The first Xbox Series S/X expandable drive is now available to preorder
- Expandable storage drives for Microsoft Xbox Series S and X consoles are available for pre-order now.
- A 1TB drive costs gamers $ 219.
- The storage drive is manufactured by Seagate and uses PCIe 4.0 based technology.
If you’ve been wondering how much money it would take to add the 512GB Xbox Series S or 1TB Xbox Series X expandable storage, ask yourself no more. The first next generation storage drive is now available (h / t) The edge) and carries a pretty big price tag.
How big exactly? Well, the 1 TB expandable storage drive will retail for $ 219, and you can pre-order one now. If this sounds expensive to you, it’s because it’s only $ 80 less than the price of one all Series S.
According to Microsoft, additional capacities will be available after the launch The edge, but 1TB is the current benchmark. The drive listed is made by Seagate, but more companies are expected to offer products once the consoles become available to consumers.
The drive plugs into the console’s new expandable memory slot along with the HDMI and other ports on the back of the console. It weighs around 28 grams and looks like a thicker, wider USB drive.
Recognition: Microsoft / Seagate
Gamers can still use traditional USB-based external hard drives and SSDs, but will have to forego running games that are specifically designed for Microsoft’s proprietary storage technology.
Continue reading: The Best External Hard Drives: What Are Your Options?
While buyers are unlikely to feel the need to increase storage capacities on both consoles immediately after launch, the price does show the drawbacks of the new PCIe 4.0-based technology, at least when compared to old-school SATA media.
Yes, the faster storage improves loading times and the visual appearance of the games, but it literally adds a high cost to users. This, of course, is the first wave of technology in consoles. We should see that prices slowly decrease as manufacturing costs decrease and market penetration improves. Even so, being a first adopter is going to be quite expensive.
It’s unclear how Sony’s PlayStation 5 expandable storage prices compare, but the Japanese company is also rolling out SSD-based storage this time around. We also wouldn’t be surprised if similar rewards were tied to aftermarket store offerings.
If you’re already in the market for more Xbox storage, you can pre-order the expandable drive through Best Buy. The drive will go on sale November 10th.
