Playing PC games on the road has grown popular thanks to the Steam Deck, a portable gaming device. The primary distinction between the three Steam Deck models—64GB, 256GB, and 512GB—is the amount of storage capacity; these models range in price from $400 to $650. You will ultimately want additional storage for more games, however, regardless of the model you choose.
Valve said that upgrading the Steam Deck would be simple when it was originally shown. And it is, in fact. A Steam Deck’s storage capacity may be improved in a number of ways. Although a microSD card may be inserted into the Steam Deck’s card slot, a modern M.2 SSD, like the one found in the PS5, can provide a more long-lasting boost. A 64GB or 256GB disk may now be upgraded to 1TB for around the same price as a 512GB drive thanks to the drives’ declining pricing.
Despite not being the first portable gaming device, Valve’s Steam Deck was the first to have a PC-like environment with its several versions and simplicity of update. As game sizes continue to grow, storage is a particularly crucial element to enable upgrades.
You must disassemble it in order to upgrade. However, it’s not as difficult as it seems, so don’t be afraid. We’ll guide you through the process of moving files and improving the Steam Deck’s storage.
What you need
A Phillips-head screwdriver #0 and an opening or prying tool are the two instruments needed to open a steam deck. A USB-C case for the SSD is quite helpful for a fast data transfer instead of having to start over with a new drive and redownload everything. The Corsair MP600 Mini 1TB SSD was used for this upgrade.
Visit Newegg to get the Corsair MP600 Mini 1TB SSD.
1. Getting the SSD ready
The MP600 should be placed within the USB enclosure. After installation, the SSD must be initialized. To accomplish this, right-click the Start button in Windows and choose Disk Management. When the USB enclosure is plugged into the computer, a notification stating that the drive has to be initialized will appear. To create a disk partition, use the GPT option.
Purchase the ElecGear USB Mini Enclosure on Amazon for $25.
2. File Transfer for Steam Decks
Connect the SSD to the Steam Deck after it has been initialized. In order to speed up file transfers, now is the time to remove any games that are currently on the Deck. After the storage has been increased, they may be downloaded again.
Select System > Konsole in Desktop mode on the Steam Deck. When the Konsole window appears, enter “passwd” to create a password since you will be prompted for it later. For this stage, keep the password basic. After creating a password, type “sudo lsblk” and, when asked, enter your password.
You should pay attention to the main drive, which is usually identified as “nvme0n1,” and the USB drive, which appears as “sda.” This will display the Steam Deck drives. To verify the drive names, check the storage capacity shown. It should be compatible with both the SSD in the USB enclosure and the internal drive’s storage.
Next, open the Konsole window and enter the following command:
To sync bs=128M, sudo dd if=/dev/nvme0n1 of=/dev/sda oflag= status=progress
After a notification indicating that the data transfer has started, all that is left to do is wait for it to finish, which might take up to 30 minutes, depending on how much internal storage there is.
3. Getting the Steam Deck Open
After transferring the data, reduce the Steam Deck’s battery life to less than 25% to prevent a potentially hazardous situation in the event that the battery is punctured. Next, confirm that the gadget is fully turned off and not only in sleep mode. Take out the eight screws, starting on the rear. The four screws in the middle of the back will be shorter than the four in the corners. Don’t forget to keep the screws tight.
A steam deck without its cover
What a steam deck’s interior looks like.
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Remove the screws and open the Deck using the prying tool. Where there is greater room to insert the tool, begin prying at the left and right triggers. Proceed around the Steam Deck until the rear is fully removed.
Purchase the iFixit Prying Tool on Amazon for $8.
4. The board shield is removed
When the Steam Deck is open, the metallic board shield is the first thing you’ll notice. Pull back the foil to expose a secret screw to remove it. The board will turn up when the screw has been taken out. The battery and board are connected with a black ribbon at the bottom right. This ribbon should be carefully taken out of its slot.
behind its metal board screen, the interior of the steam deck
under the protection of the metal board.
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5. Replacing SSDs
The SSD with its ESD protection is located at the bottom of the exposed Steam Deck board. Slide the SSD out of its port after removing the screw keeping it in place. Place the new SSD on top of the ESD shielding after removing it. After that, insert the SSD into the port and tighten the screw.
A table with two SSDs and an open steam deck
It’s time to replace the SSDs.
Oscar Gonzalez
6. Sealing the Steam Deck Off
It’s all about working backward from here. Close the board shield, reinsert the screw keeping it in place, and reattach the battery ribbon. Reinstall all of the screws and snap the Steam Deck case back together.
After the Steam Deck has been safely reassembled, turn it on and check the settings for the additional storage space. That’s it.
Make sure the better ribbon is fully in place if the Steam Deck doesn’t power up. Make sure the SSD is firmly in its port and reopen the Steam Deck if it doesn’t start up.