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
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
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
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.
