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Running low on Xbox Series X space? Discover budget-friendly ways to add massive storage without sacrificing performance. Our top pick, the Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB, delivers huge capacity for under $100. Compare options, pros/cons, and setup tips for seamless expansion.
Quick Pick: Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB External Hard Drive HDD – Black USB 3.0 for PC Laptop and Mac, 1 Year Myliocreate, 2 Months Adobe CC Photography, 2-year Rescue Service (STHP4000400) (Check current price)
Tired of deleting games to make room on your Xbox Series X? Modern titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III eat up over 180GB, and Forza Horizon 5 clocks in at 150GB+. With only about 802GB usable out of the console's 1TB internal SSD, storage fills up fast. Luckily, expanding on a budget is easier than ever. In this guide, we'll cover the most affordable, reliable options to boost your library—focusing on plug-and-play solutions that keep costs low while maintaining compatibility.
We'll prioritize value-packed drives like external HDDs for massive capacity at rock-bottom prices, plus tips for official expansions. All recommendations are tested for Xbox compatibility, with real-world speeds and endurance ratings.
Xbox Series X games are massive. Here's a quick breakdown:
The internal NVMe SSD prioritizes speed for Quick Resume and fast loads, but capacity is limited. Budget expansions let you store dozens more games affordably.
Key Considerations for Xbox Storage:
We evaluated drives based on capacity, speed, Xbox compatibility, price per TB, and durability (TBW ratings where applicable). Here's our comparison table:
| Feature/Product | Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB | Seagate FireCuda 530 2TB SSD | Typical Official 1TB Expansion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4TB (50+ games) | 2TB | 1TB |
| Type | External HDD USB 3.0 | Internal M.2 NVMe PC/PS5 | Proprietary NVMe Card |
| Xbox Speed | Up to 150MB/s (older games) | N/A (PC use) | Full internal match (~2.4GB/s) |
| Price/TB | ~$20 | ~$60 | ~$100 |
| TBW/Endurance | 2-Year Rescue Service | 2550 TBW | High (1.8M MTBF) |
| Best For | Budget mass storage | PC upgrades | Full Series X games |
| Our Score | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 |
Our Top Budget Pick: The Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB shines for Xbox users needing cheap, high-capacity expansion. See on our product page.
Setup Time: 2 minutes. Connect to Xbox > Storage > Manage > Format. Done. Grab the Seagate Backup Plus 4TB now.
For full Series X game support, official NVMe expansion cards are ideal but pricier (~$100/TB). If you're handy, PC-grade SSDs like the Seagate FireCuda 530 2TB offer blazing 7300MB/s speeds for custom builds—but Xbox requires proprietary slots.
Pro Tip: Pair with long-play accessories like the Rechargeable Xbox Controller Battery Pack for 40-hour sessions without downtime.
Related Guides:
Yes, USB 3.0+ HDDs/SSDs work for backward-compatible games. Official NVMe cards are needed for Series-optimized titles.
Budget externals start at $80 for 4TB; official cards ~$100/TB. Our pick: Seagate Backup Plus 4TB.
No impact on compatible titles—Xbox optimizes transfers. Expect 100-150MB/s on HDDs vs. 2GB/s internal.
Only Xbox One/360/Original games. Series X games must be internal or on expansion cards.
The Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB—reliable, portable, and packed with rescue services. View now.
In My Games & Apps > Select game > Manage game > Move to > Target drive.
Ready to reclaim your space? Start with our top pick Seagate Backup Plus and game on!
