by Are you looking to expand the memory of your Xbox console? In this article, we have named the best external hard drive and SSD for Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One 2022. The games today are getting bigger and they can quickly eat up a large part of the console’s internal memory, therefore external memories are becoming increasingly popular to use .
The announced total memory on an Xbox Series X is 1TB and on an Xbox Series S it is 512GB, but did you know that a large part of the space is taken up by system files? The available space for storing games and game data on a Series X is only 802GB and on a Series S it is 364GB. The rest of the space is reserved for the operating system, which means that the internal memory is often completely faster than you think.
With that said, we take and dive into the top list of external memories for the Xbox!
Overview best external hard drive for Xbox 2022
1. Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox
Best external memory for Series X | S
- Play Series X | S games directly from memory
- Developed together with Xbox
- Up to 2.4GB / s read and write speed (!)
- Flexible Plug and Play
- Completely hidden on the back of the console
2. Samsung T7 SSD
Best External SSD for Xbox
- Excellent SSD memory for all Xbox consoles
- Light and small like a bank card
- 1050 MB / s read & 1000 MB / s write
- Withstands falls up to 2 meters
- Password protected
3. Seagate Game Drive Xbox
Best External Hard Drive (HDD) for Xbox
- Cool hard drive that matches the console
- Officially licensed by Xbox
- Plug and Play
- Gorgeous LED lighting at the front
- Available between 2TB-8TB in size
4. WD_BLACK P50 SSD
Best premium SSD for Xbox
- Awesome model developed specifically for gaming
- The shell is made of durable and shockproof metal
- Reads at 2000 MB / s & writes at 2000 MB / s
- Gives a nice impression
- 5 year warranty
5. WD My Passport HDD
Best Cheap External Hard Drive For Xbox
- Affordable and inexpensive external hard drive
- Stylish design
- Reads at up to 120 MB / s
- Optimal if you have a large game library
- Available in several sizes between 1-5TB
Buying Guide External Hard Drive Xbox
In order for you to be able to make as well-informed a purchase as possible, we have put together a purchase guide with useful information about external memories, so that you can find the best external hard drive and SSD for your Xbox.
It is important to know that regular external memories have a limitation when it comes to Series X | S games, at the time of writing it is not possible to play Series X | S games directly from an external memory, but only store the games. However, you can play Xbox One games. The only device from which you can play Series X |’s games right now is the Seagate Storage Expansion Card .
See below for a brief explanation:
External SSD & HDD USB 3.0 and up
- Store all Xbox games
- Play Xbox One, Xbox 360 and original games
- Store Series X | S game
- Play Series X | S game
Seagate Storage Expansion Card
- Store all Xbox games
- Play Xbox One, Xbox 360 and original games
- Store Series X | S game
- Play Series X | S game
What is the difference between SSD and HDD?
There are essentially two different types of external storage for the Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One. On the one hand, there is the older HDD memory (Hard Disk Drive), which is actually what is called a hard disk. Then we have the newer SSD (Solid State Drive). Their job is the same, to store data, but what sets them apart?
Well, a hard drive uses physical mechanical parts, while an SSD is made up of a flash memory, without any mechanics. What does that mean in practice then? This makes SSD memory both quieter and faster while being more energy efficient and more durable. However, it is still significantly more expensive to buy SSDs in front of a hard drive.
We recommend an SSD as external storage for your Xbox if you have the budget for it, however, an HDD also works well and is, as I said, much more affordable.
Which external hard drives fit the Xbox Series X?
All types of hard drives and SSDs that use USB 3.0 and above are compatible with Xbox Series X and Series S. In principle, all external memories sold to consumers today use this.
How do I make the hard drive work on my Xbox Series X | S?
When the external hard disk or SSD is connected for the first time, it needs to be formatted to work with your Xbox console. You will get a box automatically when the memory is switched on, should the box not appear or if you cancel for some other reason, you can also do the formatting like this:
Press the Xbox button on the controller to open the menu, then select Profile and system > Settings > System > Storage .
Select your device and then Format . Clear!
Which external memories are suitable for Xbox One?
Even for Xbox One, all SSDs and external hard drives that use USB 3.0 and up work. This means that the vast majority of external memories available for purchase today work for Xbox One.
How do I make the hard drive work on my Xbox One?
This is the same procedure as for the Xbox Series X | S, a box will automatically appear when you connect the hard disk for the first time. If you want to format manually, you can follow the same guide above as for Series X | S.
How much extra memory is needed on an Xbox console?
It can be tricky to choose how much extra memory to have. If you are several in the family who play or if you are alone but like to vary between many different games, a larger hard drive of 2-5TB is preferable.
For many gamers, 1TB extra is enough, which for Xbox Series X gives about 1.7TB useful space for games, if you include the internal memory as well.
Memory size
External hard drives and SSDs are available in different sizes of memory. The most common sizes are 500GB-4TB. But there are also as large as 8TB, for those who want to store a lot of games. A larger memory means a higher price, everything else being equal, that is.
With that said, we take a look at the top models for Xbox consoles!
Best External Hard Drive for Xbox 2022
1. Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox
Best External Memory for Xbox Series X | S 2022
- Capacity : 512GB – 2TB
- Read speed: Up to 2.4 GB / s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- External power source: No.
Thanks to an exclusive partnership between Seagate and Xbox, the Storage Expansion Card is the only external memory right now that you can play Xbox Series X & Series S games directly from. Other hard drives and SSDs can so far only store the games, but you need to move them to the internal memory to play.
This makes the Seagate Storage Expansion Card the absolute best choice for expanding the memory of your Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The installation is simple and you just have to insert it into the “Storage Expansion” port on the back and get started.
This memory uses the Xbox’s new Velocity architecture, which means it reaches speeds of 2.4 GB / s, which is basically as fast as the internal memory. This means that you avoid delays in the games and can play seamlessly no matter where the games are stored.
The only downside is that the Seagate Storage Expansion Card is slightly more expensive than a standard external SSD, but we think it’s worth it given the benefits it offers.
2. Samsung T7
Best External SSD for Xbox 2022
- Capacity : 500GB – 2TB
- Read speed: Up to 1050MB / s
- Interface: USB 3.2, USB-C
- External power source: No.
Samsung is one of the leading manufacturers in external and internal SSD memory and their model T7 is what we consider to be the best model for external SSD storage for Xbox One, Series S and Series X.
Samsung T7 is a quiet and very fast SSD memory with a reasonable price tag. We especially think that the size of the counter is very nice, as it is not larger than an ID and a regular bank card. This allows you to easily hide it and easily carry it with you.
Thanks to the fact that the shell consists of robust aluminum, the SSD memory can handle falls of up to 2 meters in height. Furthermore, it is also possible to protect the content with a password if you feel it is needed.
3. Seagate Game Drive Xbox
Best External Hard Drive (HDD) for Xbox 2022
- Capacity : 2TB – 8TB
- Read speed: Up to 140MB / s
- Interface: USB 3.0, USB-C
- External power source: No.
Seagate Game Drive is an awesome hard drive that is officially licensed by Xbox. It is compatible with all Xbox One consoles as well as the newer models Xbox Series X and Series S and it is just a matter of connecting and running without any advanced installation.
We like the cool LED lighting on the front in Xbox green, it helps to give a nice touch to your gaming setup . Of course, the lighting can also be turned off if desired.
In addition to 2TB and 4TB, this external hard drive is also available as a large 8TB hub, which provides a lot of memory for the money. It is also available with various designs, such as Master Chef from Halo and a Star Wars Edition . On the special designs, however, the LED lighting is not to be said.
4. WD_Black P50
Best External SSD for Xbox 2022 – Premium
- Capacity : 500GB – 4TB
- Read speed: Up to 2000MB / s
- Interface: USB 3.2, USB-C
- External power source: No.
Western Digital, or WD as they market themselves, is a well-known manufacturer of storage devices such as hard drives and SSDs. The P50 model is an SSD that they specifically developed for gaming and is an excellent choice for an Xbox Series X, Series S or One.
P50 is made of a robust shell of black metal and is shockproof in the event of a fall in the ground. We especially like the fast read and write speeds of up to 2000 MB / s, which creates less delays and fast transfers between the internal memory and this.
As it is a very expensive SSD memory, the price tag is slightly higher than other models, but then you also get a really fast and well-made external storage.
5. WD My Passport HDD
Best Cheap External Hard Drive Xbox 2022
- Capacity : 1TB – 5TB
- Read speed: Up to 120MB / s
- Interface: USB 3.2, USB-C
- External power source: No.
WD My Passport is a very affordable and inexpensive external hard drive for Xbox One, Series X and Series S. The hard drive is relatively small and slim and comes with a stylish look.
My Passport works with read speeds up to 120MB / s, which is good for an HDD. It is mainly suitable for storing games, but also works for gaming, especially for Xbox One.
You will find that hard drive in several colors and versions, both 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and the whole 5TB. In the latter, you get space with over 100 games!
Summary best SSD & hard drive for Xbox 2022
Today’s console games are getting bigger in size and the internal memory in an Xbox console is limited, which means that it can quickly become full if you like to vary between slightly different games. Although Series X has 1TB of internal memory and Series S has 512 GB, the available space for storing games and game data is only 802GB for Series X and 364GB for Series S, respectively, the rest of the space takes up system files.
With the help of an external SSD or hard drive, you can easily expand the memory on your Xbox console, for a reasonable amount of money. This way you do not have to delete games to make room for new ones and can enjoy a large game library.
Regarding the type of storage, you can either choose between flash memory (SSD) and hard disk (HDD). The latter is an older variant of storage that is much cheaper but works much slower. If the budget is there, we always recommend choosing an SSD.
Our top list of external hard drives and SSDs for Xbox 2022 looks like this:
- Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox
- Samsung T7 SSD
- Seagate Game Drive Xbox HDD
- WD_Black P50 SSD
- WD My Passport HDD
