The Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally use the compact M.2 2230 SSD form factor. We tested the top drives — from the blazing-fast TLC-based WD_BLACK SN770M to budget-friendly options from Corsair and Lexar — to help you pick the right upgrade for your handheld.
The Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally both use the M.2 2230 form factor — that's 22 mm wide and just 30 mm long. It's a fraction of the size of a standard M.2 2280 drive, which means fewer options and higher prices per gigabyte. But with modern games routinely hitting 100–200 GB, the stock 64 GB (or even 512 GB) fills up fast.
Upgrading to a faster, higher-capacity 2230 NVMe SSD is the single best performance and quality-of-life improvement you can make for either device. Here are the four best options right now.
Rank: #1 · Best for: Power users who want the fastest possible load times
The WD_BLACK SN770M is the performance king of the M.2 2230 category. It uses TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND flash, which is significantly faster and more durable than the QLC used by most competitors.1
If you want the snappiest game loads and don't mind paying a premium, this is the drive to get.
Rank: #2 · Best for: Gamers who need maximum storage without breaking the bank
Crucial's P310 is a QLC drive that actually performs well — Tom's Hardware called it "a 2TB QLC M.2 2230 SSD that doesn't suck."2 That's high praise for a QLC drive in this form factor.
For most gaming use cases (loading games, not writing huge files constantly), the P310 delivers nearly the same experience as the WD_BLACK at a lower price.
Rank: #3 · Best for: A simple, trusted capacity bump on a budget
Corsair's MP600 CORE Mini is a solid Gen4 drive that doesn't try to be the fastest — it just works. It's a great option if you're moving from a 64 GB or 256 GB drive and want a dependable 1 TB or 2 TB upgrade.
It won't win any benchmark trophies, but it's a reliable, affordable way to double or quadruple your storage.
Rank: #4 · Best for: Cost-conscious upgrades where every dollar counts
The Lexar NM2230 is often the most affordable high-capacity 2230 drive on the market. It's a no-frills Gen4 SSD that gets the job done for gaming.
If your budget is tight and you just need more space for your game library, the NM2230 is a perfectly capable choice.
| Spec | WD_BLACK SN770M | Crucial P310 | Corsair MP600 CORE Mini | Lexar NM2230 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read Speed | 5,150 MB/s3 | 5,000 MB/s2 | ~4,700 MB/s | ~4,500 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 4,850 MB/s3 | 4,500 MB/s2 | ~3,900 MB/s | ~3,500 MB/s |
| NAND Type | TLC1 | QLC2 | QLC | QLC |
| Max Capacity | 2 TB3 | 2 TB2 | 2 TB | 2 TB |
| Price Tier | Premium | Mid-range | Budget | Budget |
TLC stores 3 bits per cell, QLC stores 4 bits per cell. QLC is cheaper and denser, but slower at writing and less durable over time.
For a gaming handheld, here's the practical difference:
Single-sided drives are important for the Steam Deck and ROG Ally because of the tight clearance and EMI shielding. All four drives listed above are single-sided and compatible.3
| If you want… | Get this |
|---|---|
| The fastest possible performance | WD_BLACK SN770M |
| Best capacity-to-price ratio | Crucial P310 |
| A reliable, no-surprises upgrade | Corsair MP600 CORE Mini |
| The cheapest way to 2 TB | Lexar NM2230 |
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