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On a Steam Deck, “memory” can mean two different things: RAM, which the system uses while games run, or internal storage, where SteamOS and games are installed. Valve lists both Steam Deck LCD and OLED models with 16 GB of onboard LPDDR5 RAM. Storage is separate and varies by model, using either eMMC or NVMe technology.
In SteamOS, use Steam > Settings > Storage to see internal and connected storage. For hardware details, the Gaming Mode path commonly reported by current walkthroughs is Steam button > Settings > System > Hardware, although menu labels can differ between SteamOS versions. You can also identify the likely configuration by matching your model and storage capacity to Valve’s specifications.
Start by deciding which “memory” you need to identify
A storage screen cannot tell you how much RAM the Deck has, and a microSD card cannot increase RAM. Treat the three components separately before interpreting any number you see.
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| Component | What it does | Information to record | Does a microSD card change it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAM | Working memory used by SteamOS and running games | 16 GB LPDDR5 onboard, according to Valve’s LCD and OLED specifications | No |
| Built-in storage | Permanent storage inside the Deck for SteamOS, games and files | Storage technology and model capacity: eMMC or NVMe, with capacity depending on the configuration | No |
| Removable storage | Additional space supplied by a card inserted into the Deck | microSD card type and capacity; Valve documents support for UHS-I cards | It is the card itself, not RAM |
If your question is about game performance or whether the Deck has enough working memory, you want the RAM entry. If you are deciding whether you can install another game, you want internal or removable storage.
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Check the hardware information in Gaming Mode
The quickest on-device route to hardware details is the Hardware page in Gaming Mode. Because Valve’s official material reviewed for this guide does not confirm the exact menu path, consider the labels version-sensitive rather than treating them as universal.
- Start in Gaming Mode and press the Steam button.
- Open Settings.
- Choose System.
- Look for Hardware and open the hardware-information screen.
- Record any displayed memory type and installed capacity. A result identifying LPDDR5 and 16 GB is consistent with Valve’s published specifications for both LCD and OLED models.
If your SteamOS build uses different wording, look through the System settings for a page containing hardware or device information. Do not assume that an absent Hardware entry means the Deck has a different amount of RAM; the menu can change as SteamOS changes.
If the Hardware page is missing
Use the model and storage information instead. Valve’s specifications list the RAM configuration for each Deck family, and the internal-storage technology and capacity narrow down the model configuration. Your purchase record, original product listing or the model information shown in Steam can help establish whether the unit is an LCD or OLED model.
Check storage from SteamOS
Valve identifies Steam > Settings > Storage as the place to manage system storage and connected storage. This is the authoritative on-device check for how the Deck currently sees its internal drive and any attached card.
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- Press the Steam button in Gaming Mode.
- Select Settings.
- Open Storage.
- Read the entries for the internal drive and any connected removable storage.
- Note both the storage technology or device description, when shown, and the capacity associated with that device.
The screen’s free-space number tells you how much room is available now. It is not the same as the original advertised capacity of the Deck. When comparing two units, compare their total internal capacity and technology rather than comparing only the currently free space.
How to read the Storage page
An internal-drive entry represents storage built into the Deck. A separate entry for a card represents removable storage. If a microSD card is inserted, it can appear alongside the system drive, but it does not alter the RAM entry or the Deck’s onboard memory specification.
Use the Storage page when your immediate decision is whether a game or update will fit. Use the model specifications when your goal is to document what configuration you bought, because the available-space figure changes as files are added and removed.
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Match your capacity and drive type to Valve’s model specifications
Valve’s current specification pages, accessed in 2026, list the following configurations. These are product specifications, not a diagnostic test of an individual unit.
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| Deck family | Published RAM | Published internal-storage configurations |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck LCD | 16 GB LPDDR5 onboard RAM | 64 GB eMMC; 256 GB NVMe; 512 GB NVMe |
| Steam Deck OLED | 16 GB LPDDR5 onboard RAM | 512 GB NVMe SSD; 1 TB NVMe SSD |
For example, an internal entry that corresponds to a 512 GB NVMe drive could match an LCD or OLED configuration, so capacity alone does not always identify the display family. A 1 TB NVMe configuration appears in Valve’s current OLED specifications, while the LCD specifications list 64 GB eMMC, 256 GB NVMe and 512 GB NVMe options. Confirm the LCD/OLED family from your purchase or model information when the capacity overlaps.
Valve also states that product specifications are subject to change. Treat the table as a reference for the published configurations, not as a guarantee that every future revision will use identical parts.
Understand eMMC, NVMe and advertised capacity
eMMC versus NVMe
eMMC and NVMe describe different internal-storage technologies, not different amounts of RAM. Valve’s LCD specifications include a 64 GB eMMC option and 256 GB and 512 GB NVMe options. The OLED specifications listed here use NVMe SSD storage at 512 GB or 1 TB.
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Advertised capacity versus free space
The capacity printed in a model specification describes the drive configuration. SteamOS’s Storage page reports the space available at the time you look. Those figures answer different questions: the first identifies the hardware configuration, while the second tells you what can be used for another installation immediately.
Check a microSD card without confusing it with RAM
A microSD card is removable storage. Valve documents support for formatting supported cards and for UHS-I cards. If the card appears as a connected device in Steam > Settings > Storage, its capacity is additional game-storage space, not an expansion of the Deck’s 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM.
- Record the card’s capacity separately from the internal drive.
- Keep the card’s removable status in your notes when comparing two Decks.
- If SteamOS asks to format a supported card, formatting prepares it for use and can erase existing data on that card; preserve anything important before proceeding.
- Do not add the card’s capacity to the RAM figure. A Deck with 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM still has 16 GB of RAM after a card is inserted.
A card can solve a shortage of installation space, but it does not change which RAM type or capacity the Deck has.
What to do when the numbers do not seem to match
The free-space figure is lower than the advertised capacity
Compare the total capacity or model configuration, not only the free-space value. Free space changes with installed games, updates and other files, so it is not a reliable label for the original drive size.
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The Hardware menu is not present
SteamOS labels vary. Check Settings > Storage, then use your model information and Valve’s specification table to document the configuration. The published RAM figure for both families remains 16 GB LPDDR5 onboard in the specifications cited here.
A microSD card appears as a second drive
That is expected for removable storage. Record it as a separate microSD device and keep it out of the RAM and built-in-storage fields.
Your capacity matches more than one model family
Some capacities overlap. In particular, 512 GB NVMe appears in both the LCD and OLED specifications. Use purchase or model details to establish the family, then record the drive technology and capacity shown by SteamOS.
The information seems inconsistent after a hardware change
Do not open the Deck solely to identify its memory. Valve cautions against opening or modifying the device and says damage caused by such attempts is not covered by the product warranty. Use SteamOS information and the original model details instead; if the records still conflict, seek support rather than removing the back cover to inspect the drive.
A reliable way to record your Deck’s configuration
For a support request, resale listing or comparison between two units, write the information in separate fields rather than combining it into one “memory” number:
- RAM: record “16 GB LPDDR5 onboard,” matching Valve’s published LCD and OLED specifications.
- Internal storage: record the technology and capacity, such as “256 GB NVMe” or “64 GB eMMC,” when that is the configuration shown or documented.
- Deck family: identify LCD or OLED from your model or purchase information, especially when the capacity is shared by both families.
- Removable storage: record the microSD card and its capacity as a separate item.
- Current availability: if needed for an installation decision, copy the free-space figure from the Storage page and label it as current free space.
This format prevents a common mistake: describing a Deck as having “512 GB of memory” when 512 GB refers to storage and the RAM remains 16 GB LPDDR5.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- Decide whether you need RAM, built-in storage or removable storage.
- Use the Gaming Mode hardware screen when it is available, remembering that menu labels can vary by SteamOS version.
- Open Steam > Settings > Storage to inspect internal and connected drives.
- Use Valve’s model specifications to distinguish LCD and OLED configurations and to identify eMMC versus NVMe.
- Compare total capacity, not just the free-space number.
- Keep a microSD card’s capacity separate from RAM and built-in storage.
- Do not open or modify the Deck merely to identify its memory.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
