One amazing portable gaming system is the ASUS ROG Ally. However, it only has a 512GB SSD, which will quickly fill up in this day and age. Therefore, the best SSD for ROG Ally are what you should buy if you want to upgrade the console’s storage. Although the ROG Ally from Asus is a powerful portable gaming PC, there is room for improvement. It has just 512GB of SSD storage, for instance, and if you’ve played any AAA game released in the last few years, you know that many of them—possibly even most—can hit 50GB or higher with ease.
That implies that ten games might soon use up 512GB, leaving you with no more storage. Fortunately, more SSD manufacturers are now offering SSDs in the 2230 form size, which the Ally uses, thanks to the introduction of portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck and the Ally. You might consider upgrading your Ally’s SSD to 1TB or 2TB before setting it up, so you have plenty of space for gaming. If you want to add more storage to your Ally, here are our suggestions.
Best SSD for ROG Ally
SABRENT Rocket 2230 PCIe 4.0 SSD
SABRENT’s 2230 PCIe 4.0 SSD is one of the most cheap high-capacity drives on the market. It is compatible with various devices, including the Microsoft Surface Pro X, ROG Ally, and Steam Deck. It has speeds of up to 5GBps and can handle up to 800,000 IOPS. However, PCMag reports that the 1TB SKU has sequential read and write speeds of 3,566MB/sec and 3,046MB/sec, respectively. Furthermore, the SSD is rated for 600TB of writing throughout its guarantee period, which extends to three years with manufacturer registration.
What We Like:
- Affordable
- High endurance
- Features 3D TLC NAND.
What We Don’t Like:
- N/A.
CORSAIR MP600 MINI
One of the most sought-after 2230 form-factor SSDs available is Corsair’s MP600 Mini. The SSD is reasonably priced and has excellent sequential read and write speeds. According to the manufacturer, the drive can produce speeds of up to 4,800MB/sec. We should also mention that the MP600 Mini utilizes a 3D TLC NAND flash, just like Sabrent’s product. Simply put, each memory cell in a TLC flash can hold three bits of data.
What We Like:
- Reasonably priced
- Rapid read and write speeds in succession.
- makes use of a 3D TLC NAND
What We Dislike:
- Average writing and reading speeds
ADDLINK S91 1TB SSD
According to the brand, the Addlink S91 2TB SSD has a PCIe Gen 4×4 interface that can deliver sequential read rates of up to 5,000MB/sec. It also has a good amount of storage. QLC flash storage is also included, with a larger data storage capacity per memory cell. Furthermore, the drive has an endurance rating of 450TBW, which is noticeably lower than Corsair and Sabrent’s. The SSD also uses an SLC cache to improve performance and speed up the loading of apps and games.
What We Like:
- Two terabytes of storage
- Rapid read and write speeds in succession
What We Dislike:
- Perhaps QLC won’t do as well as TLC’s pricey
TEAMGROUP MP44S 2230 SSD
The SSD, called the MP44S, has up to 2TB of storage and is available in different configurations. Additionally, the device is compatible with various gadgets, such as the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally, and the ROG Flow Z13. The MP44S utilizes a QLC NAND and has a heat-dissipating graphene label, similar to Addlink’s S91 SSD, which should control thermals. Speedy sequential read and write speeds of up to 5,000MB/sec and 3,500MB/sec, respectively, are another feature of the SSD. It’s also important to mention that the drive works with older Gen3 M.2 sockets.
What We Like:
- Two terabytes of storage
- Reasonably priced
What We Dislike:
- It’s possible that QLC won’t perform as well as TLC.
Also read: Best SSD for Atomos Ninja V Recording Monitor
Sabrent Rocket Q4 2230 NVMe 4.0 2TB SSD
The best SSD for the ASUS ROG Ally is the Sabrent Rocket Q4 2230 NVMe 4.0. This high-performance SSD is compatible with devices with constrained storage, such as the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. This small and powerful SSD supports the newest PCIe 4.0 interface, with read and write speeds of up to 4.9 GB/s and 3.5 GB/s, respectively.
When you use this SSD, you can benefit from quicker file transfers, game loading times, and startup speeds on your Asus ROG Ally and other compatible devices. With its enormous 2TB storage capacity, you can save even more games, apps, and video files on your smartphone.
This SSD’s speed and capacity will benefit you whether you use your Asus ROG Ally to play Windows 11 games, Steam games, or Xbox games. Installing and using the Sabrent Rocket Q4 2230 NVMe 4.0 SSD is simple. It has a stylish black appearance and an optional heatsink that keeps the SSD excellent during demanding tasks. It doesn’t need extra drivers or software and works with the Asus ROG Ally right out of the box. The Sabrent software suite can also be used to manage, optimize, and monitor the performance of your SSD.
XPC Technologies 2TB M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe SSD
If you’re wanting to update the storage in your ASUS ROG Ally, the XPC Technologies 2TB M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe SSD Gen 4.0×4 Single-Sided Drive is a beautiful alternative. It is a single-sided M.2 2230 NVMe SSD with up to 5100MB/s read and 4800MB/s write Gen4 speed. This makes it perfect for loading games, starting up your PC, and transferring files. The one-sided design facilitates installation within your ROG Ally.
Additionally, it is compatible with PCIe Gen 4, which offers lightning-fast read and write speeds of up to 5100 MB/s, making it perfect for multitasking, gaming, and video editing, among other uses. Not only is the XPC Technologies SSD appropriate for the ASUS ROG Ally, but it can also be used with other small-form-factor devices that need a high-capacity, high-performance SSD.
You can use it, for instance, to upgrade any tiny PC that supports M.2 2230 SSDs, such as the Surface Laptop 4, Steam Deck, and Surface Pro 7. You can also use it as an external SSD when combined with an enclosure that accepts PCIe Gen 4 M.2 NVME drives. Professionals who require a dependable and quick storage solution for their jobs will benefit significantly from this SSD.
INLAND TN436 1TB M.2 2230 SSD
For those seeking to enhance the storage capacity of their ASUS ROG Ally gaming console, the INLAND TN436 1TB M.2 2230 SSD PCIe Gen 4.0×4 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive would be worth considering.
By supporting the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface and NVMe 1.3 protocol, the INLAND TN436 SSD enables fast data transfer speeds that maximize the ROG Ally’s capabilities. It has a maximum sequential write speed of 2,400 MBps and a maximum sequential read speed of 3,400 MBps. These are reasonable speeds that guarantee fast game and application loading times.
Additionally, the SSD dramatically improves the processing of small files and multitasking with random read and write speeds of up to 320K and 500K IOPS, respectively. Reliability is another benefit of the INLAND TN436 SSD. Users can feel secure about its durability because of its 6-year limited warranty. Its high durability rating of 600 TBW (terabytes written) further suggests that it is made to endure prolonged, intensive use. The SSD may be a little expensive—$139.99 for a 1TB capacity—but the peace of mind and compatibility with your ROG Ally make it worthwhile.
A summary of the ROG Ally’s top SSDs
There weren’t many high-performance 2230 SSDs available before the Steam Deck was released. Still, now that the Deck and the Ally have gained popularity, there are many of excellent choices available. There are enough 2230 SSDs available to warrant your time. Check out Corsair’s MP600 Mini if you want a nice 1TB 2230 SSD. In our review, we discovered that it was reasonably priced and fast enough for gaming.
Sabrent’s 2230 1 TB is a more expensive option that functions incredibly well and is more than sufficient for gaming. Another option that compromises cost and performance is a large 2TB 2230 SSD, such as the MP44S. As excellent substitutes, we suggest Sabrent’s 2TB 2230 (specifically labeled as the Q4 with a different sticker) or the Western Digital Black SN770M.
Conclusion
The ASUS ROG Ally is a potent and portable gaming console featuring a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface and NVMe 1.3 protocol compatibility for quick storage performance. Nevertheless, some customers with a sizable collection of games and apps may find the console’s 512GB of storage insufficient. To improve the gaming experience, upgrading the storage with an M.2 2230 SSD could be a good idea. While there aren’t many M.2 2230 SSDs on the market, we’ve examined some of the finest ones that work with the ASUS ROG Ally.
We may infer from these goods that your needs and financial situation determine which SSD is best for your ASUS ROG Ally. Consider the Sabrent Rocket Q4, but be ready to spend more cash and use a heatsink if you want the fastest and largest capacity. If you’re looking for a balanced combination of performance and affordability, you might consider the Corsair MP600 Mini or the TEAMGROUP MP44S, which provide good speed and dependability at affordable rates and include heatsinks.
Furthermore, if you want additional capacity without compromising speed, you could use the XPC Technologies SSD, although you might need to purchase a heatsink separately. The INLAND TN436 may be suitable and practical, but be mindful of its poor power efficiency and performance. In the future, faster and more efficient variants with improved controllers and flash memory might be available, so you should keep an eye out for them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What kind of SSD is used by ASUS ROG Ally?
The ROG Ally includes a pint-sized M.2 2230 SSD. As mentioned before, 2230 form-size SSDs are intended for gaming consoles and small Windows computers.
Can users upgrade the SSD in the ROG Ally?
The ROG Ally’s SSD can be easily upgraded. If you intend to upgrade the SSD, consult the company’s blog page, which includes all the instructions.
Will the warranty be voided if I upgrade the SSD on ROG Ally?
It’s great to hear that ASUS would uphold the guarantee even if a consumer updates the SSD.
