll on for our suggestions in full. We have chosen choices from quite a lot of producers, so that you’re positive to search out one you want.
Finest Steam Deck SSD 2023
Finest Sabrent Steam Deck SSD: Sabrent Rocket 2230 1TB
The £85/$90 Sabrent Rocket 2230 1TB makes for a superb SSD to fit into your Steam Deck, and for what appeared like some time, was truly one of many solely choices that offered itself.
On paper, the Rocket 2230 is kind of a fast choice, providing sequential speeds of as much as 5000MB/s and random speeds of as much as 800K IOPS with its PCIe 4.0 interface. With this in thoughts, it’s restricted by the Gen 3 speeds out there on the Steam Deck, however even with this, it ought to supply some particularly robust outcomes – round 3500MB/s and 450K IOPS – that eclipse the default 512GB drive, which we measured at 2300MB/s and 110K IOPS
This drive is out there in a variety of capacities, with the most important being the 1TB mannequin we have linked right here, however if you wish to go smaller for no matter motive, Sabrent additionally gives 256GB and 512GB choices.
Finest Corsair Steam Deck SSD: Corsair MP600 Mini 1TB
The £82/$90 Corsair MP600 Mini 1TB makes for an additional wonderful SSD to pair along with your Steam Deck, and is one we have seen topic to a couple reductions on the time of writing.
Its speeds at as much as 4800MB/s for sequential reads and writes make it somewhat slower than the Rocket 2230 above, however that is nonetheless greater than snappy sufficient on your Steam Deck. Its random perfomance at as much as 850K IOPS for reads and 1.1M IOPS for writes is healthier although, offering some particularly snappy load instances to get you into video games faster. With this in thoughts, the MP600 Mini shall be restricted by Gen 3 speeds, however it’s nonetheless a faster choice than the interior drive already contained in the Steam Deck, and is definitely tenfold sooner than the sluggish 64GB of eMMC storage inside the bottom mannequin.
As for various capacities, the MP600 Mini is out there simply in a 1TB config, however that is nonetheless going to be a worthy improve, particularly when you’ve bought one of many decrease capability choices.
Finest Micron Steam Deck SSD: Micron 2400 2TB
The £167/$140 Micron 2400 2TB marks out one of many newer entries into the world of Steam Deck entries that is grow to be avaialble over the previous couple of months, and can be seemingly one of many solely drives to be out there in a bigger capability.
When it comes to velocity, the 2400 gives faster storage than both the Steam Deck’s built-in SSD or built-in eMMC storage, which operates at as much as 2500MB/s or 300MB/s respectively. By comparability, this Micron drive is rated for max reads of 4200MB/s when hooked as much as a PCIe 4.0 port, though you may most likely see nearer to 3500MB/s speeds provided that the Steam Deck is proscribed to PCIe 3.0 speeds. No matter approach you have a look at it although, this can be a vital improve.
The 2400 is out there in a 1TB config, however it appeared proper to pick the 2TB model given it appears to have eluded different producers at the moment, akin to Sabrent and Corsair above. Choosing a 2TB drive on the very least quadruples the interior storage of your Steam Deck, given the highest mannequin gives a 512GB inner drive. On the most, going from 64GB of inner eMMC storage to a 2TB NVMe drive each huge good points in each velocity and storage.
Finest WD Steam Deck SSD: WD SN770M 2TB
The £199/$220 WD SN770M 2TB is the most recent launch from Western Digital, and within the realms of Steam Deck-compatible SSDs, too. It additionally gives you with a bigger capability choice to fit into your Steam Deck, and likewise gives a wider array of capability choices when you so select.
When it comes to velocity, the SN770M gives among the finest numbers on this listing, with as much as 5150MB/s reads and 4000MB/s writes. Even when the precise speeds shall be restricted by the PCIe 3.0 interface, the SN770M continues to be able to providing speedy storage in comparison with what’s contained in the Steam Deck already. No matter approach you chop it, it represents a significant improve.
The SN770M can be out there in each 1TB and a 512GB config, and even when you select to go for the smallest choice, it is nonetheless going to give you a velocity enhance over the interior Steam Deck drive, or at the least a doubling of storage capability over the mid-range mannequin.
Finest Addlink Steam Deck SSD: Addlink S91 2TB
The £174/$257 Addlink S91 2TB offers you one other 2TB drive to chuck into your Steam Deck for rising the console’s capability for an honest value.
The S91 impresses with its velocity, providing outcomes of as much as 5000MB/s reads and 3200MB/s writes, which places it firmly within the combine as one of many quickest drives in our rating. Its random efficiency of as much as 750K IOPS for writes and 570K for reads additionally impresses, permitting you to get into the sport faster, whereas additionally providing you with an enormous improve over what’s already inside your Steam Deck.
The S91 can be out there in each 1TB and a 512GB config, and even when you select to go for the smallest choice, it is nonetheless going to give you a velocity enhance over the interior Steam Deck drive, or at the least a doubling of storage capability over the mid-range mannequin.
With that, our suggestions come to an finish. I hope there’s sufficient there to present you some meals for thought for which SSD goes to be the perfect so that you can select to place into your Steam Deck.
In fact, we’re at all times looking out for among the finest offers we will discover on all method of tech, together with a slew of various SSDs, and to maintain knowledgeable with these, you may wish to observe @dealsfoundry on Twitter and take a look at the offers sections at each Eurogamer and our sister web site Rock Paper Shotgun for PC tech offers as we discover them.
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