It is worth noting that Western Digital expansion cards have finally been released today, which means that Seagate is no longer the only contender in the Xbox Series X SSD ring. Microsoft’s flagship console has been able to take advantage of external storage options since day one. However, the new WD_Black cards are only the second internal storage option to be introduced to Microsoft’s flagship console in the past couple of years.
Seagate’s expansion card for the Xbox Series X is without a doubt one of the strongest options out there in terms of performance when it comes to hard drive options, since it can hold its own against the console’s internal storage as far as storage capacity goes. Although the company uses a simplistic, old-school proprietary approach, it doesn’t come cheap and its cards have just started to become cheaper as the competition drops.
In fact, you could say the timing of this announcement is impeccable, as Western Digital is about to enter the market with a lower MSRP by default as well. It turns out that WD’s take on Xbox expandable storage comes with a lower price tag from the get-go, as the 1TB card is only $149.99. This is a $10 cheaper price than Seagate’s original 512GB model, which is also available at the same price… WD’s 512GB variant is available for $79.99, which is still $2 less than its original Seagate model.
Seagate is no longer the only company trying to make its way into the Xbox Series X SSD ring, as Western Digital has released its first expansion cards for the console today. WD_Black cards are just the second instance of internal storage cards to be introduced to Microsoft’s flagship consoles and the new cards represent only the second time that external storage options have been available since Xbox’s debut.
Seagate’s expansion card for the Xbox Series X is without a doubt one of the strongest options out there in terms of performance when it comes to hard drive options, since it can hold its own against the console’s internal storage as far as storage capacity goes. The company’s old-school proprietary approach features a simplistic layout that isn’t cheap, and the company’s cards are only just starting to come down in price as a result.
In fact, you could say the timing of this announcement is impeccable, as Western Digital is about to enter the market with a lower MSRP by default as well. The 1TB WD Xbox expandable storage card comes with a lower price tag than its rivals’, as the company’s take on the Xbox expandable storage card costs just $149.99. For comparison, you will be able to purchase the original Seagate version for the same price, but the WD version comes out with 512GB and that’s worth an extra $10 under Seagate’s new pricing.
There is no doubt that you are more likely to save money by cracking open the oblong powerhouse and popping in one of the best PS5 SSDs at the moment, but Microsoft’s proprietary approach does keep things simple.
In the event that you’ve been putting off the purchase of an Xbox expansion card, now could be the perfect opportunity to finally make the investment. With Western Digital entering the area, a new bar is sure to be set in terms of pricing, and Seagate seems to have already adjusted its pricing accordingly in response to Western Digital’s entry into the market.
It should be noted, however, that PS1-esque memory cards aren’t your only options, so if you’d rather pick up something more suitable for more than just the Series X and S, be sure to check out the best external and internal storage deals in your area down below.