Steam Machine vs Steam Deck: Storage Upgrade Paths, Priced
Live prices updated
Both machines take an NVMe drive you can replace yourself; the difference is length. The Steam Deck takes 2230 only (per iFixit), the Steam Machine 2230 or 2280 (per iFixit). At 1TB today the cheapest new drive for a Deck is $169.99 and for a Steam Machine $159.00 - $10.99 less.
The same capacity on each path, today
| Capacity | Steam Deck (2230 only) | Steam Machine (2230 or 2280) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 512GB | $104.99 - Patriot Viper VP4000 Mini 500GB PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 2230 SSD ($209.98/TB) | $104.48 - Crucial P310 500GB SSD, 2280 ($208.96/TB) | $0.51 less on the Steam Machine |
| 1TB | $169.99 - Patriot Viper VP4000 Mini 1TB PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 2230 SSD ($169.99/TB) | $159.00 - Kingston NV3 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, 2280 ($159.00/TB) | $10.99 less on the Steam Machine |
| 2TB | $299.99 - TeamGroup MP44S SSD 2TB SLC Cache Gen 4x4 M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 NVMe Steam Deck A... ($150.00/TB) | $289.95 - Kingston NV3 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, 2280 ($144.97/TB) | $10.04 less on the Steam Machine |
Cheapest new drive we can confirm at each length, today. The Steam Machine column may pick a 2230 drive where it is the cheapest; it can never be dearer than the Deck column, because every Deck-compatible drive is also on its list. Levels, not a matched-model comparison - that is on 2230 vs 2280.
What each machine accepts, and who says so
Steam Deck: "The Steam Deck's SSD is a single-sided M.2 2230." - iFixit (Valve's designated Steam Deck repair-guide partner), as rendered, 16 September 2026. Valve's own Steam Deck spec pages state βNVMe SSDβ without a length.
PRESS / TEARDOWN - iFIXIT, NOT VALVEβThe Steam Machine has a single M.2 NVMe slot that's compatible with 2230 or 2280 form factors.β - iFixit, Steam Machine (2026) SSD Replacement, Spencer Day, published 2026-09-16, read 2026-09-26. iFixit flags the guide as made in collaboration with the manufacturer, but the words are iFixit's: Valve's own spec page names no M.2 length. Follow iFixit's guide for the procedure; we do not reproduce it.
Two machines, one kind of drive, two different markets
Valve built both machines around a replaceable NVMe drive, which is unusual in consoles and ordinary in PCs. What separates them is physical. The Steam Deck is a handheld, and iFixit's Steam Deck guide describes a single-sided M.2 2230 - the short, 30-millimetre card. The Steam Machine is a small desktop, and iFixit's Steam Machine guide describes a slot compatible with 2230 or 2280, the 80-millimetre card most desktop drives are built on.
That difference is worth more than it sounds, because the two lengths are different markets. The 2280 card is the mainstream one: more makers, more models, more capacities and higher volume. The 2230 card is the handheld and thin-laptop format, with fewer models and, on our measurements, higher prices for the same product line. A Deck owner has to buy in the smaller market; a Steam Machine owner, on iFixit's account, can buy in either.
Neither length is stated by Valve on its own spec pages, which is why every length claim on this page names iFixit as its source.
How the paths are priced
For each capacity, the Steam Deck column is the cheapest new drive we hold at 2230 length, and the Steam Machine column is the cheapest new drive we hold at 2230 or 2280. Both use only drives whose length our catalogue records, and neither includes drives sold with a factory heatsink, because neither machine has a published heatsink clearance we could cite. Used and renewed offers are left out so that both columns compare new drives.
These are levels: the cheapest drive on each path, which is usually a different product on each side. They answer the practical question - what does it cost to add this much space to each machine today - rather than the narrower question of what length alone costs. The narrower question, answered model for model, is on our 2230 vs 2280 page.
The Steam Machine column can never exceed the Deck column at the same capacity, because every drive that fits a Deck is also on the Steam Machine's list. Where the two columns show the same drive, the cheapest option at that capacity happens to be a 2230 card.
Replacement difficulty - attributed, not restated
iFixit rates its Steam Machine SSD replacement "Moderate" and estimates "30 minutes - 1 hour". For the Steam Deck, iFixit publishes its own replacement guide, linked above. We do not rewrite, paraphrase or number either procedure: a copied repair procedure goes out of date the moment its source is corrected, and the source is where the photographs and warnings are.
Two practical points apply to both machines. Back up what matters first - replacing the drive replaces everything on it. And check Valve's own support pages on reinstalling the operating system before you open the case; we have not sourced Valve's instructions or warranty position on self-service storage and do not state them.
What the single-sided rule does and does not cover
iFixit describes the Steam Deck's drive as single-sided - flash chips on one face of the card only - which matters in a handheld's thin chassis. iFixit's Steam Machine guide states no such requirement, and Valve states none for either machine. We therefore do not claim the rule applies to the Steam Machine, and we do not claim it does not.
Our catalogue does not record whether each listing is single-sided, so the Deck column should be read with that caveat: every drive in it is confirmed 2230, not confirmed single-sided.
Why the Steam Machine column is never dearer
Every drive that fits a Steam Deck, by iFixit's account, also fits a Steam Machine: the Deck takes 2230, and the Steam Machine takes 2230 or 2280. So the Steam Machine's list of candidate drives at any capacity is the Deck's list plus every 2280 drive at that capacity. The cheapest drive on a longer list can match the cheapest on the shorter one, but it can never be dearer.
Where the two columns show the same price, the cheapest drive at that capacity today happens to be a 2230 card and the 2280 market offers nothing cheaper. Where the Steam Machine column is lower, the difference is the value of the longer list on that day - which is not the same thing as the value of length itself, because the two cheapest drives are usually different products. The like-for-like measurement is on 2230 vs 2280.
Both columns are live and both move. A 2230 sale can close the gap for a day, and a 2280 sale can widen it; the figures above are today's, recomputed on every load.
Which upgrade to plan for
If you own a Steam Deck, the 2230 column is your price, and our Steam Deck SSD page lists every drive we can confirm at that length. If you own a Steam Machine, start from the Steam Machine SSD hub, which lists both lengths together, cheapest per terabyte first.
If you own both and want one drive to move between them, a 2230 card is the only kind that fits both on iFixit's account - at the handheld market's price.
A price gap between two machines is not a reason to buy either upgrade today. Upgrade the machine that is actually short of space, at the capacity that fixes it, when the badge on the drive you want says the price is low for it.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Does the Steam Machine use the same SSD as the Steam Deck?
Not necessarily. Both use M.2 NVMe drives, but iFixit documents the Steam Deck as taking a single-sided M.2 2230 only, and the Steam Machine as taking 2230 or 2280. A Steam Deck drive fits a Steam Machine by that account; most Steam Machine-compatible drives do not fit a Deck.
Which is cheaper to upgrade?
At the capacities in stock on both paths today: 512GB - Deck $104.99, Steam Machine $104.48; 1TB - Deck $169.99, Steam Machine $159.00; 2TB - Deck $299.99, Steam Machine $289.95. The Steam Machine can use the cheaper 2280 market, so it is never dearer at a matched capacity.
Is the Steam Machine SSD harder to replace than the Steam Deck's?
We report only what iFixit publishes: it rates its Steam Machine SSD guide "Moderate", 30 minutes - 1 hour. For the Steam Deck, follow iFixit's own Steam Deck guide; we do not restate either procedure.
Can I move my Steam Deck SSD into a Steam Machine?
iFixit's Steam Machine guide says the slot takes 2230 drives, which is the Steam Deck's length, so physically it should seat. We have not tested it and make no claim about the data on it.
Does the single-sided rule apply to the Steam Machine?
iFixit states single-sided for the Steam Deck. It states no single-sided requirement for the Steam Machine, and neither does Valve, so we do not assert one either way. Our tables do not record single-sidedness per listing.
Do you price the consoles?
No. Both are sold by Valve through Steam; we price the drives that go in them.