If you're going to be playing a lot of local video games on your ROG Ally or ROG Ally X, then you need to give yourself more storage space to keep up with your gaming needs.
That's because the white ROG Ally only comes with 512GB of storage, which you can eat through pretty quickly. Even the black ROG Ally X's 1TB SSD (or 2TB) can feel small if you play a lot of games.
Thankfully, both ROG Ally devices are compatible with the newer (faster) UHS-II microSD cards, but these cards aren't as common.
To help you out, here are the best microSD cards for ROG Ally on the market today.
NOTE: Alternatively, you might want to upgrade the internal SSD instead of relying on a microSD card.
Recent updates
UPDATED May 9, 2025: I checked the links to make sure everything was still available and linking to the correct microSD card. I also added some info about microSD Express Cards.
Best overall
Anyone who tends to play larger PC games will need a hefty amount of storage space, which is why I recommend a 1TB capacity the most. You can't go wrong with this SanDisk Extreme UHS-I one. It offers read speeds of up to 160MB/s to keep up with your gaming needs and is also usually much cheaper than competing microSD cards. All this makes the SanDisk Extreme the best microSD card for ROG Ally and Ally X.
Best for doubling storage
The original ROG Ally comes with 512GB of internal storage, so putting this 512GB microSD card inside effectively doubles that amount. This is a UHS-I card that offers fast read speeds of up to 160MB/s, and it can frequently be found selling for much less than its competitors. It's a great choice for your gaming handheld.
Best large capacity
This is another UHS-I microSD card. It might not be as fast as UHS-II cards, but 1.5TB certainly provides you with plenty of space. SanDisk is a trusted brand, and this card can reach up to 150MB/s for fast load times, which will be helpful while playing games on your ROG Ally X or original ROG Ally.
Best UHS-II card
Lexar's 256GB microSD card doesn't offer the largest storage, but it is actually a UHS-II card, so it has the ability to reach super-fast read speeds of up to 280MB/s. Remember, the faster the card, the faster your games can load up. So if you specifically want UHS-II, then this is the best microSD card for ROG Ally or Ally X.
Best budget UHS-II card
Finding a microSD card with UHS-II support is rather difficult at present, but this Lexar Gold UHS-II is one of the few out there right now. This card offers 128GB of storage and read speeds of up to 280MB/s. It's perfect for folks looking for a decent amount of storage and a respectable reading speed that won't cost too much.
Best transfer speeds
People looking for a fast read speed will want to go with the SanDisk 256GB Express card. It offers an extremely fast read speed of up to 880MB/s and a write speed of up to 650MB/s. Express cards are next-gen microSD cards that fit in the same slots, so they're perfect for ROG Ally and Ally X.
Give yourself more game space
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If you're not keen on the idea of upgrading the ROG Ally' or Ally X's SSD, then a microSD card is the much cheaper and easier way to go.
When you pick out a microSD card for your ROG Ally, you need to consider more than just the amount of storage space it provides; you want to consider read speeds too, as this affects game load times.
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Most people will find that a 1TB or 512GB SanDisk Extreme microSD fits them well. They offer good transfer speeds while providing a good amount of space for your games.
I also highly recommend getting the SanDisk 256GB Express Card since it offers the fastest transfer speeds to keep up with your gaming.
If you're set on getting a UHS-II microSD card, I recommend the Lexar GOLD 256GB since it does support the elusive UHS-II while offering a good amount of storage space to work with.
Plus, it offers extremely fast read speeds of up to 280MB/s, which is significantly more than any other microSD card on this list.
Now, if storage is really the thing you care about, and UHS-II isn't as important to you, then you'll want to go with the SanDisk Ultra 1.5TB microSD card.
It offers a read speed of up to 170MB/s, so you can really enjoy your gaming library without having to worry about running out of space.
ROG Ally microSD card FAQ
What microSD cards are compatible with ROG Ally?
The Asus ROG Ally and ROG Ally X gaming handhelds feature one microSD card slot that can handle up to a 2TB UHS-I or UHS-II card.
Do I need to get a UHS-II microSD card for ROG Ally?
You don't have to, but it can be helpful since the Asus ROG Ally and ROG Ally X gaming handhelds utilize a UHS-II microSD card slot. UHS-II microSD cards can read and write at triple the max transfer speed of the older UHS-I microSD cards. This means that UHS-II microSD cards increase load time fastness by quite a bit on ROG Ally devices. However, finding a microSD card that supports UHS-II is still somewhat rare, so it's ok to still use the older UHS-I microSD cards.
Is it safe to use a microSD card with ROG Ally or ROG Ally X?
Yes, but with some caveats. Some people allege that due to the placement of the microSD card slot near the ROG Ally vents, inserted microSD cards can allegedly overheat and malfunction. Supposedly, this microSD card malfunction issue is more likely to happen if the ROG Ally is plugged-in and charging while being played in Turbo mode. If a microSD card overheats inside of an ROG Ally it might not work again. However, it's not clear if this is a real issue or not.
The new ROG Ally X's microSD card slot is in a different location, far from the vents and charging port. It also stays a lot cooler than the ROG Ally overall. You should feel perfectly safe using a microSD card with the ROG Ally X.
What should I look for in a ROG Ally microSD card?
There are three main factors you'll want to consider when choosing a microSD card for your ROG Ally or ROG Ally X gaming handheld: Capacity, standard type, and transfer speeds.
The higher the capacity of the card, the more game data can be stored on it, which adds more convenience to those who want to keep more games on their device.
The standard type refers to whether the microSD is UHS-I or UHS-II. Now, UHS-II is newer and offers faster transfer speeds than UHS-I. However, there currently aren't too many high capacity USH-II cards yet.
Finally, transfer speeds determine how quickly data is accessed or written onto the card. Faster read and write speeds allow you to play your games more smoothly, with less lag and load times times.
Can I use a microSD Express card on ROG Ally and Ally X?
Yes, you most certainly can use a microSD Express Card on ROG Ally gaming handhelds. This kind of card has become more popular recently since it's the only kind of microSD card compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2.
MicroSD Express cards are next-gen microSD cards that offer faster transfer speeds.
If interested, you can learn more at our microSD Express Card vs microSD Card guide.
Is ROG Ally and ROG Ally X storage expandable?
Yes. Both the ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X feature a microSD card slot that can hold up to 2TB UHS-I or UHS-II card. It's also possible to upgrade the internal SSD to a larger one to provide more storage space.
Should I install a microSD card or a larger SSD into ROG Ally?
It's up to you. If you prefer to have faster internal storage, then installing a larger SSD into your ROG Ally or ROG Ally X is a better option. However, if you don't want to spend as much and want a storage solution that is easier to install, then you should consider a microSD card.
For more assistance, check out our guide on how to upgrade ROG Ally internal SSD.
