The Best MicroSD Cards For The Steam Deck

The Steam Deck thus far has confirmed to be an exquisite little machine for taking part in video games, however one factor you’ll need is a minimum of one microSD card for storage, and we thought we’d spherical up the perfect ones to contemplate.

Now, when you ended up with the 512GB model of the Steam Deck you’ll have simply sufficient storage for video games you intend to play. 512GB isn’t lots of storage particularly for a way huge video games are today, however when you’re the kind to juggle your installs when it’s essential make room for one thing, then it’d suffice.

When you’re like us and don’t need to cope with that sort of trouble, then a microSD card for the Steam Deck is unquestionably the best way to go. It’s simpler than changing the interior SSD and when you aren’t positive the right way to do it, then likelihood is you might need to pay to have somebody do it for you. Making the microSD choice cheaper as nicely.

Briefly, for almost all of customers, a microSD card goes to be one of the simplest ways to get extra recreation storage on the Steam Deck. However, which of them do you have to be taking a look at? You shouldn’t simply use any previous microSD card. You’ll be able to, however you shouldn’t, as you need one with optimum speeds for loading video games. So right here’s our checklist of the perfect microSD playing cards for the Steam Deck that can meet these requirements.

The Finest microSD playing cards for the Steam Deck

SanDisk Excessive Professional microSDXC UHS-I (128GB – 1TB)

• Value: From $24.79
• The place To Purchase: Amazon

Kicking issues off we’re suggesting the SanDisk Excessive Professional card for a couple of causes. For starters, it comes from Western Digital’s SanDisk model which has been round ceaselessly and is a trusted identify in storage merchandise. For one more, the Excessive Professional is certainly one of its newer playing cards and is available in quite a lot of sizes. Although we wouldn’t counsel something below a 128GB and for our personal functions, we’d most likely go increased than that. As a result of as famous above, many AAA video games today are insanely massive.

Extra importantly although, this card specifically gives you quick learn and write speeds. Which goes to assist with load occasions. Basically you need to be taking a look at one thing that provides a learn/write pace of round 100MB/s. This card has a learn pace of as much as 170MB/s and a write pace of as much as 90MB/s. So it suits proper in with you need to be in search of.

The one draw back to this card is that the 1TB and even the 512GB are a little bit costly. That being mentioned, there are different choices on this checklist that value much less and gives you the identical quantity of storage. For us although, this has carried out very well throughout our testing thus far.

PNY XLR8 Gaming Class microSDXC UHS-I (128GB – 512GB)

• Value: From $15.99
• The place To Purchase: Amazon

That is really the primary card we began utilizing with the Steam Deck and just like the SanDisk Excessive Professional, it has quick learn and write speeds. It additionally is available in as much as 512GB in dimension. We’ve the 512GB mannequin in our Steam Deck, and it’s been an actual boon for permitting us to put in extra video games.

Since we went with the 256GB model of the Steam Deck, storage started to refill quick with video games like Elden Ring and Last Fantasy XIV. So a bigger dimension card was positively wanted. PNY additionally designed this card particularly for use for gaming in gadgets just like the Nintendo Swap, cell gadgets, and the Steam Deck. That doesn’t imply it could solely be used for these gadgets. Nevertheless it does assist that PNY had moveable gaming in thoughts when making this product.

As for learn and write speeds, you’re taking a look at as much as 100MB/s for learn and as much as 90MB/s for write. Placing it totally on par with the cardboard above. And simply making this the most effective microSD playing cards for the Steam Deck.

PNY XLR8 Gaming 128GB – 512GB

Samsung Evo Choose microSDXc UHS-I (256Gb & 512GB)

• Value: From $29.99
• The place To Purchase: Amazon

Samsung is one other trusted model in reminiscence and storage so naturally we’d counsel the Evo Choose card as an choice. It has the identical learn and write speeds because the PNY XLR8 Gaming class card, however you’re taking a look at over twice the value for it proper now on Amazon. Usually it retails for $69.99 which is simply $10 greater than the 512GB PNY card above.

However the entire 512GB fashions appear to be from third-party resellers. Sadly, Samsung’s web site is out of inventory on this one so Amazon might be your greatest guess in order for you this explicit card. We’d counsel the PNY although because you’ll spend much less.

That being mentioned, you can too choose up the Evo Choose in a 256GB for $29.99 which is fairly reasonably priced.

Samsung Evo Choose 256GB & 512GB

Lexar microSDXC UHS-I 512GB

• Value: $69.99
• The place To Purchase: Amazon

One other good choice is that this Lexar card which is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage sizes. It’s additionally a high-speed card with learn speeds of as much as 100MB/s. The one draw back is that the write speeds are a bit slower at as much as 30MB/s. So compared to any of the opposite playing cards thus far, it loses on the market.

Nonetheless, this won’t make that a lot of a distinction to you. And if that’s the case you may’t go mistaken right here. We nonetheless suppose the PNY is a greater worth although with increased write speeds and the identical quantity of storage for a cheaper price.

However, that is nonetheless the most effective microSD playing cards for the Steam Deck.

Lexar microSDXC 512GB

SanDisk Excessive microSDXC UHS-I 1TB

When you actually choose a SanDisk card however don’t need to pay as a lot, you then may need to take into account the SanDisk Excessive versus the Excessive Professional. You’ll be able to choose up this mannequin of microSD card in a 1TB storage dimension for $167.71 on Amazon on the time of writing. Which is a fraction of the $399.99 worth of the Professional mannequin at 1TB.

As for learn and write speeds, you’re taking a look at as much as 160MB/s for learn and as much as 90MB/s for write. So actually, you’re not shedding a lot by not getting the Excessive Professional, and you continue to get a SanDisk card with 1TB of storage for all these video games.

SanDisk Excessive 1TB

Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I (256GGB – 1TB)

One other the most effective playing cards is the Lexar Play card, which may are available as much as 1TB and has learn speeds as much as 150MB/s. And, the 1TB mannequin solely prices $133.99 on the time of writing so this can be a fairly whole lot in comparison with different 1TB playing cards on this checklist. This was additionally designed with gaming in thoughts and works nice in gadgets just like the Nintendo Swap. So naturally it’ll be an amazing choice for the Steam Deck too.

When you don’t want a complete lot of additional house, a 128GB model of this card is simply $16.99. Not unhealthy, not unhealthy in any respect.

Lexar Play 256GB – 1TB

Lexar Skilled 1066x microSDXC UHS-I 512GB

• Value: $82.99
• The place To Purchase: Amazon

One final choice from Lexar is the Skilled 1066x card. This is available in as much as 512GB in dimension and for below $100 you get a reasonably first rate card with some quick learn and write speeds. Particularly, learn speeds are as much as 160MB/s and write speeds are as much as 120MB/s.

It’s not the most affordable 512GB mannequin card on this checklist but it surely positively has quicker write speeds than every other choice on it. So make of that what you’ll.

Lexar Skilled 1066x 512GB

Samsung Evo Plus microSDXC UHS-I 512GB

Rounding out this checklist is the Samsung Evo Plus in a 512GB mannequin card. It’s accessible at a barely cheaper worth than the Lexar card above and it comes from Samsung so it’s a well known model. Learn and write speeds aren’t as quick as a few of the different choices although.

Worth-wise, we’d lean in direction of one of many earlier choices, however that is nonetheless the most effective microSD playing cards for the Steam Deck and it isn’t too costly. Once more although, the 512GB card from PNY is the most affordable 512GB choice accessible that’s on this checklist. And for the mixture of learn and write speeds and worth, plus it being a card that was designed for moveable gaming gadgets, we expect it’s a greater choice.

That being mentioned, all of the playing cards listed ought to work nice for the Steam Deck. So it actually comes right down to what you need.

Samsung Evo Plus 512GB