How to expand the external hard drive for Xbox One? Xbox One’s internal hard drive cannot keep up with the growing size of games. Microsoft’s Xbox consoles now come with 500GB or 1TB hard drives, which are too small for a large library. This makes it increasingly necessary to expand your Xbox One storage.
Xbox One consoles come standard with external drive support, making adding more storage a fast and affordable process. It offers plug-and-play compatibility with most USB hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) on the market. As a result, you will spend less time worrying about hard drive space and more time playing video games. With the right drive, you can also expect a drastic reduction in loading times for the biggest blockbuster movies.
Video game releases today decimate Xbox One drive space, with top franchises like Call of Duty, NBA 2K, and Halo all using up over 100GB. While you can juggle your favorite titles, uninstalling and redownloading as needed, large file sizes make that hard. In addition to expanding your virtual shelf for games, external hard drives are also incredibly affordable.
Xbox One family games must be installed on internal storage, as opposed to Xbox 360 games that could be played directly from a disc. It is now the same whether you buy physical discs or digital downloads, and as file sizes have grown, hard drive space has become a valuable resource.
Installing an external hard drive is one of the best ways to expand the storage space on your Xbox One console. External USB storage, on the other hand, can be replaced or upgraded without voiding your warranty.
Hard drives connected to current consoles are plug-and-play, so they don’t require extensive setup. The Xbox Series XS storage expansions work with all Xbox One games, so the process is incredibly simple and affordable.
Xbox One Hard Drive and SSD Requirements
The Xbox consoles support the majority of modern hard drives on the market, including popular models from top brands like Seagate, Western Digital, and others. The minimum requirements include USB 3.0 support, which is now standard on even budget USB external hard drives. With USB 3.0 support, you’ll be able to transfer data between your console and drive quickly. Compatible external drives work with all Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox games, unlike some games designed for the new Xbox Series X consoles.
Storage space should be your first consideration when choosing a drive. Xbox requires drives to be at least 256GB in size, removing some entry-level capacities. Additionally, the consoles have a limit on external storage of 16TB, far exceeding the reasonable capacity of most drives on the market. 1TB external drives provide a welcome boost, especially for those on a budget. By upgrading to 2TB, you gain more flexibility, while 4TB and 8TB are overkill for most people.
Also, the hard drive’s speed should be considered, roughly estimated by the drive’s revolutions per minute (RPM). The faster the drive, the faster the games will install, load, and save. As an example, 7,200 RPM drives are faster than entry-level 5,400 RPM drives, whereas 10,000 RPM drives are even faster. In terms of storage speed, solid-state drives (SSDs) top the list, offering unmatched performance on Xbox One, albeit at a higher price.
All consoles, including the Xbox One X, come with an internal hard drive with 5,400 RPM. Due to limitations of the console’s “SATA II” interface, its full potential is rarely used, making any external 5,400 RPM drive faster than the internal drive in most cases. The Xbox One X uses high-speed “SATA III,” which also improves internal load times over the Xbox One S. SSDs deliver consistent improvements over the stock internal drive, but external hard drives can also improve loading times.
Choosing an Xbox One external hard drive
Storage space should be your first consideration when choosing a drive. A 16TB external storage limit makes most drives compatible with the console. Especially for those on a budget, 1TB external drives are a welcome upgrade. Upgrades to 2TB offer more flexibility, while 4TB and 8TB are overkill for many.
There are countless external drives that are compatible with Xbox One consoles, but we have our favorites. Choosing the right hard drive or solid-state drive depends on its performance, value, and reliability.
For first-time buyers, 1TB and 2TB drives are excellent upgrades. It’s a significant upgrade that dominates the base 500GB hard drives in many consoles, which means plenty of space for new releases. Additionally, they’re ideal for those on a tighter budget, with prices starting below the cost of a new video game.