Top-tier SSD Recommendations for Xbox Series X|S in 2025: Our preferred storage expansions to boost your game file capacity
The release of the Xbox Series X and Series S during the holiday season of 2020 marked a new era for gaming, featuring advanced technologies and the ability to play a wide range of games, including backward-compatible titles. However, the internal SSDs of these next-generation consoles struggle to keep up with the ever-growing file sizes of new releases, making the need for additional storage a necessity for many users.
In response to this demand, Microsoft partnered with Seagate to offer external high-speed, high-performance SSDs for the Series X|S in a plug-and-play format. Since then, Western Digital has also entered the market with its own version of the plug-and-play storage for Xbox Series X|S.
Two of the most popular expansion cards on the market are the Seagate Storage Expansion Card and the WD_BLACK 1TB C50 Expansion Card. Both are officially licensed SSD expansion cards designed specifically for the Xbox Series X and Series S, providing the same peak performance as the consoles' internal SSDs for seamless gameplay with optimized load times and full compatibility with Xbox features like Quick Resume.
Performance
Both expansion cards match the internal Xbox SSD with peak speeds, ensuring uncompromised graphics and low latency. However, the Seagate Storage Expansion Card offers slightly better boot speed parity with the console SSD.
Storage Capacities
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card is commonly available in 1TB and 2TB options, making it suitable for heavy users. On the other hand, the WD_BLACK 1TB C50 Expansion Card is available in 512GB and 1TB options, which are better for budget-conscious users not requiring a 2TB option.
Price
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card has a higher price point, with a cost of around £119 for 1TB in UK markets and generally more expensive in North America ($209.99). The WD_BLACK 1TB C50 Expansion Card is slightly more affordable, costing around £115 for 1TB in the UK and priced at $204.99 in North America.
Design
Both cards are compact and easy to carry between locations. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card is available in black, silver, and grey, while the WD_BLACK 1TB C50 Expansion Card is only available in black.
Usage
Both expansion cards offer plug-and-play ease, meaning no setup is required for instant expansion of Xbox storage. The WD_BLACK 1TB C50 Expansion Card can transfer large files in minutes, making it a good value for a 1TB option.
Future-proofing
Both cards are designed for Xbox Series X|S, but there is some speculation on future compatibility, with no official confirmation yet.
Comparison Highlights
| Feature | Seagate Storage Expansion Card | WD_BLACK 1TB C50 Expansion Card | |---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | Performance | Matches internal Xbox SSD with peak speeds, ensuring uncompromised graphics and low latency[1][3] | Similar peak speed, but marginally slower boot times than internal SSD; performance very close to Seagate[1][2][3] | | Storage Capacities | Commonly available in 1TB and 2TB options; 2TB option suits heavy users[2][3] | Available in 512GB and 1TB options; better for budget-conscious users not requiring 2TB[2] | | Price | Higher price point (around £119 for 1TB in UK markets)[4]; generally more expensive in North America ($209.99)[5] | Slightly more affordable (around £115 for 1TB)[4]; priced around $204.99 in North America[5] | | Design | Available in black, silver, and grey; small form factor[4] | Compact, durable, only in black; easy to carry between locations[2][5] | | Usage | Plug-and-play; no setup required; instant expansion of Xbox storage; suitable for users wanting larger storage[1][2] | Same plug-and-play ease; can transfer large files in minutes; good value for a 1TB option[2][5] | | Future-proofing | Both cards are designed for Xbox Series X|S; some speculation on future compatibility, no official confirmation yet[1] | Same as Seagate; designed with current generation compatibility in mind[1] |
Summary
The Seagate card remains the best overall choice, especially if you want larger capacity options like 2TB and slightly better boot speed parity with the console SSD. The WD_BLACK C50 offers better value, particularly at the 1TB size, making it a strong, more affordable alternative with nearly identical performance in real-world use. Both provide seamless integration and maintain Xbox’s optimized game load performance and Quick Resume functionality.
Choosing between them mostly depends on your storage needs and budget, with Seagate suited to those prioritizing capacity and marginally higher speeds, and WD_BLACK providing a cost-effective, high-performance alternative without compromise on essential features.
For those looking for a portable SSD option for storing and playing backward-compatible games, the Samsung T7 portable SSD is a good choice, offering read speeds of up to 1,050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,000MB/s. However, it should be noted that the Samsung T7 portable SSD can only play Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox titles on Xbox Series X and Series S.
