Xbox Series X Storage Solutions: A Comprehensive Guide
Expandable storage is crucial for modern consoles. The Xbox Series X, despite boasting 1TB of storage, only offers around 800GB of usable space. This quickly fills up, necessitating frequent game uninstallations. The ideal solution? Investing in an SSD.
TL;DR - Top Xbox Series X SSDs:
Our Top Pick: Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S (See it on Amazon!)
WD_Black 1TB C50: (See it on Amazon!)
Samsung T7 External SSD: (See it on Amazon!)
Crucial X8 External SSD: (See it on Amazon!)
WD_Black 2TB P40: (See it on Amazon!)
It's important to note: only a select few SSDs support running Xbox Series X games directly. Others are ideal for storage only, allowing you to play older Xbox One or 360 titles from a compatible hard drive, or to store Series X games for later installation.
Best SSDs for Running Xbox Series X Games:
First, let's examine SSDs capable of running Series X games:
Have a PS5? Check out our best PS5 SSDs guide.
AnswerSee Results1. Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S:
- Pros: Easy installation, official Xbox support, fast transfer speeds, seamless integration with Velocity Architecture and Quick Resume.
- Cons: Expensive.
- Specifications: 1TB (also available in 512GB and 2TB), eSATA interface, ~468.75MB/s read/write.
2. WD_Black 1TB C50:
- Pros: More affordable than Seagate, durable, portable, official Xbox support.
- Cons: Marginally slower boot times than internal SSD.
- Specifications: 1TB (also available in 512GB), eSATA interface, ~900MB/s read/write.
Storage-Only SSD Options (For Archival and Backwards-Compatible Games):
These SSDs offer greater storage capacity for your money but cannot run Series X games directly.
3. Samsung T7 External SSD:
- Pros: Versatile, lightweight, portable, 256-bit AES encryption.
- Cons: Cannot run Series X games directly.
- Specifications: 2TB, USB 3.2 interface, 1,050/1,000MB/s read/write.
4. Crucial X8 External SSD:
- Pros: Excellent value, compact, fast, supports multiple platforms (Xbox, PC, Mac). Available up to 4TB.
- Cons: No encryption.
- Specifications: 1TB (also available in 2TB and 4TB), USB 3.2 interface, ~1,050MB/s read/write.
5. WD_Black 2TB P40:
- Pros: Stylish design with RGB lighting, fast transfer speeds, robust, multi-platform compatibility.
- Cons: Relatively expensive for an external SSD.
- Specifications: 2TB (also available in 500GB and 1TB), USB 3.2 interface, up to 2,000MB/s read/write.
Choosing the Right SSD:
For direct game play and full Series X feature support (Quick Resume, Velocity Architecture), the Seagate or WD_Black C50 are your best options, despite their higher cost. For cost-effective storage of games (especially older titles), the external SSDs offer compelling alternatives.
Xbox Series X SSD FAQ:
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Can any SSD work? Only licensed external SSDs (like the Seagate Expansion Card) allow direct Series X game play. External SSDs can store games.
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Is the internal SSD fast? Yes, it's a 1TB NVMe SSD with ~2.4GB/s IO throughput.
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Why only 800GB usable? System software consumes some of the 1TB advertised storage.
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Do I need extra storage? Yes, if you plan on installing multiple large AAA games, additional storage is highly recommended for quick access and avoiding constant re-installation.
