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Best SSD for Xbox – our top picks for Series X and S

Here are some of the best SSDs for Xbox Series X and Series S...
Last Updated on April 15, 2024
best ssd for xbox

If you are looking for the best SSD for Xbox Series X, S, or One, then we have you covered right here.

Considering that AAA games take up massive amounts of storage space, your Xbox can run out of storage fairly quickly. And every time you want to play a game or add new games to your library, you might have to delete, install, and re-install games. Getting an SSD expansion card can eliminate many of these hassles and even give your Xbox a performance boost.

Now, the Xbox series X and S do not support M2 SSDs, which narrows down your options a bit for drives. But you can still make use of some fast SSDs, including a few officially licensed picks. Further, most of the SSDs listed here work for both – Series S and Series X.

With that being said, we have researched and listed some of the best SSDs available for Xbox models.

Products at a Glance

Our Recommended

Product Reviews

1
PROS
  • Officially licensed by Xbox
  • Plug and play compatibility
  • Quick resume feature
CONS
  • Expensive

If you want the best officially licensed SSD expansion card for Xbox Series X, then you should check out the Seagate Storage SSD.

To start with, this storage card has been designed in partnership with Xbox, which means it is compatible with the consoles Series S and Series X. Plus, as it has been made specifically for these consoles, the SSD claims not to affect the graphics, latency, load times, or framerates.

Further, the SSD offers ‘plug and play’ compatibility, which means all you have to do is set the expansion card up and play. Along with this, you can switch multiple games between internal storage and the drive, so you can expect seamless performance.

For this guide, we have selected the 2TB variant, as we think it provides a significant boost to the Xbox storage. However, depending on your budget and requirements, you can also check out the 1TB variant.

2
PROS
  • 2000MB/s of speed
  • Wide compatibility
  • Portable SSD
CONS
  • Slightly pricey

If you want an external SSD for your Xbox console, then we think that the WD Black P50 is a good match.

Much like some of the best external SSDs, this SSD is compatible with Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and even Mac, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues.

As it is an external SSD, its read/write speeds are not as fast as internal SSDs. You get around 2000MB/s of speed, which is sufficient for reducing load times and delivering faster app launches.

For this guide, we have chosen the 2TB variant, which we think should be sufficient for most Xbox users. However, there are 1TB and 4TB models available too.

Another noteworthy feature here is that this SSD is portable, which means you can carry your games around with you. Plus, it is shock-resistant, so you won’t have to worry too much about accidental drops and bumps.

3
PROS
  • Officially licensed by Xbox
  • Plug and play compatibility
  • Budget-friendly
CONS
  • Limited storage options

If you want an internal SSD for Xbox within a reasonable price range, then you should check out the WD Black C50 expansion card.

Much like the Seagate SSD listed above, this WD card has been officially licensed by Xbox, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues. Plus, this is a plug-and-play card, so all you have to do is install it and get it up and running.

The SSD also offers the Quick Resume feature, which lets you switch between games quickly and seamlessly, which should deliver seamless performance.

For this guide, we have selected the 512GB variant, as it should provide sufficient storage for most gamers. However, you can choose to go for the 1TB option if you want more space.

4
PROS
  • Decent read/write speeds
  • Dynamic Thermal Guard
  • Wider compatibility
CONS
  • Slightly expensive

If you are looking for an SSD for your Xbox just for storage, then you should check out the SAMSUNG SSD T7 Portable SSD.

Now, this SSD is just for storing your games. If you want to play the games, you will have to transfer the games to the console’s internal drive. With that said, it is still a good idea to invest in an SSD since these drives tend to be faster than a hard drive.

Coming to the Samsung T7 SSD, the drive offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s, respectively. This means you can expect faster data transfers and overall rapid performance. Along with this, the SSD also offers a thermal solution (Dynamic Thermal Guard), which should help maintain optimal performance and temperature.

As this is a portable SSD, it is small in size and can be carried around pretty easily – so you can take your games anywhere with you. Plus, this drive is compatible with multiple devices like PCs, Android phones, iPhones, gaming consoles, and more, which should add flexibility.

How to pick the best SSD for Xbox

Before you add an Xbox-compatible SSD to your cart, here’s what you need to check –

Compatibility

The first thing that you should be checking is if the SSD is compatible with Xbox. Usually, most SSDs targeted to gamers are compatible with Xbox consoles, but you should run a check just to be sure. You can also eliminate this concern by opting for SSDs licensed by Xbox.

Storage capacity

The whole point of adding an SSD to your console is to expand storage, so you should opt for a drive that has more storage capacity than the original one in the console. Ideally, you should get a drive with at least 1TB of storage, so you can store your games comfortably and get faster performance.

Speed

Now, the speed will depend on what kind of SSD you want to buy – usually, internal SSDs tend to offer faster speeds than external SSDs. Further, if you go for an NVMe SSD, then you will get faster performance than a SATA SSD.

Other features

In addition to the features mentioned above, you can also check for extra features like heatsink, thermal management, dedicated game boosters, or more.

Our Verdict

Best SSD for Xbox Series X
best ssd for xbox

Best SSD for Xbox – our top picks for Series X and S

If you want the best SSD for expanding your Xbox storage, then the Seagate Storage Expansion Card will be a suitable choice. The card is compatible with Xbox Series X and S, and it has been designed for the consoles – so you can expect powerful performance. As it is an officially licensed SSD, you can ‘plug and play’ – which means you can store as well as play games from the card.