by When it comes to Xbox Series X storage, you’ll want to know exactly what you’re dealing with before you can even think about diving into your favorite games. The Xbox Series X comes with plenty of storage to begin with, but depending on how many games your library is made up of, you may want to look into additional storage later on.
Despite the fact that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are far more user-friendly than gaming PCs, the storage situation is not as simple as it should and could be for a first-time user. There are some caveats to note, and with a decent amount of out-of-the-box storage, you’ll want to make sure you know exactly what you’re buying and why it might be so useful.
We will cover everything from internal to external drives, the differences between HDD and SSD, and shed light on what an NVMe SSD is. More importantly, you’ll know exactly how Xbox Series X storage works by the end of this guide. Of course, everything outlined here also relates to the Xbox Series S, which is worth remembering for gamers who went for the more budget-friendly console.
Xbox Series X storage: everything you need to know
Xbox Series X storage: how much do you get?
The Xbox Series X comes with a 1TB NVMe SSD, while the Xbox Series S is equipped with a 512GB NVMe SSD. The Xbox Series X has 802GB of storage, which means 198GB is reserved for system files and the Xbox operating system.
The Xbox Series S, meanwhile, only has 364GB of usable storage. Games should take up 30% less space than their Xbox Series X counterparts as file sizes are reduced due to developers not targeting a 4K resolution, but you’ll likely need to expand your system’s memory sooner rather than later.
What is an NVMe SSD?
NVMe SSDs (Non-Volatile Memory Express) are a superior storage solution compared to standard hard drives and SSDs. Due to the fact that NVMe SSDs use PCIe sockets for data transfer, they can send up to 25 times more data than the slower SATA equivalent (which is the hard drive the Xbox One uses).
NVMe drives also cut out the middleman by communicating directly with a system’s CPU, and the end result is lightning-fast performance. Both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S rely on this new storage format to create a next-generation performance leap, so understanding the difference between the three types of drives is critical.
Is an NVMe SSD the same as an SSD?
No, and it can often be confusing to many – especially as Microsoft regularly refers to their storage as just “SSD”. Regular solid-state drives (SSDs) rely on SATA, which is a much slower way to transfer data within a system.
An SSD is still much faster than a regular mechanical hard drive (and less prone to failure due to the lack of moving parts), so it’s not all bad. However, the speeds pale in comparison to an NVMe drive.
How to expand Xbox Series X|S storage
Microsoft’s solution to expanding the Xbox Series X|S’s internal memory with more super-fast NVMe storage is quite elegant, if expensive. Microsoft has released 512GB, 1TB and 2TB models of the Seagate Xbox Storage Expansion Card which slots into the back of both consoles, much like a memory card. Everything you store on the NVMe drives will benefit from the full power package that the Xbox Series X|S provides.
Microsoft has also revealed that more storage solutions will be on the way, so consumers won’t just be at the mercy of buying the proprietary drive. This is good news, as proprietary drives can often be more expensive than components from third-party manufacturers.
You can connect an external HDD or SSD to play Xbox One, Xbox 360 and original Xbox games on it. You won’t benefit from the lightning-fast speeds that NVMe drives provide, but SSD drives are still significantly faster than HDDs, so if you’re going for an external option, go for an SSD. Any games optimized for Xbox Series X (like Gears 5 for example) must be moved to the internal NVMe drives to play.
Xbox Series X|S optimized games can be saved to external drives, but cannot be played unless transferred back to the main NVMe drives. Quick Resume, which is a feature that allows you to suspend and resume multiple games at once, will work regardless of where the games are installed.
| Can you play XSX|XSS optimized games from it? | Can you play XSX|XSS optimized and back compatible games from it? | Can you play Xbox One/back compat games from it? | Can you save XSX|XSS/Xbox One/backwards compatible on it? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S NVMe SSD | Yes | Yes (they will benefit from faster load times) | Yes (they will benefit from faster load times) | Yes |
| External HDD (USB 3.1) | no | No, only Xbox One/back compatible games | Yes | Yes, but XSX|XSS optimized games can only be played from NVMe SSD |
| External SSD (USB 3.1) | no | No, only Xbox One/back compatible games | Yes (they will benefit from faster load times) | Yes, but XSX|XSS optimized games can only be played from NVMe SSD |
