Valve’sSteam Deckis available in several different models, with the main difference being the size of the internal storage. The storage options range from 64GB eMMC to 512GBNVMe SSDand represent how much space you have to install games.
With the size ofmodern triple-A gamesthough, you might need additional storage. We’d highly recommend it in fact as we managed to fill up our 256GB Steam Deck with just four games. Even if you’re only planning on playing smallerIndie games, purchasing additional storage will help boost your install options.
It’s worth noting that the Steam Deck’s microSD card slot tops out at around 100MB/s so you don’t need the fastest card around. You also will find that the internal storage is much faster (we’ve written a guide onhow to upgrade the internal SSD here). So keep these microSD cards for your less important games that you don’t mind watching load screens for.
Below, we’ve listed some of the best memory cards for the Steam Deck, with a selection of options both budget and high-end.
SanDisk 512GB Extreme MicroSDXC
Samsung Evo Select 256GB microSDXC Card
Samsung PRO Plus 512GB microSDXC
SanDisk 512GB Ultra microSDXC
Gigastone 512GB microSDXC Card
Best Steam Deck microSD card: Our top pick
Best if you want good speeds
This SanDisk drive is the perfect balance of speed and size. It’s a great choice for any Steam Deck owner.
This SanDisk microSD card is our choice when it comes to extra storage for your Steam Deck. It offers great read speeds (up to 160MB/s) and though that’s not as fast as the internal storage on the console it’s still a good balance of speed and storage size.
512GB is also a good boost of extra storage space for your Steam Deck, though if you can stretch to it the 1TB model is worth considering too.
Affordable alternative
If you’re looking for something more affordable then this Samsung drive is worth considering. It’s pretty fast and insanely affordable too.
If you’re looking for something more affordable then this Samsung drive is worth considering.
It’s not as fast as our top choice with 130MB/s read speed, but should still provide a great experience in terms of additional storage.
We did notice an odd inconsistency compared to the SanDisk options we tested, but nothing major - often the card will just need popping out and clicking back in and it’ll format correctly.
Fast and reliable
These are excellent microSD cards designed to give you great performance and great gaming fun too.
The Samsung PRO Plus is slightly faster than the Samsung Evo Select which might not be necessary here. But you also get solid performance and a microSD card that’s designed to with drones and other demanding devices.
These are excellent microSD cards designed to give you great performance and great gaming fun too. Alas, there’s no 1TB option.
Superbly affordable
The SanDisk Ultra microSDXC range is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an affordable alternative to our top pick.
The SanDisk Ultra microSDXC range is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an affordable alternative to our top pick. Though the read speeds aren’t as fast, they’re still good enough for the console.
This is one of the most affordable options around and yet will give you reliable and solid performance that you can rely on while gaming.
Gaming first
If you want maximum storage for a reasonable price, look no further than this pick.
This Gigastone microSD card is designed specifically for gaming and will work with both the Steam Deck andNintendo Switch.
We found it was just about fast enough for the Steam Deck (100MB/s) and works well plus has the added bonus of a 5-year limited warranty.
How to choose a memory card for your Steam Deck
If you’ve just got your Steam Deck it might be hard to know whether you need a microSD card. We certainly found we needed one for our 256GB model as it’s far too easy to fill up that much space with just a few games. If you’ve bought the 64GB version we’d suggest that a microSD card is going to be a must-buy and a big one as well!
If you’re a bit more hands-on and like to tinker then you might also considerupgrading the internal storage of your Steam Deck. This requires more effort but can help boost the space with an M.2 2230 NVMe drive that will load games faster than a microSD card.
Do I need a microSD card for my Steam Deck?
Unless you’re only planning to have a handful of indie games for your handheld console, then owning a memory card is pretty much a necessity.Steam Deck verified gamescan vary wildly in storage size. Even simplesingle-player games like Stray(for example) can take up to 10GB or more.
It’s worth checking your Steam library to see how much storage space your favourite games will take up. You can also browse through the"Great on Deck" verified listto double-check how much space you might need.
We found that games likeForza 5can take up over 100GB so it’s far too easy to fill up the internal storage.
Which microSD cards work on Steam Deck?
Any microSD card will work with the Steam Deck. The Steam Deck has a maximum speed of 100MB/s on its external card port, so you don’t need to go faster than that, but you will want speeds close to it though. We’d recommend getting the biggest card you can afford to avoid disappointment.
