{"id":69024,"date":"2026-08-30T07:03:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T07:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/best-ssd-for-steam-machine\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T08:41:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T08:41:57","slug":"best-ssd-for-steam-machine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/best-ssd-for-steam-machine\/","title":{"rendered":"Best SSD for Steam Machine"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"gagen-article gagen-v2\"><div class=\"article-intro\">\n  <p>The 512 GB Steam Machine fills up the week you install a modern library. There is one M.2 slot \u2014 PCIe 4.0 \u2014 with a 2230 drive from the factory and a second standoff at 80 mm. Move the screw, drop in a 2280, reinstall SteamOS from Valve\u2019s recovery image. Do not buy a PS5-tall heatsink or a 14 GB\/s Gen5 stick; the unpublished power budget has already browned those out. The upgrade is a 2 TB Samsung 990 EVO Plus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"quick-picks-box\">\n  <div class=\"qp-header\">\n  <h2>Our Top Picks at a Glance<\/h2>\n  <p class=\"qp-sub\">Reviewed August 2026 \u00b7 Matched to Valve Steam Machine (single M.2 PCIe 4.0, 2230 stock \/ 2280 standoff)<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"qp-cards\">\n  <div class=\"qp-card qp-card--gold\">\n  <span class=\"qp-num\">01<\/span>\n  <span class=\"qp-badge\">\ud83c\udfc6 Best Overall<\/span>\n  <strong class=\"qp-name\">Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB<\/strong>\n  <div class=\"qp-rating\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 <span class=\"qp-score\">4.7 \/ 5.0<\/span> <span class=\"qp-reviews\">\u00b7 2026 pick<\/span><\/div>\n  <p class=\"qp-why\">2280 Gen4 x4 (also Gen5 x2). TLC, ~7,250 \/ 6,300 MB\/s, 1,200 TBW. Efficient enough for this slot. Not a 9100 PRO.<\/p>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLCRF91?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"qp-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check Price at Amazon<\/a>\n  <a href=\"#best-overall\" class=\"qp-jump\">Read full review \u2193<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"qp-card qp-card--green\">\n  <span class=\"qp-num\">02<\/span>\n  <span class=\"qp-badge\">\ud83d\udc8e Best Value<\/span>\n  <strong class=\"qp-name\">WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB<\/strong>\n  <div class=\"qp-rating\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 <span class=\"qp-score\">4.6 \/ 5.0<\/span> <span class=\"qp-reviews\">\u00b7 2026 pick<\/span><\/div>\n  <p class=\"qp-why\">2280 Gen4 TLC, up to 7,250 \/ 6,900 MB\/s, 1,200 TBW. Built for laptops and handhelds \u2014 the power draw this cube wants.<\/p>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN7100+2TB+WDS200T4X0E&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"qp-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check Price at Amazon<\/a>\n  <a href=\"#best-value\" class=\"qp-jump\">Read full review \u2193<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"qp-card qp-card--blue\">\n  <span class=\"qp-num\">03<\/span>\n  <span class=\"qp-badge\">\ud83d\udcb0 Budget Pick<\/span>\n  <strong class=\"qp-name\">Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB<\/strong>\n  <div class=\"qp-rating\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 <span class=\"qp-score\">4.5 \/ 5.0<\/span> <span class=\"qp-reviews\">\u00b7 2026 pick<\/span><\/div>\n  <p class=\"qp-why\">Same 2280 TLC family, 7,150 \/ 6,300 MB\/s, 600 TBW. Doubles a 512 GB Machine without a 2 TB invoice.<\/p>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLFWBQ1?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"qp-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check Price at Amazon<\/a>\n  <a href=\"#budget-pick\" class=\"qp-jump\">Read full review \u2193<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"affiliate-disclosure\"><p><em>Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate affiliate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"info-module buying-guide\" id=\"who-should-buy\">\n  <h3>Who should buy what<\/h3>\n  <ul>\n  <li><strong>512 GB Machine, full library:<\/strong> <a href=\"#best-overall\">Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB<\/a> \u2014 M.2 2280, bare (no heatsink). Finish first boot and SteamOS updates on the stock drive, then swap. Move the standoff to 80 mm. Reinstall from Valve\u2019s SteamOS recovery image; there is no clone wizard.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Same 2 TB, often cheaper \/ cooler:<\/strong> <a href=\"#best-value\">WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB<\/a> \u2014 WDS200T4X0E, 2280, TLC, handheld-class power. Buy the official Sandisk\/WD listing, not a \u201cGeneric\u201d 2 TB twin.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Just leave 512 GB:<\/strong> <a href=\"#budget-pick\">990 EVO Plus 1TB<\/a> \u2014 enough for a curated Deck-sized library plus Proton prefixes. Still 2280; still one slot.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Skip:<\/strong> PCIe Gen5 x4 flagships (990 PRO 9100 \/ T705 \/ T710) \u2014 speed you cannot use, power this slot has already failed. PS5 \/ \u201cwith heatsink\u201d 2280 sticks that may not clear the cube. 2242 and 2260 (no mounts). SATA. A second internal drive (there isn\u2019t a second slot). microSD as the OS disk (UHS-I ~100 MB\/s is overflow, not a boot drive).<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Comparison Table<\/h2>\n<div class=\"comparison-module\">\n  <table class=\"comparison-table\">\n  <thead><tr><th>Product<\/th><th>Best for<\/th><th>Form<\/th><th>Bus \/ NAND<\/th><th>Seq. (R\/W)<\/th><th>Price<\/th><th>Buy<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n  <tbody>\n  <tr class=\"highlight-row\"><td><strong>990 EVO Plus 2TB<\/strong><\/td><td>Default swap<\/td><td>2280<\/td><td>Gen4 x4 \u00b7 TLC<\/td><td>7,250 \/ 6,300<\/td><td>~$140\u2013$180<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLCRF91?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>SN7100 2TB<\/strong><\/td><td>Efficient 2 TB<\/td><td>2280<\/td><td>Gen4 x4 \u00b7 TLC<\/td><td>7,250 \/ 6,900<\/td><td>~$130\u2013$170<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN7100+2TB+WDS200T4X0E&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>990 EVO Plus 1TB<\/strong><\/td><td>512 \u2192 1 TB<\/td><td>2280<\/td><td>Gen4 x4 \u00b7 TLC<\/td><td>7,150 \/ 6,300<\/td><td>~$80\u2013$110<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLFWBQ1?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>SN770M 2TB<\/strong><\/td><td>Keep 2230<\/td><td>2230<\/td><td>Gen4 x4 \u00b7 TLC<\/td><td>5,150 \/ 4,850<\/td><td>2230 tax<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN770M+2TB+2230&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>Gen5 2TB flagship<\/strong><\/td><td>Skip (power)<\/td><td>2280<\/td><td>Gen5 x4<\/td><td>10,000+<\/td><td>$200+<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Samsung+9100+PRO+2TB&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/tbody>\n  <\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>How We Picked These SSDs<\/h2>\n<ul>\n  <li><strong>The slot:<\/strong> Valve and launch reviews: one M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe. Stock modules are 512 GB or 2 TB in 2230. iFixit \/ teardown notes: standoffs at 30 mm and 80 mm only \u2014 2230 and 2280, not 2242 or 2260. The 2280 post is in the box; you move it. No second NVMe bay. The stock stick is bare; a tall PS5-style heatsink is a PlayStation clearance problem, not a Steam Machine requirement, and may not shut the lid. Officially user-replaceable. Warranty follows Deck practice: opening is not an automatic void; damage you cause is yours.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>The power and the OS:<\/strong> Community write-ups (including launch SSD upgrades) report that high-draw PCIe Gen5 drives can brown out this slot under sustained writes. The safe answer is a quality Gen4 2280 \u2014 the same class that survives Steam Deck \/ handheld tests \u2014 not a 14 GB\/s heatsink brick. Finish initial setup and system updates on the factory drive first; the stock SSD carries firmware the first boot expects. After the swap, SteamOS is a clean install from Valve\u2019s recovery image. Plan on signing in and re-downloading the library. microSD on the bottom is UHS-I (~100 MB\/s), same story as the Deck \u2014 overflow, not the boot disk. This page is the 2026 Valve cube, not a 2015 Steam Machine.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>The capacity:<\/strong> 150 GB-class installs make 512 GB a cache, not a library. 2 TB 2280 is the cheaper-per-gigabyte upgrade versus 2 TB 2230. Sequential 7 GB\/s is already past what game decompress and Proton care about on this CPU. TLC endurance (1,200 TBW on the 2 TB EVO Plus \/ SN7100) is the adult spec; QLC 2230 bargains exist if you insist on not moving the screw. A factory 2 TB Machine does not need this article unless that drive fails.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Best SSD for Steam Machine: Detailed Reviews<\/h2>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"best-overall\" data-badge=\"best-overall\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-best-overall\">\ud83c\udfc6 Best Overall<\/div>\n  <h3>Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLCRF91?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <div class=\"product-highlights\">\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Best For:<\/span> Replacing the 512 GB 2230<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Key Feature:<\/span> 2280 \u00b7 Gen4 x4 \u00b7 TLC \u00b7 7,250 MB\/s \u00b7 no heatsink<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Rating:<\/span> <span class=\"star-rating\">4.7 \/ 5.0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>SKU \/ ASIN<\/th><td>MZ-V9S2T0B\/AM \u00b7 B0DHLCRF91<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Form \/ bus<\/th><td>M.2 2280 \u00b7 PCIe 4.0 x4 (also 5.0 x2 \u2014 unused here)<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>NAND \/ cache<\/th><td>Samsung V-NAND TLC \u00b7 HMB (no DRAM)<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Speeds \/ TBW<\/th><td>Up to 7,250 \/ 6,300 MB\/s \u00b7 1,200 TBW \u00b7 5-year<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Not this SKU<\/th><td>990 PRO \/ 9100 PRO \u00b7 any \u201cwith heatsink\u201d bundle \u00b7 2230 (does not exist in this line)<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p><strong>Why it fits the Steam Machine.<\/strong> The slot is Gen4. The EVO Plus talks Gen4 x4 on that bus and sips less than a Gen5 x4 flagship \u2014 the failure mode this chassis already demonstrated. TLC at 2 TB is a week of AAA without a microSD shuffle. No DRAM is fine for SteamOS game installs; you are not running a Windows pagefile farm. Single-sided 2280, no slab cooler: it clears the cube the way the stock 2230 did. Move the 80 mm standoff, seat the stick, recover SteamOS. Magician is a Windows tool; you will not use it on this box. Confirm 2 TB EVO <em>Plus<\/em> (MZ-V9S2T0), not a 990 EVO non-Plus and not a 990 PRO.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> SN7100 2 TB is $30+ cheaper \u2014 same job, handheld power target. Skip it if the Machine already shipped 2 TB and the drive is healthy.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"pros-cons\">\n  <ul class=\"pros\">\n  <li>2 TB TLC, Gen4 x4, known-good 2280<\/li>\n  <li>Lower draw than Gen5 x4 \u201cgamer\u201d sticks<\/li>\n  <li>No heatsink to fight the lid<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <ul class=\"cons\">\n  <li>HMB, not DRAM<\/li>\n  <li>Requires moving the 2280 standoff + recovery install<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLCRF91?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=Samsung+990+EVO+Plus+2TB&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=Samsung+990+EVO+Plus+2TB&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=Samsung+990+EVO+Plus+2TB&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"best-value\" data-badge=\"best-value\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-best-value\">\ud83d\udc8e Best Value<\/div>\n  <h3>WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN7100+2TB+WDS200T4X0E&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <div class=\"product-highlights\">\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Best For:<\/span> 2 TB at handheld-class watts<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Key Feature:<\/span> 2280 \u00b7 Gen4 TLC \u00b7 7,250 \/ 6,900 MB\/s \u00b7 1,200 TBW<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Rating:<\/span> <span class=\"star-rating\">4.6 \/ 5.0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>SKU<\/th><td>WDS200T4X0E \/ WDS200T4X0E-00CJA0 \u00b7 2 TB 2280<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>NAND \/ bus<\/th><td>Sandisk next-gen TLC \u00b7 PCIe 4.0 x4 \u00b7 ~5.8 g, 1.14 mm<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Speeds \/ TBW<\/th><td>Up to 7,250 \/ 6,900 MB\/s \u00b7 1,200 TBW \u00b7 5-year<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Why this family<\/th><td>Marketed for laptops and handhelds \u2014 efficiency over SN850X gamer draw<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Buy this listing<\/th><td>Official WD_BLACK \/ Sandisk. Not a \u201cGeneric\u201d SN7100 clone. Not SN770M (that is 2230).<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p><strong>Why it fits the Steam Machine.<\/strong> SN7100 is the 2280 drive WD built after the SN770 handheld line: TLC, Gen4, thin, low watts. That is the unpublished power-budget conversation in one SKU. Sequential numbers match the EVO Plus; you will not feel a difference loading Proton. Dashboard is Windows-only \u2014 ignore it. Confirm WDS200T4X0E (2280). SN770M 2 TB is the 2230 sibling if you refuse to move the screw and will pay the 2230 tax. SN850X 2 TB is a faster, hungrier 2280; it is not the first pick for this slot.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> the EVO Plus 2 TB is the same money \u2014 either 2280 TLC is correct. Skip third-party ASINs that say Generic in the brand field.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"pros-cons\">\n  <ul class=\"pros\">\n  <li>2 TB TLC, low-profile Gen4, handheld power target<\/li>\n  <li>Often the cheaper 2 TB street price<\/li>\n  <li>No heatsink in the correct SKU<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <ul class=\"cons\">\n  <li>Amazon listings are messy \u2014 check the model string<\/li>\n  <li>Still a recovery reinstall after the swap<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN7100+2TB+WDS200T4X0E&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=WD+SN7100+2TB&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=WD+SN7100+2TB&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=WD+SN7100+2TB&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"budget-pick\" data-badge=\"budget-pick\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-budget\">\ud83d\udcb0 Budget Pick<\/div>\n  <h3>Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLFWBQ1?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <div class=\"product-highlights\">\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Best For:<\/span> Doubling a 512 GB box without 2 TB money<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Key Feature:<\/span> 2280 \u00b7 same TLC family \u00b7 7,150 \/ 6,300 MB\/s \u00b7 600 TBW<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Rating:<\/span> <span class=\"star-rating\">4.5 \/ 5.0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>SKU \/ ASIN<\/th><td>MZ-V9S1T0B\/AM \u00b7 B0DHLFWBQ1<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Form \/ bus<\/th><td>M.2 2280 \u00b7 PCIe 4.0 x4 \/ 5.0 x2<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>NAND \/ TBW<\/th><td>V-NAND TLC \u00b7 600 TBW \u00b7 5-year<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Usable vs 512<\/th><td>~double the factory 512 GB SKU after SteamOS + shader cache<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Not this SKU<\/th><td>980 \/ 970 EVO extras \u00b7 QLC \u201c1 TB gaming\u201d no-name sticks<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p><strong>Why it fits the Steam Machine.<\/strong> Same install ritual as the 2 TB: updates first, standoff to 80 mm, recovery image. You get TLC and a controller this slot can power, not a $40 QLC lottery. 1 TB is a curated library \u2014 a few current AAA, a Deck-sized backlog, room for prefixes. It is not \u201cbuy once.\u201d If 2 TB is $40 more, buy 2 TB. Confirm 1 TB EVO Plus, not a 256\/512 and not the 2 TB ASIN by mistake.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> the library is already 800 GB on the Deck account \u2014 pay for 2 TB once. Skip QLC 1 TB 2230 bargains unless you like rewriting the same games.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"pros-cons\">\n  <ul class=\"pros\">\n  <li>Same safe Gen4 TLC family as the 2 TB pick<\/li>\n  <li>Lowest cash to leave 512 GB<\/li>\n  <li>Bare 2280, no cooler<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <ul class=\"cons\">\n  <li>You will want 2 TB later<\/li>\n  <li>Half the TBW of the 2 TB sibling<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLFWBQ1?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=Samsung+990+EVO+Plus+1TB&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=Samsung+990+EVO+Plus+1TB&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=Samsung+990+EVO+Plus+1TB&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>If You Need Something Else<\/h2>\n<p>These two are not cheaper versions of the Top 3. One keeps the 30 mm screw. One is the Gen5 tax this slot has already rejected.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"also-great\" data-badge=\"also-great\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-also-great\">\ud83d\udc4d Stay on 2230<\/div>\n  <h3>WD_BLACK SN770M 2TB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN770M+2TB+2230&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>SKU<\/th><td>WDBDNH0020BBK \/ WDS200T3X0G \u00b7 M.2 2230<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Bus \/ NAND<\/th><td>PCIe 4.0 x4 \u00b7 TLC \u00b7 up to 5,150 \/ 4,850 MB\/s \u00b7 1,200 TBW<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>When it wins<\/th><td>You will not move the 80 mm standoff, or you want a stick that also fits a Deck<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p>2230 2 TB still costs more per gigabyte than 2280 2 TB. SN770M is the TLC 2230 that reviews treat as the fast tiny drive \u2014 not a QLC P310 2230 unless price is the only variable. Same rules: updates first, recovery image, no heatsink. Ignore $900\u2013$1,000 marketplace twins; wait for a normal street price or stay on 2280.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> you are willing to move one screw \u2014 buy the EVO Plus or SN7100 2280.<\/p>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN770M+2TB+2230&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=WD+SN770M+2TB&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=WD+SN770M+2TB&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=WD+SN770M+2TB&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"best-competitive\" data-badge=\"premium\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-premium\">\ud83d\udeab Skip<\/div>\n  <h3>PCIe Gen5 flagships \/ PS5 heatsink sticks <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Samsung+9100+PRO+2TB&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>Why they show up<\/th><td>\u201cFastest SSD\u201d next to a $1,049 cube<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>9100 PRO \/ T705 \/ T710<\/th><td>Gen5 x4, high watts. This slot is Gen4 and has browned out that class.<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>SN850X \/ 990 PRO + heatsink<\/th><td>Fine as a bare 2280 maybe; the tall cooler is a PS5 part<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p>Game load on a 6-core SteamOS box does not scale with 14 GB\/s sequential. If a Gen5 drive is already in the cart, put it in a desktop. Same skip: SATA 2.5-inch, USB enclosure as \u201cthe\u201d upgrade (USB-C is extra storage, not a replacement for the NVMe boot slot), and 4 TB unless you have a specific 200-game hoard \u2014 2 TB is the 512 GB Machine\u2019s job.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> the PC is a Steam Machine. Buy a bare Gen4 2280.<\/p>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Samsung+9100+PRO+2TB&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=Samsung+9100+PRO+2TB&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=Samsung+9100+PRO+2TB&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=Samsung+9100+PRO+2TB&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-module\">\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Do I have to reinstall SteamOS?<\/h3><p>Yes, after an internal swap. Valve\u2019s path is the official SteamOS recovery image. There is no supported \u201cclone the 2230 to 2280 and boot\u201d flow. Sign in and re-download. That is why you finish updates on the stock drive first.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>2230 or 2280?<\/h3><p>Both mount. 2280 2 TB is usually cheaper per gigabyte. 2230 only if you want Deck-sized parts or will not move the standoff. 2242\/2260 do not have holes.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Can I keep the 512 GB and add a second SSD?<\/h3><p>Not internally. One M.2. Expansion is microSD (slow) or USB-C \/ USB-A external disks (fine for overflow, not for the OS).<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Does the 2 TB factory Machine need this?<\/h3><p>No, unless that drive is dying or you want 4 TB. This page is the 512 GB upgrade path.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Final Verdict<\/h2>\n<div class=\"conclusion-module verdict-box\">\n  <div class=\"verdict-picks\">\n  <div class=\"verdict-item\">\n  <span class=\"verdict-label\">\ud83c\udfc6 Best Overall:<\/span>\n  <div class=\"verdict-product\"><strong>Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB<\/strong> <span class=\"verdict-reason\">\u2013 Bare 2280, Gen4 TLC, 2 TB.<\/span><\/div>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLCRF91?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"verdict-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy Now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"verdict-item\">\n  <span class=\"verdict-label\">\ud83d\udc8e Best Value:<\/span>\n  <div class=\"verdict-product\"><strong>WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB<\/strong> <span class=\"verdict-reason\">\u2013 Same capacity, handheld-class draw.<\/span><\/div>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=WD+BLACK+SN7100+2TB+WDS200T4X0E&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"verdict-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy Now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"verdict-item\">\n  <span class=\"verdict-label\">\ud83d\udcb0 Budget Pick:<\/span>\n  <div class=\"verdict-product\"><strong>Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB<\/strong> <span class=\"verdict-reason\">\u2013 Same family, leave 512 GB.<\/span><\/div>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DHLFWBQ1?tag=e6890-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"verdict-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy Now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"verdict-summary\">For most 512 GB Steam Machines, buy a bare 2 TB Gen4 2280 \u2014 EVO Plus or SN7100 \u2014 after the first update pass, then recover SteamOS. 1 TB if cash is tight. Skip Gen5, skip heatsinks, skip 2230 unless you like paying a tax to keep a 30 mm screw. One slot. Fill it once.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot: 2230 stock, 2280 if you move the standoff. Overall: Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB. Value: WD SN7100 2TB. Budget: 990 EVO Plus 1TB. Skip Gen5 and PS5 heatsinks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,2],"tags":[1881,1442,509,4119],"class_list":["post-69024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mini-pc","category-ssd","tag-internal-ssd","tag-nvme","tag-nvme-ssd","tag-steam-machine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69024"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69098,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69024\/revisions\/69098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}