Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X S Review 04

Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S Review | ‘A hefty amount of storage for such a small package’

The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S revitalizes that classic gaming accessory, the memory card. However, unlike those relics, the oldest of which could only hold 16 or so saves, the Seagate Expansion Card can pack tens of the latest AAA titles and allow the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S to access them at the same super-fast speeds as it can with its internal storage.

Design

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Xbox Series X|S optimized games require an SSD to be installed. Unfortunately, that means that USB HDDs are relegated to being used with backward-compatible games only. Instead of going with an off-the-shelf product, Microsoft worked with Seagate to develop the Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S. It comes in one size only, 1TB, which is a hefty amount of storage for such a small package.

The expansion card is around the size of an original PS1 memory card and works much the same way. It comes with a protective cap that covers the metallic connector when the card isn’t in use. After removing the lid, users just have to slide it into the socket on the rear of their console, and installation is complete.

After the expansion card is installed, players just need to boot up their Xbox Series X|S console. The card is preformatted, and after the console shows the pop-up that it has been installed, it’s ready for use.

Performance

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The Xbox Series X|S consoles have an internal SSD that can read a raw data stream at 2.4GB/s or a compressed one at 4.8GB/s. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S has direct access to the console’s Velocity Architecture and matches the internal drive’s performance. This means that games installed on the expansion card will perform precisely the same as if they were installed on the internal SSD.

Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S | The Final Verdict

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If users want expanded SSD storage that’s compatible with Xbox Series X|S optimized games, then the expansion card is the only option. Fortunately, it’s reasonably priced at $219.99, which is cheaper than comparable PCIe 4.0 m.2 drives.

I’m not usually a fan of proprietary storage, I still have a chip on my shoulder from the PS Vita, but the fair price and ease-of-use make the expansion card a lot more palatable. Given the reliability of HDD-based Seagate Game Drives, this product is a good investment and effectively doubles storage for the Series X and gives players 150% more room for the Series S.

Upcoming Releases

Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes is designed to bring players a modern take on a classic JRPG experience. Get ready to lead 100+ playable characters through a war-torn world only you can save.
Eve and her comrades land on the surface to reclaim the extinct Earth and cross paths with a survivor named Adam. Eve is then led by Adam to the last surviving city, Xion, where she meets the elder of the town Orcal and is told many stories. In order to serve her mission to save Earth, Eve develops close relationships…
Tactical, beautiful, and wholly unique, the GOTY-winning sci-fi RTS returns with Homeworld 3. Assume control and battle through fleet combat in dazzling, fully 3D space while the award-winning story unfolds on a galactic scale.
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.

Reviews

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