SN770M vs MP600 Mini 2TB: Which SSD for Your Steam Deck?
Your 2TB shortlist includes an SN770M, a Mini and a similarly named Core Mini. How do the three drives differ, and how much of a 7,000MB/s rating can a Steam Deck use?
- For a Steam Deck capacity upgrade, compare warranty coverage and the total cost including delivery, then buy the less expensive 2TB TLC drive with suitable coverage. The SN770M and revised MP600 Mini both carry a 1,200TBW rating.
- The MP600 Mini R2 has higher advertised Gen4 sequential speeds. The Deck uses PCIe 3.0, so its 7,000MB/s rating does not establish a corresponding advantage in game loading.
- Look for CSSD-F2000GBMP600MNR2 for the 2TB Mini. The Core Mini is a separate QLC product. Both Deck generations use single-sided M.2 2230 storage, with different disassembly guides.
The hardest part of comparing these drives is identifying what a retailer is actually selling. “MP600” covers several products, “Mini” has appeared on more than one hardware revision, and adding “Core” changes the NAND type. A review that abbreviates a name can leave you comparing the wrong Corsair drive against the WD_BLACK SN770M.
Start with the two exact 2TB models, then decide whether the revised Mini’s higher advertised speeds are useful in your device. For a Deck that keeps running out of room, the main benefit is the extra storage. Specifications below were checked on October 30, 2026.
SN770M and Mini R2: the exact 2TB TLC models and specifications
| 2TB specification | WD_BLACK SN770M | Corsair MP600 Mini R2 |
|---|---|---|
| Model / SKU | WDBDNH0020BBK-WRSN / WDS200T3X0G | CSSD-F2000GBMP600MNR2 |
| Form factor | M.2 2230 | M.2 2230 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe |
| NAND | TLC | TLC |
| Sequential read, up to | 5,150MB/s | 7,000MB/s |
| Sequential write, up to | 4,850MB/s | 6,500MB/s |
| Write endurance rating | 1,200TBW | 1,200TBW |
| Limited warranty | 5 years or write limit, whichever comes first | 5 years, subject to write-endurance conditions |
The SN770M entries come from Sandisk’s July 2025 data sheet. Corsair’s product page identifies the revised 2TB SKU and TLC NAND; its endurance table lists 1,200TBW. The R2 speed ratings are in the 2TB column of Tom’s Hardware’s 2024 model specification table. That article’s tested drive is 1TB; its results do not become a 2TB benchmark.
Check the option selected on the retailer’s page, rather than relying on the main photograph. A listing that groups capacities or variants can show the right packaging while selecting a different drive. Compare the complete SKU, capacity, seller and how you would make a warranty claim for each offer.
Corsair’s limited warranty terms end coverage at the earliest of the time limit, stated endurance limit or maximum SMART Percentage Used. Matching headline years and TBW does not make every claim condition identical.
Distinguish the QLC Core Mini from the original and revised TLC Mini
Corsair’s Steam Deck storage guide separates the TLC Mini from the QLC Core Mini. If you choose a cheaper Core Mini, you are buying QLC storage with a lower write-endurance rating. Its 2TB model, CSSD-F2000GBMP600CMN, has a 450TBW rating in Corsair’s support table, compared with 1,200TBW for the revised Mini.
If you are also considering 1TB, check which Mini revision is on sale. Real Hardware Reviews identifies CSSD-F1000GBMP600MN as the original version and CSSD-F1000GBMP600MNR2 as the revision. For the 2TB TLC model discussed here, the number is CSSD-F2000GBMP600MNR2. An original 1TB Mini may cost less, but it also gives you less storage than either 2TB drive.
Check the full model names in reviews too. StorageReview’s SN770M review tested the 2TB Core Mini among its competitors. Those Corsair results describe the QLC Core Mini, so they cannot settle a comparison between the SN770M and the revised TLC Mini.
The Deck’s PCIe 3.0 connection limits both Gen4 drives
The Deck uses PCIe 3.0 for storage. Valve’s original LCD technical sheet lists Gen3 x4 NVMe configurations, and Corsair’s Deck guide describes the Gen3 limitation. Installing a Gen4 SSD does not upgrade the host connection.
The R2’s advertised read ceiling is about 36% higher than the SN770M’s; its write ceiling is about 34% higher. Those calculations compare maximum sequential specifications. They cannot be turned into the same percentage improvement in loading a game on the Deck.
Sequential speeds describe how quickly a drive moves a continuous stream of data. Starting a game also involves finding files and preparing their contents. Downloading a game depends on the network and installation work as well as storage. A higher sequential speed can help only the parts of these tasks that depend on it.
The host limitation makes the 7,000MB/s ceiling a weak reason on its own to pay extra for a Deck upgrade. With equal capacity and suitable warranty coverage, the lower delivered cost is the useful buying criterion. At equal delivered prices, the revised Mini is a reasonable pick for its higher Gen4 specification. Any later reuse still depends on the next device’s actual slot and compatibility.
Battery-life comparisons also need matching capacities and conditions. A table containing a 1TB Mini result and a 2TB SN770M result compares both different capacities and different products. It does not isolate the battery-life difference between the two 2TB drives.
If your current drive has enough space and your complaint is low frame rates, there is little reason to replace it with another SSD of the same capacity. The processor, graphics and memory remain the same. Extra capacity gives you more room for installed games; higher advertised SSD throughput does not solve a rendering limit.
Upgrading to 2TB adds 1,488GB from 512GB or 1,000GB from 1TB
Using manufacturers’ decimal capacities, replacing 512GB with 2TB adds 1,488GB and makes nominal storage about 3.91 times as large. Replacing 1TB with 2TB adds 1,000GB and doubles it. These are replacements: the old internal drive does not stay installed alongside the new one.
| Current capacity | Nominal space added by 2TB | Question to answer |
|---|---|---|
| 256GB | 1,744GB | Do a few large installs force constant deletions? |
| 512GB | 1,488GB | Do you need several large games available together? |
| 1TB | 1,000GB | Does the library you want installed exceed the current space? |
If you use a hypothetical 100GB game to estimate capacity, the added space is equivalent to roughly 14.9 such games when upgrading from 512GB, versus ten when upgrading from 1TB. The drive also needs space for the operating system and updates. Add up the installed sizes of your own games for a better estimate of how many will fit.
A nominal 2TB is two trillion bytes, or approximately 1.82TiB before operating-system and filesystem use. A smaller number in a binary-unit display does not mean a seller supplied less storage. Keep the units consistent when estimating the benefit of an upgrade.
First decide whether the extra terabyte over a 1TB purchase is worth the price difference. If you need 2TB, compare the two exact 2TB products including shipping and warranty arrangements. Comparing a discounted 1TB drive with a 2TB drive will not tell you which offers the better price for the capacity you need.
LCD and OLED Decks need different tools and a SteamOS installation plan
Both generations require a single-sided M.2 2230 SSD, measuring 22mm wide and 30mm long. A common desktop 2280 drive is 80mm long and will not fit this slot, even though it also uses M.2. Check the length and mounting requirements before ordering.
Use the LCD replacement guide or the OLED replacement guide for your machine. Their tool lists differ: Phillips drivers for LCD, T6 Torx for OLED. LCD units also have internal design revisions. Follow the instructions for your version’s cover and disassembly sequence, even though both generations use the same SSD format.
Before opening the case, preserve the files you need, follow the guide’s battery preparation, shut down and unplug the device, and remove its microSD card. iFixit specifies a battery charge below 25% and warns that leaving the card installed while removing the back can break it. Follow the model-specific sequence for disconnecting the battery and transferring the SSD shielding.
After fitting a blank replacement, you still need to install an operating system. Use Valve’s SteamOS installation and repair instructions and choose the procedure for a new installation rather than a repair of an existing one.
Keep the original SSD until the new installation boots and the files you intended to preserve are available. The replacement does not automatically contain a copy of the old drive. If you plan to use an external enclosure to transfer files or keep using the old SSD, include it and the necessary tools in the upgrade cost.
Choose the cheaper suitable TLC drive, or the Mini R2 at equal prices
Choose the SN770M when it delivers the same 2TB TLC capacity and suitable warranty coverage for less. Choose the exact Mini R2 when its delivered price is equal or lower. The Deck’s connection prevents either drive from delivering its advertised Gen4 sequential ceiling.
A deeply discounted Core Mini can still be a budget option if you accept QLC storage and its 450TBW rating for 2TB. Check the complete model number, capacity and warranty arrangements for each offer before deciding whether the saving is worthwhile.