Storage is always a problem, especially if we opt for too low Steam Deck settings that force us to have to look for alternatives to carry more than one game. Here, in addition to explain the model that we recommend you buy (and the one that doesn’t), we are going to offer you three micro SD cards that are going to come in handy to enjoy your purchases on Steam.
What model to buy from Steam Deck?
If when reading these lines you already have one of these Valve machines in your hands, then you do not have to listen to us because you will have already made your decision, but if you have not done so yet, We will briefly tell you what we recommend buying which is essentially getting either of the two higher models: both the 256GB storage Steam Deck and the 512GB one, which also offer much faster NVMe SSD drives.
Even if it’s cheaper We do not recommend the 64GB Steam Deck because, first, it does not have a storage unit as fast as the other two models and, second, because that space is not enough to install many of the games that have come to Steam in recent years (Red Dead Redemption 2, for example, requires more than 120 gigabytes on its own), but to operate without much trouble with other stores such as the Ubisoft Store, Origin, Epic Games, GoG, etc. (we will explain it in another article).
So once you’ve settled on the 256 and 512GB storage models, how can you add even more capacity without spending too much? Well, the answer is miniSD cards and here, we are going to offer you three alternatives with different capacities. As always, it will depend on how much you need but with 512 you should have more than enough since their prices are now quite reasonable, unlike the 1TB ones.
What cards are supported?
Valve on Steam Deck Tech Specs recommends using miniSD cards “UHS-I with SD, SDXC and SDHC support”, so anyone who meets those requirements will serve us. We, however, are going to go to the segment with the best performance and highest read and write rates, so that the loading times are as short as possible. They will never reach what an NVMe SSD achieves, but at least we will try to stay as close as possible.
Here are three alternatives. And they are these:
Samsung EVO Select 512
It is one of the best you can find and at a really good price. It has 512GB, which is not bad to carry many more games and guarantees speeds of up to 130 MB / s.
SanDisk Extreme 512
This model is also a great alternative, with half Tera capacity and up to 160 MB/s access speed for both writing and reading on the card.
Lexar Play 1TB
As you can see, the price of buying 1TB right now is quite high (except specific offers) and it increases the bill too much to add extra storage space to your Steam Deck. This miniSD from Lexar is an alternative that promises speeds of 160 MB/s and that will come in handy to multiply the number of games you have on you. Although surely the 512GB option is still the most profitable. Don’t you think?
