The best microSD cards for the Steam Deck

Even with PC hardware orthodoxy supporting SSD replacement, I’m convinced that getting one of the best microSD cards for the Steam Deck is the wiser method of expanding its storage. It’s technically possible to swap in a bigger SSD, sure, but compatible M.2 2230 drives are much harder to find than the standard 2280 drives on our best gaming SSDs list – and based on my testing, a good microSD card can be just about as almost as the Deck’s preinstalled SSD.

That’s on top of microSD cards being cheaper, easier to install, easier to remove, and available with much more choice than Steam Deck-compatible SSDs. That’s not to say that any old card will work – Valve’s handheld PC specifically supports UHS-1 microSD cards – but I’ve found and tested a few that will do the job, and do it well.

You can read all about these below. For testing I installed Aperture Desk Job and Shadow of the Tomb Raider on each card and timed, on a three-run average, how long each game took to a) launch to its main menu and b) load from the menu into the game proper . Even if there’s not a massive gap between different microSD cards, they’re all deserving of their place here by getting so close to the 512GB Steam Deck’s own SSD speeds: in the Shadow menu-to-game test, no card was more than 0.4 s slower than the integrated SSD, which took 15.9s on average to load.

Since even a 512GB SSD can fill up quickly, and all Steam Decks already come with a case, I reckon a good microSD card is the best accessory you can get for your own. Why not make it one of these?

The best microSD cards for the Steam Deck

Samsung ProPlus

The best microSD card for the Steam Deck overall

Samsung have crafted some of the finest PC SSDs (the 870 Evo, the 870 Qvo, the 980 Pro and so on), so it’s not terribly surprising they know their way around a Steam Deck-ready microSD card as well. the Samsung ProPlus was the only card I tested to get under 11s in the Aperture Desk Job launch test, as well as the only one to hit 16s dead in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider loading test. It was also joint-fastest in the Aperture load test and second-fastest in the Shadow launch test, which all add up to make this the most consistent high performer of the bunch.

The smaller capacities are a little pricier, especially compared to the SanDisk Ultra, but generally it’s only a few quids’ / bucks’ difference. And the 512GB model, the most spacious available, is actually a little cheaper than the more similarly-specified Kingston Canvas Go! Plus.

• Aperture Desk Job average launch time: 10.9s
• Aperture Desk Job average load time: 3.4s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider average launch time: 14.6s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider load time: 16s

SanDisk Ultra

The best cheap microSD card for the Steam Deck




the SanDisk Ultra offers a wider range of capacities than the Pro Plus, with lower prices across the board. This is partly owing to its lower U1 speed class, meaning its write speeds aren’t as fast as U3 models, but that’s more of a concern for videographers needing a microSD card for their camera. Where games performance is concerned, read speed is king, and the affordable Ultra can keep pace with pricier cards.

It was the second-fastest overall in Aperture Desk Job, and even its ‘worst’ performance – the Shadow of the Tomb Raider load test – was less than half a second slower than the Deck’s top-spec SSD. I’d recommend going for a bigger capacity than the 64GB card I used, mind; the 256GB and 512GB models are both particularly good deals at their current prices.

• Aperture Desk Job average launch time: 11.1s
• Aperture Desk Job average load time: 3.4s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider average launch time: 14.8s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider load time: 16.3s

Kingston Canvas Go! plus

Good speeds with a wide range of capacities




According to its marketing prose, the Kingston Canvas Go! plus is for “adventurers”. Is playing God of War on the 11:55 to Swindon an adventure? Either way, this microSD card proves it can suit the Steam Deck just as well as a GoPro, with a particularly zippy average time in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider launch test.

Outside of lacking a 1TB option, there’s also a wider selection of capacities than with the Samsung Pro Plus, or the PNY XLR8 below. The Canvas Go Exclamation Mark Plus’ 512GB model is currently more expensive than its peers, but the 256GB model undercuts the Pro Plus quite handily.

• Aperture Desk Job average launch time: 11.3s
• Aperture Desk Job average load time: 3.5s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider average launch time: 14.8s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider load time: 16.3s

PNY XLR8 microSDXC Gaming

Low prices, but US only for now




A rare games-focused card, the PNY XLR8 microSDXC Gaming put up respectable times in all four speed tests without any cheeky price premiums. In fact, on sheer affordability, all three of the XLR8’s capacity options are breathing down the necks of their SanDisk Ultra equivalents. And that’s while offering class U3 write speeds, which might be helpful if you’re planning to use the Steam Deck as a desktop PC even if they’re not as useful to gaming specifically.

Unfortunately, the XLR8 hasn’t yet been released in the UK and Europe – PNY tell me it will in May 2022, but they don’t have more specific release date and price info to share. boo Still, it’s a good alternative option for our Americaland friends.

• Aperture Desk Job average launch time: 11.2s
• Aperture Desk Job average load time: 3.5s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider average launch time: 14.8s
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider load time: 16.1s

What microSD cards are compatible with the Steam Deck?


The Steam Deck’s microSD requirements aren’t very demanding: any UHS-I microSD should work, including microSDXC (Expanded Capacity) and microSDHC (High Capacity) cards. You’re best off looking at SDXC cards, though, like the ones listed above: standard microSD cards are limited to a piddly 2GB, while microSDHC cards max out at 32GB. Since only microSDXC cards can therefore occupy the 64GB-2TB range, they’re the ones to focus on to make sure you’re adding sufficient space.




Once you’ve got a compatible microSD card, it’s just a case of pushing it into the slot on the bottom edge of the Steam Deck, then going into the SteamOS System settings to format it. From there, you can set it as the default game installation location in the Storage settings.

What do the interfaces and speed classes mean?

UHS (Ultra High Speed) is the current interface standard for SD and microSD cards, with specific ratings like UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III denoting maximum transfer speeds. UHS-I cards have a max speed of 104MB/s, while UHS-II and UHS-III can reach 312MB/s and 624MB/s respectively.

On the Steam Deck, Valve opted for the UHS-I interface. UHS-II and UHS-III cards are backwards compatible with UHS-I, so you could use them in the deck, but you’d be limited to UHS-I speeds; as such, there’s little point in spending more to get the newer interfaces. Besides, game launching and loading times depend on non-sequential read speeds, which normally don’t come close to the advertised maximum sequential speeds anyway.

Another spec you might see printed on microSD cards is the speed class, like U1 or U3. Rather than general maximum speeds, these represent minimum sequential write speeds: U1 is 10MB/s, U3 is 30MB/s. Again, these ratings don’t have any real bearing on how fast your Steam Deck games will load, though it might be worth plumping for a U3 card if you’re using your Deck as a full-on desktop replacement, where faster write speeds will come in handy more often.