Microsoft may be preparing new Xbox expandable storage options for other manufacturers. Best Buy has spotted a Western Digital 1TB expansion card priced at $179.99 for Xbox Series S / X consoles. This is the first time that Xbox expandable storage has been seen outside of Seagate.
Microsoft launched Xbox expandable storage cards almost three years ago, with the Xbox Series S / X consoles. The 1TB cards were available at a price of $219.99, and made exclusively by Seagate. Although we have seen 512GB options from Seagate, the prices have remained stubbornly high despite similar storage on PS5 consoles dropping in price.
A second manufacturer of Xbox expandable storage is needed. This will help to push prices in the right direction. The Seagate model is listed at Best Buy, but it’s $40 cheaper than their listing. It’s still a very high price for 1TB storage. Especially when you can get a Samsung 980 Pro 1TB USB Gen4 drive for just $79.99.
Microsoft chose to use proprietary storage for its Xbox Series X / S consoles. This makes installation much easier and more user-friendly. Pricing has not been affected by a single manufacturer. Sony chose to make the M.2 SSD expandable storage slot, instead. This allows PS5 owners access to a wide range of drives available on the market. Even slow PCIe Gen4 drives can be used on the PS5.
The availability date for Western Digital’s 1TB Xbox expansion card is not known. We have reached out to Microsoft and Western Digital to discuss the Best Buy listing.
