Xbox Expansion Drive

1. Xbox Expansion Drive
2. Xbox One Expansion Drive
3. Best Xbox Expansion Drive
4. Seagate Expansion Drive Xbox Series X

For note, Xbox Series X/S games can only be stored on an SSD, and not on the external usb hard drive at all. Read More: Xbox Series X And Series S: How To Enable Cross-Platform How to use an SSD Expansion Card. Xbox has also confirmed how you can use Xbox Series Storage Expansion Cards to give more hard drive space beyond what ships inside the console, as well as USB 3.1 drives already supported on.

The Xbox Series X's 1 TB internal SSD is really fast, loading up some games in a matter of seconds--I tested this out in several games in my full console preview and got impressive results. But with 802 GB actually free to use on the internal drive, you can fill it up quickly with the size of games today (and don't forget the Xbox Series S only comes with a 512 GB drive). So, what are some good solutions to expand your storage on the new Xbox consoles and how do they perform in comparison?

1. The approach of Xbox's Storage Expansion Cards feels closer to memory cards from 2-3 console generations back than a traditional hard drive, and offers the same performance as the internal SSD.
2. The officially licensed, 1 TB Storage Expansion Card for the Xbox Series X and Series S costs $219.99, Microsoft announced Thursday. It's available for pre-order now. The Microsoft Store listing.
3. We created the Seagate Storage Expansion card in close partnership with Xbox to ensure when you plug this storage card into either the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, you're getting all the speed and performance Xbox dreamed up for this next generation of console gaming.

I used three different drives for the purposes of my tests: the 1 TB Seagate SSD expansion card, a Samsung T5 portable SSD (500 GB), and a Western Digital My Passport external hard drive (4 TB). This covers the different tiers of storage options available for the Xbox Series systems. To test and compare speeds, I used Final Fantasy XV and The Outer Worlds for transferring whole games and recording load times. You can check the results in the video and text below.

• Summary Of Results

1 TB Seagate Expansion Card

Let's start with the proprietary 1 TB expansion card, built specifically for the Series X and Series S. This is the drive that plugs directly into the back of the console. You just insert it, and it's immediately ready to use.

It interfaces with the Xbox hardware and takes full advantage of that Velocity architecture Microsoft has been flexing. In terms of speed, it's technically the best solution since it works identically to the internal SSD. There's virtually no difference in load times in the games I tested. Money pro 1 5 2 download free. However, it carries a hefty price tag at $220 USD.

Before Getting Into USB Drives

An important thing to note is USB-based storage devices cannot play Series X- or S-specific games off the drive itself--that's where this expansion card comes in clutch, especially once we start seeing more Series X/S-only games. USB external drives can store those games, but they would have to be transferred to the internal drive or expansion card in order to be played (at least transfer speeds are pretty fast, as you'll see later in our results). Stronghold crusader google drive.

These conditions can also apply to certain Xbox One games that have received Series X optimizations, as was the case for me with Gears 5 and Gears Tactics. Otherwise, you can play Xbox One and previous gen backwards compatible games straight off the USB drive using a USB 3.0 cable (or better), and they'll still use the Quick Resume game-swapping feature without a hitch.

Samsung T5 External USB SSD

For an external SSD, I used a 500 GB Samsung T5 with a USB-C to USB 3.1 cable. In terms of moving around data and loading games, the results were quite impressive.

The Outer Worlds, which is a 45 GB game, took 2:54 to transfer onto the external SSD, and 2:05 to transfer back to the internal drive. When loading into the same save I used for our previous tests, it only took 13 seconds off the external SSD which is very close to the internal drive that took 11 seconds to load.

For Final Fantasy XV, an 84 GB file, it took 5:50 to transfer onto the external SSD and just 3:56 to move back to internal storage. And the load time results were great as well, just taking 15 seconds compared to the 13 seconds of the internal drive.

Both Final Fantasy XV and The Outer Worlds are Xbox One games without Series X optimizations, so the results between the internal and external SSD are due to the fact the games are simply working with the raw speed of those drives.

There are other external SSDs out there, but the Samsung T5 in particular usually goes for around $110 for 500 GB and $140 for 1 TB.

WD My Passport External USB Hard Drive

Moving onto a traditional hard drive, I used my Western Digital My Passport with a USB 3.0 cable. Things start to slow down of course, but it's not all that bad.

To transfer The Outer Worlds from internal storage onto the external hard drive, it took longer: about 7:35. Transferring back to the internal drive took 7 minutes. However, in-game load times remained decent, taking 26 seconds to load up that same save I previously used.

With Final Fantasy XV, the transfer speed took longer as well, coming in at around 14:24 to move to the hard drive, and 12:55 to get back onto internal storage. Loading up save data remained reasonable though, taking 52 seconds for the same save file I used before.

It's no surprise that a hard drive is going to be slower compared to an SSD, but these results aren't bad at all. They're actually faster than current-gen consoles, too: The Outer Worlds took 43 seconds and Final Fantasy XV took 1:11 to load saves when using the Xbox One X.

Considering that you get more space for cheaper with an external hard drive, this would be the cost-effective route for bulk storage or playing backwards compatible games if you don't mind the slower load times. A Western Digital Passport goes for just $80 for 2 TB and $110 for a whopping 4 TB.

Summary Of Results

Data Transfer Speeds

Load Times

Xbox Expansion Drive

Which Storage Drive To Go With

So, what's the best solution? Of course, it depends. For backwards compatible games, an external SSD would be ideal since you still get quick load speeds. And transferring data is quite fast, which is ideal if you're frequently moving Series X-specific games back and forth.

If cheaper mass storage is more of a priority, an external hard drive is the way to go. Load times for backwards compatible games are still better than current-gen systems, though you will miss out on those sweet SSD speeds. Transferring data takes markedly longer, but the importance of the difference between 6 minutes and 14 minutes to move an 85 GB file, well, that's up to you.

The 1 TB Seagate expansion card sure is nice, and $220 is a fair price when compared to other NVMe SSDs for PC, but that's still pretty steep when looking at other solutions for the Series X and Series S. Disk utility burn iso to usb.

Xbox Series X: The Final Preview Adobe acrobat editor.

These are things you'll have to consider, especially if you plan on getting the Xbox Series S since you have to work with half the internal drive space. Microsoft has said that smaller install sizes will be available for games loaded on Series S consoles, which could help tidy things up. But when looking at the ever-changing size of the larger ongoing multiplayer games like Call of Duty: Warzone (106 GB) and Apex Legends (74 GB), space is a premium even on the Series X. Regardless of your choice for expanded storage, it'll be snappier than redownloading entire games.

For more on Microsoft's next-gen consoles, be sure to read my full Xbox Series X preview that dives into performance, graphics, load times, and more. You can also check out two next-gen games in action with Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Dirt 5.

Two days after Microsoft opened pre-orders for its next-gen Xbox Series X and S consoles, the 1TB Storage Expansion cards from Seagate are now available for pre-order with a $219.99 launch price. That's almost as expensive as the $299 Xbox Series S, which only has 512GB of internal storage, though Seagate's Storage Expansion cards will deliver the same speed and performance as the custom-designed internal NVMe SSDs found on the Series X and Series S.

The Xbox Series X's 1 TB internal SSD is really fast, loading up some games in a matter of seconds--I tested this out in several games in my full console preview and got impressive results. But with 802 GB actually free to use on the internal drive, you can fill it up quickly with the size of games today (and don't forget the Xbox Series S only comes with a 512 GB drive). So, what are some good solutions to expand your storage on the new Xbox consoles and how do they perform in comparison?

1. The approach of Xbox's Storage Expansion Cards feels closer to memory cards from 2-3 console generations back than a traditional hard drive, and offers the same performance as the internal SSD.
2. The officially licensed, 1 TB Storage Expansion Card for the Xbox Series X and Series S costs $219.99, Microsoft announced Thursday. It's available for pre-order now. The Microsoft Store listing.
3. We created the Seagate Storage Expansion card in close partnership with Xbox to ensure when you plug this storage card into either the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, you're getting all the speed and performance Xbox dreamed up for this next generation of console gaming.

I used three different drives for the purposes of my tests: the 1 TB Seagate SSD expansion card, a Samsung T5 portable SSD (500 GB), and a Western Digital My Passport external hard drive (4 TB). This covers the different tiers of storage options available for the Xbox Series systems. To test and compare speeds, I used Final Fantasy XV and The Outer Worlds for transferring whole games and recording load times. You can check the results in the video and text below.

• Summary Of Results

1 TB Seagate Expansion Card

Let's start with the proprietary 1 TB expansion card, built specifically for the Series X and Series S. This is the drive that plugs directly into the back of the console. You just insert it, and it's immediately ready to use.

It interfaces with the Xbox hardware and takes full advantage of that Velocity architecture Microsoft has been flexing. In terms of speed, it's technically the best solution since it works identically to the internal SSD. There's virtually no difference in load times in the games I tested. Money pro 1 5 2 download free. However, it carries a hefty price tag at $220 USD.

Before Getting Into USB Drives

An important thing to note is USB-based storage devices cannot play Series X- or S-specific games off the drive itself--that's where this expansion card comes in clutch, especially once we start seeing more Series X/S-only games. USB external drives can store those games, but they would have to be transferred to the internal drive or expansion card in order to be played (at least transfer speeds are pretty fast, as you'll see later in our results). Stronghold crusader google drive.

These conditions can also apply to certain Xbox One games that have received Series X optimizations, as was the case for me with Gears 5 and Gears Tactics. Otherwise, you can play Xbox One and previous gen backwards compatible games straight off the USB drive using a USB 3.0 cable (or better), and they'll still use the Quick Resume game-swapping feature without a hitch.

Samsung T5 External USB SSD

For an external SSD, I used a 500 GB Samsung T5 with a USB-C to USB 3.1 cable. In terms of moving around data and loading games, the results were quite impressive.

The Outer Worlds, which is a 45 GB game, took 2:54 to transfer onto the external SSD, and 2:05 to transfer back to the internal drive. When loading into the same save I used for our previous tests, it only took 13 seconds off the external SSD which is very close to the internal drive that took 11 seconds to load.

For Final Fantasy XV, an 84 GB file, it took 5:50 to transfer onto the external SSD and just 3:56 to move back to internal storage. And the load time results were great as well, just taking 15 seconds compared to the 13 seconds of the internal drive.

Both Final Fantasy XV and The Outer Worlds are Xbox One games without Series X optimizations, so the results between the internal and external SSD are due to the fact the games are simply working with the raw speed of those drives.

There are other external SSDs out there, but the Samsung T5 in particular usually goes for around $110 for 500 GB and $140 for 1 TB.

WD My Passport External USB Hard Drive

Moving onto a traditional hard drive, I used my Western Digital My Passport with a USB 3.0 cable. Things start to slow down of course, but it's not all that bad.

To transfer The Outer Worlds from internal storage onto the external hard drive, it took longer: about 7:35. Transferring back to the internal drive took 7 minutes. However, in-game load times remained decent, taking 26 seconds to load up that same save I previously used.

With Final Fantasy XV, the transfer speed took longer as well, coming in at around 14:24 to move to the hard drive, and 12:55 to get back onto internal storage. Loading up save data remained reasonable though, taking 52 seconds for the same save file I used before.

It's no surprise that a hard drive is going to be slower compared to an SSD, but these results aren't bad at all. They're actually faster than current-gen consoles, too: The Outer Worlds took 43 seconds and Final Fantasy XV took 1:11 to load saves when using the Xbox One X.

Considering that you get more space for cheaper with an external hard drive, this would be the cost-effective route for bulk storage or playing backwards compatible games if you don't mind the slower load times. A Western Digital Passport goes for just $80 for 2 TB and $110 for a whopping 4 TB.

Summary Of Results

Data Transfer Speeds

Load Times

Xbox Expansion Drive

Which Storage Drive To Go With

So, what's the best solution? Of course, it depends. For backwards compatible games, an external SSD would be ideal since you still get quick load speeds. And transferring data is quite fast, which is ideal if you're frequently moving Series X-specific games back and forth.

If cheaper mass storage is more of a priority, an external hard drive is the way to go. Load times for backwards compatible games are still better than current-gen systems, though you will miss out on those sweet SSD speeds. Transferring data takes markedly longer, but the importance of the difference between 6 minutes and 14 minutes to move an 85 GB file, well, that's up to you.

The 1 TB Seagate expansion card sure is nice, and $220 is a fair price when compared to other NVMe SSDs for PC, but that's still pretty steep when looking at other solutions for the Series X and Series S. Disk utility burn iso to usb.

Xbox Series X: The Final Preview Adobe acrobat editor.

These are things you'll have to consider, especially if you plan on getting the Xbox Series S since you have to work with half the internal drive space. Microsoft has said that smaller install sizes will be available for games loaded on Series S consoles, which could help tidy things up. But when looking at the ever-changing size of the larger ongoing multiplayer games like Call of Duty: Warzone (106 GB) and Apex Legends (74 GB), space is a premium even on the Series X. Regardless of your choice for expanded storage, it'll be snappier than redownloading entire games.

For more on Microsoft's next-gen consoles, be sure to read my full Xbox Series X preview that dives into performance, graphics, load times, and more. You can also check out two next-gen games in action with Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Dirt 5.

Two days after Microsoft opened pre-orders for its next-gen Xbox Series X and S consoles, the 1TB Storage Expansion cards from Seagate are now available for pre-order with a $219.99 launch price. That's almost as expensive as the $299 Xbox Series S, which only has 512GB of internal storage, though Seagate's Storage Expansion cards will deliver the same speed and performance as the custom-designed internal NVMe SSDs found on the Series X and Series S.

Both next-gen consoles will still support traditional USB-based HDD/SSD external drives for playing Xbox One games or backwards-compatible Xbox 360 and OG Xbox games. However, next-gen games that leverage Microsoft's new Xbox Velocity Architecture will require to be installed on the consoles' internal storage or the proprietary Seagate Expansion cards.

Xbox One Expansion Drive

With games like Destiny 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare now taking more than 100GB of storage, 512GB or even 1TB of storage may not be enough for most gamers. Backwards compatible games will also benefit from being installed on the Xbox Series X/S internal drive or a Storage Expansion Card, with Microsoft promising significant improvements in load times.

Telecharger anydesk pour mac. Paying an additional $219.99 to get more storage will probably be a tough pill to swallow for early adopters, but Xbox's Jason's Ronald hinted today that more Expansion Cards from other manufacturers with different storage capacities could be on the way.

Seagate, with a storied history as a critical innovator in the storage industry, was our first choice to collaborate with to provide expandable storage solutions for the Xbox Velocity Architecture. Xbox is continuing to invest in the Expandable Storage category on Xbox Series X|S with goal of offering choice for Xbox fans, including additional capacities and implementations in the future.

It's a bit unfortunate that Seagate's $219.99 1TB expansion cards will be the only next-gen external storage option at launch, but we hope more alternatives will follow in the coming months. In the meantime, you can pre-order Seagate's expansion cards at the Microsoft Store or select retailers in select markets worldwide, with shipments to start on November 10.

Best Xbox Expansion Drive

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Seagate Expansion Drive Xbox Series X