Best SD cards for Steam Deck 2023

Valve offers the Steam Deck with a choice of storage options ranging from 64GB eMMC to 512GB NVMe SSD, which besides the fancy tech jargon, is just how much space you have to install games and apps. Naturally, bigger is better for extra content, so take advantage of the console's class UHS-I expansion slot to find the best SD card for Steam Deck to match its 104MB/s microSD speeds.

The Steam Deck offers plenty more than just playing games. Built around a version of the Linux operating system, it can run practically any software you would expect to find on a full-sized desktop PC or laptop. When paired with some of the best Steam Deck accessories, it starts to feel less like a novelty handheld and more like a real, portable gaming computer.

Expanding your external storage with a high-quality microSD card like the Samsung Evo Plus will allow extra space to install Discord on Steam Deck and chat with your friends, alongside a wide variety of other apps and games outside the Steam library. Naturally, SD cards work in plenty of different devices, so forking out for a higher-end card like the Samsung PRO Plus will be useful outside of Valve's capable console.

Ben Wilson
Channel Editor

Ben is the channel editor for all things tech-related at Windows Central. That includes PCs, the components inside, and any accessory you can connect to a Windows desktop or Xbox console. Not restricted to one platform, he also has a keen interest in Valve's Steam Deck handheld and the Linux-based operating system inside. Fueling this career with coffee since 2021, you can usually find him behind one screen or another. Find him on Mastodon @trzomb@mastodon.online to ask questions or share opinions.