Xbox Series X internal SSD has 802GB of usable storage
Xbox Series X packs 802GB of usable storage, while the 1TB expansion card features 920GB.
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What you need to know
Microsoft launches theXbox Series Xconsole this November, and with devices now in the hands of select media outlets, we’re gaining a clearer understanding of its launch offering. For both Xbox Series X and its affordable counterpart,Xbox Series S, some of the primary gains come from a custom NVMe solid-state drive (SSD) bolstering storage with faster speeds. The Xbox Series X ships with a 1TB internal drive, with reports now claiming 802GB of usable space for your games and content.
While the Xbox Series X ships with 1TB onboard, the operating system (OS) and system files occupy a slice as space, as the case with other modern consoles. It cuts into the portion of quoted space usable for game installs, with a recent hands-on from IGNclaiming198GB remains reserved out of the box. The figure falls in line with the Xbox One X launched in 2017, which saw a similar allocation for its 1TB internal hard drive.
The usable space on the Xbox Series S remains less clear, with its smaller 512GB SSD expected to fill up fast when cycling between games. It comes during a time when titles frequently surpass 100GB each, with expandable storage near-essential for added flexibility with your installs. Microsoft claims Xbox Series S titles should occupy 30% less space than Xbox Series X games, although with results from both in-house and third-party titles yet to be seen.
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card is Microsoft’s solution for Xbox Series X and Series S, a 1TB external SSD (920GB usable) matching the internal speed. The compact cartridge slots into a dedicated, rear-facing port, with PCIe 4.0 connectivity providing a direct line to the CPU. While USB storage also works, only backward compatible titles run on the drives. Our full guide forXbox Series X and Series S expandable storageprovides additional context for those further questions.
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox isn’t cheap, with its bleeding-edge specifications resulting in a $220 RRP in the U.S. It’s understandable for the SSD technology inside, even if nearing the cost of the Xbox Series S console.
Microsoft and Seagate partner up with a dedicated 1TB NVMe SSD expansion card for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. The cartridge slides into the rear, unlocking the same PCIe 4.0 connectivity, with up to 40 times increases over the Xbox One hard drive.
Xbox Series X/S
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Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central’s Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft’s gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter@mattjbrown.
