SSD for Xbox Series X | S | The best of 2022
For this reason, if you own an Xbox Series X or Series X, this guide on the best SSDs to complement your Microsoft consoles is for you (you can also find the guide on the best SSDs for PS5). In addition, Microsoft consoles can count on Xbox Game Pass, which offers fans a constantly growing catalog of games, and an SSD is certainly handy if you want to try a little bit of everything without worrying about the free space required.
Best Xbox Series X SSDs | S
Seagate Official SSD WD Black D30 Sandisk Extreme Crucial SSDOfficial Seagate SSD
Unlike PlayStation 5, the pair of consoles Microsoft Xbox Series X | S has on its side an official SSD model. We are talking about the Seagate Expansion Card, an SSD that is inserted into the back of the two next-generation Xbox consoles in its proprietary port. The product is available in two very different versions: the first is more recent, and has the shape of a memory card with a quite vintage aesthetic flavor, while the second version is closer to a classic external SSD to be attached to your consoles via a USB cable.»View Seagate Expansion Card for Xbox Series X | S 1TB
WD Black D30
SSD Xbox Series X | S Let's now move on to an SSD not in partnership with Xbox but also suitable for those who do not want to spend too much and are looking for a great product quality. To meet these needs we think the Western Digital WD Black D30, a functional SSD, solid and also with a beautiful design, which never hurts. Available in multiple versions, even a branded Xbox with a slightly different color, this external SSD looks like a compact and durable product. Furthermore, this solid state drive has been specially designed and built by WD to offer excellent security and reliability to all types of users, even for gamers who always need more storage space at their disposal.»See WD_BLACK D30 1TB
Sandisk Extreme SSD
If you are looking for an excellent compromise between general product quality and an affordable price for all pockets, Sandisk is the brand of SSD you've been looking for. The Sandisk Extreme SSD is available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB or 4TB capacities. This SSD supports NVMe Technology which allows for SSD performance with read speeds of up to 1,050 mb / s and write speeds of up to 1,000 mb / s in a high-capacity portable drive, perfect for holding all the data you have. need by connecting everything quickly to your Xbox consoles. What's more, this SSD's great feature is its unique drop resistance from up to two meters and an IP55 protection rating against water and dust.»See Sandisk Extreme 500GB SSD
Crucial CT1000X8
We close this buying guide dedicated to the best SSDs for Xbox Series X | S with the Crucial CT1000X8, a compact product and a more than excellent first SSD for those who may not be looking for the model last cry. Also available in several versions of different capacities, this external SSD is smaller in size; perfect for those who travel a lot and want to always carry their games with them. In addition, the SSD in question is supported by Micron, one of the largest global flash storage manufacturers.»See Crucial CT1000X8SSD9 X8 1TB
How to choose The best SSDs for Xbox Series X | S
Official and licensed Xbox SSDs
Unlike the situation on Sony consoles, on Xbox Series X | S you can buy several official Xbox branded SSDs. These are products in collaboration with Seagate, one of the best brands of SSDs, and can be found both in classic format, to be inserted into the console via USB cable, and in the memory card-style format to be inserted in the special slot in the back of Microsoft consoles. Next Generation.In addition to Seagate products, which are much easier to plug into and install, there is also a second licensed Xbox product to keep an eye on. We are talking about the Western Digital WD Black D30, an SSD that looks like a more common product and that does not fall within the type of SSD that must be inserted into the dedicated port on the back of the consoles. In this case it is a product on which Xbox wanted to put its own brand, so as to signal to the players both the total support for their consoles, and for the high quality of the SSD that is made available to the platforms from Microsoft game.
Speed
One of the most important aspects to keep an eye on when approaching an SSD is undoubtedly the reading speed. This data allows you to know if the product you are about to purchase can satisfy your needs or not. To have in your hands a more than sufficient product in terms of speed, an SSD with a speed of no less than 100 MB / s may be enough.The reading speed of SSDs is also essential when you consider yourself a eclectic gamers who like to play, or just try, a ton of different video games. If you reflect in this you know with that SSD of this kind you will not be forced to switch these titles from the internal storage of the Xbox to the SSD continuously, otherwise you know that you do not need to focus too much on the reading speed, you just need to stay on a speed that is not. less than 100 MB / s as we mentioned earlier.
Size
The size of the SSD can also be a feature that should not be underestimated, especially when it comes to external SSDs that you can safely carry your save data or entire games around the world to use. Usually now the most generic SSDs have dimensions that are standardized that allow them to fit in backpacks, even in the smallest ones. If the size is of primary importance for you, however, we strongly recommend you to focus on the purchase of an official Seagate SSD, since it is not much bigger than a memory card from the era before PlayStation and you can also put it in your pocket without problems.If, on the other hand, you are more home-based gamers and do not think in the least to move your Xbox Series X | S from your workstation, it is also fine to bet on any other SSD that is on the market and that we have recommended in this guide to purchase. However, be aware that usually some large SSDs can also increase in weight, especially if they have different components inside them, such as the WD Black which also has a heatsink.
Connection
The SSDs for Xbox Series X | S that we have chosen to include in our buying guide are both official Microsoft and third-party products. As such, some of the SSDs may have been designed for more functions than simple console gaming: this may mean that some products need adapters (sold separately) to connect to your Xbox, as happens with the Crucial CT1000X8, for example.Unlike the official Xbox SSD, which simply plugs into the port on the back of the two new consoles, these other SSDs can connect in different ways. The most popular method involves the use of a USB cable which is usually found directly inside the product package, making connecting the SSD to your current generation Xbox console very simple and immediate. br>
Heatsink
Some SSDs may have a heatsink. This allows the component to always remain at the optimum temperature, without presenting dangerous risks of overheating which could permanently ruin the product, making it practically unusable. There is an example of this type of SSD in our guide and it is the WD_Black D30 Game Drive, a product not officially produced by Microsoft but still under the Xbox license.Such a product allows it to be compatible with Xbox Series X | S, but not only, with high performance. The heatsink can increase the size and weight of the product, but allows you to be sure that, even if you use it in summer or with very high temperatures, there is no risk of dangerous overheating.
Installation
The installation of an official Xbox SSD is a very simple operation, but if you are not practical it is Microsoft itself that will help you by explaining step by step how to correctly install this expansion card to your console.First, you are required to remove the protective cover from the storage expansion card, then firmly insert it into the memory expansion slot on the back of the Xbox Series X | S console. Before doing this it is recommended to always update the Xbox, before connecting a storage expansion card.
Once you have installed the SSD card, both official and unofficial, you can check the overall memory increase in 'My games and apps'. To access it, simply press the Xbox button located in the center of the pad to open the Panel, then select 'My games and apps' and then 'See all'. Finally, you will have to look for the indicator in the lower left corner of the screen in 'All storage devices' and that's it.
Brand
As you can see in this guide there are several SSD brands on the market and each of them has its differences and characteristics. We move from brands such as Seagate, which has entered into a direct collaboration with Microsoft to create official SSDs, to third-party brands such as Western Digital which, although it does not offer an official SSD, has the Xbox logo on some of its products, as evidence of the high quality and fidelity with the Microsoft gaming brand that this manufacturer has.There are also some more common brands such as Sandisk and Crucial, which make SSDs and various other products that do not have as their main purpose that of be used as expandable memories exclusively for gaming consoles. These brands are usually always compatible with all gaming platforms regardless of models, but may need USB cables to connect to consoles correctly.
Price
We close with a very important feature , that is the price. Here too, we are faced with prices that change depending on the product you are keeping an eye on. As usual, the first piece of advice we can give you is to set your own budget and make your purchase accordingly. As the prices are very different, this is an important step to close the loop on some products that can satisfy your quality and price needs.It's trivial to say, but the more you are looking for a product high quality and the more the price will rise. But it should be absolutely underlined how the price situation of SSDs can change and rise above all also depending on the size of free space you will need. If you bet on 1 TERA of space, know that the cost of the product will go up, sometimes even significantly. The same is true if you are satisfied with less expensive memory spaces, with the price that will go down. Sometimes, however, it is also the brand that, thanks to the quality of the components used, could make you find yourself in front of SSDs with a higher price than the norm.
In short, all the features we have given you in this part of the guide they will certainly help to make a selection of SSDs to bet on, whether you are aiming on a tight budget, or if you want to take the top of the choices we have proposed.
