Every time I install an M.2 storage drive, I’m gobsmacked at how small and light it is. Even compared to the 2.5-inch SSDs from a few years ago, it’s practically immaterial. And the tiniest 2230-format drives, the kind that go in the Steam Deck and the lightest laptops, are even tinier. Today you can pick up a 1TB version from Crucial for just $85.73.
This gen 4, 30mm-long drive isn’t the biggest or the fastest on the market, but for portable gaming PCs and teeny-tiny laptops (at least the ones that actually let you access the SSD), it’s more than fast enough with read speeds up to 7100MB/s. A screwdriver and a bit of elbow grease are all you need to install it, just make sure you have your files backed up. Amazon is selling this model for 36 percent off the retail price, so it’s a great way to expand the storage on the base model Steam Deck on the cheap. A 2TB version of the same drive is $158.30, over $80 off.
PCWorld reviewed this exact drive, in this exact size, last year, and found it to be the fastest around in the tiny 2230 form factor. Amazon has the lowest price on both the 1TB and 2TB versions by a healthy margin at the moment, though I don’t know how long that’s going to last.
Get a 1TB Steam Deck SSD for just $86Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.