Memory and storage manufacturer TeamGroup has announced a new microSD card that might be the best microSD card for the Steam Deck – if it’s available, that is.
The TeamGroup T-Create Expert SMART MicroSDXC memory card has a capacity of 2TB, and while it’s designed more for the creative community, there’s no getting around the fact that its reported read/write speeds and capacity make it ideal for PC gaming handhelds that accept microSD cards as additional storage, such as the Steam Deck.
In addition to the speed and capacity, the memory card is equipped with ‘SMART’ software, which allows users to monitor the condition of the card via proprietary software developed by TeamGroup.
The software uses flash memory wear detection technology to inform users of the card’s status, giving you a better idea of when the card may be in danger of failing.
In terms of performance, the card has read and write speeds of up to 170 MB/s and 160 MB/s respectively. This isn’t as good as even the flash storage in the base Steam Deck model, let alone the one with a PCIe SSD in it, but if you have a large game library that you want to swap in and out of your main storage drive, this will let you do a lot more keeping games offline than is currently possible.
When can you buy it and how much does it cost?
The announcement, as exciting as it may be for some Steam Deck owners, is tempered somewhat by the fact that the card doesn’t appear to be available for purchase anywhere at the moment, and without official pricing from TeamGroup, we can’t tell you that. how much you should expect to spend for the extra capacity of this card.
If PCGamesN points out that a few 2TB cards have been announced in recent months, only because the cards themselves will never quite hit the market – at least not yet.
Whether TeamGroup, which has much better distribution channels than other manufacturers, will be able to bring its card to market remains to be seen, but it will be a windfall for the company if it is successful – many Steam Deck owners, as well as creatives , will be happy to get their hands on this one.