How to use an external SSD with a Steam Deck

Modern games require a lot of storage. With new releases taking up more and more space, a console’s internal storage can be completely full within a blink of an eye. This is true for Steam Deck games as well, which makes Steam Deck external storage a lifesaver. External SSDs for your Steam Deck prevent you from having to delete your favorite games unnecessarily. Learn more about how best to utilize an external SSD with your Steam Deck, as well as the many additional benefits that come with pairing the two together.

Formatting your new external SSD to use with your Valve Steam Deck is simple, allowing you to get back to gaming in no time. Simply use a USB-C cable to connect the external SSD to your Steam Deck. Following this, the Steam Deck should recognize that an external SSD has been connected. The next step is to set the storage location. To do this, you need to:

• Open the steam client
• Go to settings – downloads – library folder
• Create a new library folder location
• Choose the external SSD as the new preferred location for new game installations

Following these steps should allow you to have your external SSD compatible with your Valve Steam Deck in no time.

External SSDs have a number of benefits for gaming, especially gaming with portable devices.  

The obvious benefit is the additional storage that external SSDs provide. Having up to 4TB worth of extra storage space can be vital when you don’t want to delete older games to make room for newer purchases.

When looking for the best SSD for a Steam Deck, portability is essential, which is why an external SSD is a perfect option. Crucial External SSDs are small, lightweight and secure, which means you’ll have as easy access to your games as you would if they were stored internally.

Durability is also important with portable devices, so having an external SSD that can withstand the bumps and wear that come with traveling is vital. This durability provides peace of mind too, knowing that your games and saved data are safe, even if the SSD picks up the occasional scratch along the way. It is important to make sure that you are choosing the right external SSD based on your needs, so researching how to choose the best external SSD for gaming is vital.

The Crucial X10 Pro is a great option for your Valve Steam Deck SSD, with a huge range of benefits.

• Storage space: With up to 4TB of storage, there’s no hurry to delete any games, allowing you to build up an enviable library.
• Durability: With its durable design, it can withstand drops of up to 7.5 feet, because we know accidents can happen!
• Speed: The speed of the Crucial X10 Pro also provides the ultimate gaming experience. Read speeds can be a concern for gamers who choose to use external SSDs, but with speeds up to 2,100MB/s, there will be no issues with latency or graphics, so it’ll feel as if you’re playing the game directly from the Steam Deck itself.

With the external SSD properly formatted and connected to your Steam Deck, you can start storing, installing and playing games right from the SSD. When playing games directly from external SSDs, you will have fast load times, smooth gameplay and fully loaded graphics.

Certain SSDs will work better and be more compatible with Steam Decks than others. There are some good internal SSD options like the Crucial P310 2230 NVMe SSD, but external SSDs offer the simplest setup. If you have an extensive Steam Library that requires multiple SSDs to store, external SSDs are a great option since it’s so easy to switch out one external SSD for another one. Take a look at our extensive collection of Crucial external SSDs and see which one can offer you the most benefits when using it with your Steam Deck.