Team Group MP44S 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2230

The Team Group MP44S is the best 2230 SSD for Steam Deck and ROG Ally upgrades. It hits 5,000 MB/s reads and users love it, with a 92/100 sentiment score. Just don't buy it for a desktop, and shop around because EUR prices swing from 226 to 464.

Sequential reads top out at 5,000 MB/s and writes at 3,500 MB/s. Random performance is solid too, with 480K read IOPS and 500K write IOPS. That puts speed in the 71st percentile overall and random performance in the 86th, which is genuinely impressive for a 2230 drive. The DRAM-less design and QLC NAND mean sustained writes will dip, but for game loading and everyday handheld use, it feels snappy. The graphene label does real work keeping temps in check inside tight handheld chassis.

Against the Crucial T700, WD_BLACK, and Kingston Fury Renegade, the MP44S looks different depending on what you need. Those competitors are mostly full-size 2280 drives with higher peak speeds and better endurance. But none of them fit in a Steam Deck without modification. The MP44S wins by simply existing in the 2230 space with Gen4 speeds. The Samsung 990 EVO Plus and Micron T710 are closer in spirit, but the MP44S holds its own on random performance and user sentiment. If you need a desktop drive, buy one of the others. If you need a handheld upgrade, this is the pick.

Pricing is all over the place. EUR listings range from 226 to 464, which is a wild spread. If you're in Europe, shop around because paying 464 for this drive is a bad deal. The lower end of that range is fair for a 1TB 2230 with this speed. In the US it's listed at $197, which feels a bit steep compared to some full-size 1TB Gen4 drives, but you're paying for the form factor. For handheld owners, the convenience is worth it.

The Team Group MP44S is a 1TB M.2 2230 drive built for handhelds and thin laptops. It hits 5,000 MB/s reads and 3,500 MB/s writes, which is plenty for a Steam Deck or ROG Ally. The graphene label helps with heat, and the tiny 22x30mm footprint means it actually fits where full-size drives don't.

It's DRAM-less and uses QLC NAND, so it's not a desktop workhorse. But for the niche it targets, it's one of the best options out there. Users love it, and our data backs that up.

Skip this if you're building or upgrading a desktop. The 2230 form factor, DRAM-less design, and QLC NAND are all compromises made for handhelds, not tower PCs. If you need a desktop drive, grab a full-size 2280 with DRAM and better endurance. Also skip it if you're in Europe and only seeing the 464 EUR listing, that's a bad price for this drive.

Steam Deck and ROG Ally owners looking to ditch the 64GB or 512GB stock drive should buy this. It's fast, easy to install, and users report zero issues with OS reimaging. The 1TB capacity is the sweet spot for a handheld game library. Desktop builders should look elsewhere, but for the target audience, this is a no-brainer.