This article is part of a directory: Complete guide to the Xbox Series X
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If you have the Xbox Series X or Series S, you might be wondering about what you'll need to do to expand the storage.

Well, you're in the right place, because this is everything you need to know about the proprietary storage cards for the consoles.

What is the Xbox Storage Expansion Card?

Xbox revealed in March 2020 that the Xbox Series X would have a 1TB internal SSD while also supporting an external SSD. This is separate to, and in addition to, supporting external storage via USB as found on the older generation of consoles.

The big difference is that the Storage Expansion Card is the same format as the internal storage. That format is a custom NVMe and specifically, it's PCIe 4. NVMe is a storage format popular with PC gamers because it offers blistering speed. Being PCIe 4 also means it is high bandwidth and that's in place to support the high performance promised by the new Xbox Series models.

This means you'll be able to expand the storage of either your Xbox Series X or Series S just by plugging the right card into the back your new console, so it's an instant upgrade, without the need to get out a screwdriver, or even a USB cable.

Microsoft worked with Seagate on this storage card and even some time since the original launch of these consoles, that's the only option you have for Storage Card expansion.

Alternatively, as with older Xbox models, there's still the option to use an external SSD to expand the storage too.

Xbox Storage Expansion Card price and availability

The Seagate card is widely available and we've got the best prices for you here.

Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S review images photo 4
Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X
$279.99 $399.99 Save $120

A 1TB Seagate Firecuda NVMe PCIe 4 card costs around £200 or $250, so when you consider that the Xbox solution is a self-contained, easy-to-swap device, it's not a bad price.

Can I remove an Xbox Storage Expansion Card I've installed it?

Yes, you can. One of the best things about the Seagate Storage Expansion Card is that you'll be able to remove it and take it to someone else's house to use on their Xbox Series X or S.

What sizes are available?

While most will be interested in the 1TB version, there's now a 2TB model as well as a 512GB version for those who want the performance but can't quite stretch to price of the larger models.

Is the Xbox Storage Expansion Card better than USB?

The important point about this storage format is that you'll get the same performance from this added storage as you do from the internal storage. Via the expansion slot you get access to the Xbox Velocity Architecture and that's delivers the next-gen experience.

But it goes further than that, as Xbox said at launch: "games Optimised for Xbox Series S and Series X must be played from the internal SSD or a Seagate Storage Expansion Card". That means that hooking-up an external drive via USB - even if it's an SSD - won't deliver that experience.

USB external drives are supported, but this is really so that you can get access to your legacy titles. You'll be able to move a USB drive from your existing console, plugging it into your new Series X or Series S console to give you access to games you've previously downloaded.

Ultimately, next-gen performance requires using the Xbox Storage Expansion Card.