The Best External Hard Drives For Xbox Series S in 2022

The Xbox Series S features sizeable storage already. However, thanks to Game Pass and the console’s growing number of titles, it can be difficult to keep enough internal storage for all the games that you want to get your hands on. The good news is that you don’t have to settle with the built-in storage of the Xbox Series S.

Using an external hard drive, you can maximize the storage for your console. While there are many external hard drives out there, not all of them are compatible or are great with your console. If you want to know which of these options suits your console the most, you’re in luck. We’ve got a wide selection of the best external hard drives for Xbox Series S that your money can buy right now.

While Xbox proprietors have infinite expansion devices alternatives available, we’ve determined a 2 TB outside power affords a really perfect improvement for the ones running low on storage.

This external storage works well with Microsoft’s pleasant Xbox console, Xbox Series X, with an outstanding 500% increase for the more compact Xbox Series S. The Seagate Expansion 2 TB expands on both Xbox models with enough room for dozens of recent video games. Additionally, there’s also enough headroom for added games that you’ll be interested in later on.

The Seagate Expansion collection stays our pinnacle selection with its 2TB configuration, despite the fact that extra capacities of as much as 5 TB are available. This four hundred RPM outside power meets all of the Xbox consoles’ specs, pushing as much as 120 MB/s of reading speed. While it really is great for regular use, it is worth pointing out that it really is a fragment of the 2.4GB/s inner SSD found with new Xbox consoles.

One problem with the Seagate Expansion 2 TB is that it has constraints of any USB-linked garage. Games constructed with Xbox Series X and Series S in mind, including upgraded Xbox One video games, can run best on a Microsoft-licensed garage that meets its excessive bandwidth threshold.

Pros

• 2TB expansion
• Compact
• Sleek design

Cons

• Can't run Xbox Series S|X exclusives

Specification

• Price $61.99
• Read Speed 120 Mb/s
• Item Weight 6.72 ounces
• Item Dimensions 4.6 x 3.15 x 0.58 inches
• Digital Storage Capacity 2 TB

The Seagate Storage Expansion Card is an overloaded, built-in storage card. It’s simple storage that’s built specifically for the most recent Xbox consoles.

The Seagate Storage Expansion card is built with the new Xbox Velocity Architecture System in mind. What this means is that the storage expansion can be used with the incredible fast transmission speed and load speed found in the latest Xbox models. According to Microsoft, it is not as fast as embedded storage. However, this expansion is 40x faster than traditional drives. Speed ​​Architecture Storage System is required to play the Xbox series X / S games. Right now, it’s one of the few storages that’s capable of running those titles.

The Seagate Xbox Memory Expansion Card is very fast and supports all the same speed functions and fast load times that support the console’s built-in drive. It’s not that fast when it comes to launching games. However, Seagate Storage is much more than the previous generation console solution. It’s fast. Also, when it comes to in-game loading time, the gap is much narrower, almost unnoticed by anyone but the person carrying the stopwatch.

Transfer speed is also stable. Sending files from the card to internal storage is slightly faster than other methods, but only a few. However, there is a huge difference between high-end Seagate cards and your typical external hard drive. For example, a 24.6 GB driving sim WRC 9 took 3 minutes and 50 seconds to switch from its place inside internal storage to a USB 3 drive. On the other hand, it only took 1 minute and 6 seconds for Seagate cards.

Pros

• Plays ALL Xbox games
• Built specifically for Xbox
• Fastest Xbox SSD

Cons

• Expensive

Specification

• Price $219.99
• Read Speed 300 Mb/s
• Item Weight ‎2.4 ounces
• Item Dimensions ‎5.5 x 3 x 2 inches
• Digital Storage Capacity 1 TB

The problem with most hard drives nowadays is that they tend to be a bit too expensive. Xbox consoles are no small purchase on their own already, so you deserve an external storage that isn’t expensive. This is what makes the Toshiba Canvio Basics 1 TB even more special.

First of all, this portable external hard drive only needs a USB cable to run. This makes it possible for you to travel around without the need for an AC adapter, just in case you are bringing your console for a trip. It’s perfect on the go. No software is required to use the device. Just plug and play on your Xbox Series X, Mac OS, or PC. The transfer speed of this device is 5 GB/s for USB 3.0 and 480MB/s for USB 2.0. The external hard drive has a smooth black motif that is resistant to dirt.

It’s small enough to be carried in the front pocket of a backpack or bag if needed. If you are looking for a more compact hard drive, see Western Digital Elements External Hard Drives. These hard drives can also be connected to game consoles such as the Xbox Series S | X Hard Drive to store video game data. Toshiba Canvio Basic is an easy-to-use hard drive. While it does need to be reformatted, there is no software to install. It fits in your pocket and is nearly impossible to dirty up. The USB interface turns on and connects your hard drive to your Mac or PC. This is good because there are fewer cables to worry about.

When it comes to size and ease of use, the Toshiba Canvio Basics is possibly the best out of all of them. While it does have limited capability when it comes to speed and game compatibility, it’s still an amazing storage overall.

Pros

• Affordable
• Cheapest HDD for Xbox
• Compact

Cons

• Can't run Xbox Series S|X exclusives

Specification

• Price $49.87
• Read Speed 147.3 MB/s
• Item Weight 5.28 ounces
• Item Dimensions 4.3 x 3.1 x 0.55 inches
• Digital Storage Capacity 1 TB

One of the tried and tested names when it comes to external hard drives has to be WD Element. They’re always in a close contest with Seagate. When it comes to the best external storage for Xbox Series S|X, the best the brand has to offer is the WD 4 TB Elements.

This is WD Element’s response to Seagate Extension Drive. Both are low-cost, large-capacity, and easy-to-use USB 3.0 external hard drives. Outside, the element has a rounded angle and a gentle surface as well as a fast mobile drive consisting of WD’s MY Pass Slim. 4.4 × 3.2 x 0.8 inches (11.2 x 8.1 x 2.0 cm) is a small drive that is easy to fit into your pocket.

Compared to Seagate’s expansion, it is a bit shorter and thicker, but it looks good overall. However, inside, 5,400 rpm only has the low power of a standard laptop hard drive compared to a drive that reaches 7,200 rpm. This means that it is generally slow. It also does not support safety encryption. That is, do not upload sensitive data to it. This element is pre-installed in the WD SmartWare Pro trial version and costs more than $20 if you want to use it beyond the data protection period.

WD Portable Drive forwarding is free of charge and includes the full software. Right from the get-go, Elements comes with only a standard foot-length MicroUSB 3.0 cable. But nothing else is needed to make it work. The drive is pre-formatted for Windows and works as soon as you connect it. For Mac, you need to reformat it to HFS+. You can also format it to an exFAT file system if you want to use it between Windows and Mac PCs. However, if you’re focusing on using it for gaming only, then it’s simply plug and play.

This external storage for the Xbox might not be one of the best, but it does offer a lot of great features for its value. It’s a great alternative to the best external storages out there, and it’s right at the mid-range pricing too.

Pros

• Spacious 4 TB storage
• Great value
• Sleek and compact design

Cons

• Can't run Xbox Series S|X exclusives

Specification

• Price $89.99
• Read Speed 480 Mb/s
• Item Weight 0.52 lbs
• Item Dimensions 4.4 x 3.2 x 0.83 inches
• Digital Storage Capacity 4 TB

Digital game lovers may prefer the largest drive out there because the number of Xbox game installs is higher than ever. It’s only growing larger thanks impart to the Xbox Series X and Series S growing library. While the Xbox console supports up to 16 TB of external storage, Seagate’s 8 TB solution may have plenty of space and capacity at a relatively affordable price.

Choosing an 8 TB external storage is, practically speaking, a little too much for most people. However, if you’re a heavy gamer, storage like this can support more than a handful of games. It comes in a cheap package that includes a 5,900 rpm drive and delivers a top speed of around 160 MB/s. Seagate has an Xbox branded shell with an 8 TB variation, and we’ve seen the same performance, but with the elimination of the Xbox brand, we’re saving a bit.

This large capacity means that there are caveats compared to other options on this list. This includes the 18 W power supply needed to run this drive. The other small option is often a USB power supply, but this beast requires a power socket for support. The box also includes an 18-inch cable for easy plug-and-play use on consoles such as the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.

If you’re looking for a drive that supports Xbox games, select the checkbox for USB 3.1 compatibility and capacity. It has the same restrictions as all USB devices and can play backwards compatible titles, while only storing Xbox Series X and Series S games. It’s faster than any SSD, but it meets the Xbox usage requirements. This drive is for lovers who don’t really care about storage speed but want to have most of the games available on the system at the same time.

It works with large collections, especially if you’re not a fan of downloading and reinstalling games. With the large library of the Xbox Game Pass, you have a lot to download as well.

Pros

• Most expansive storage
• Great value

Cons

• Can't run Xbox Series S|X exclusives

Specification

• Price $182.06
• Read Speed 190.6 MB/s
• Item Weight 2.12 lbs
• Item Dimensions 5.5 x 1.9 x 6.7 inches
• Digital Storage Capacity 8 TB

This outside USB SSD brings quick read and write speeds at a pretty affordable price. The transfer to the SSD era brings numerous essential modifications to what you can anticipate from an external hard drive. The Samsung T7 SSD series is very portable and an exceptional external storage option for the Xbox Series X|S  consoles.

It promises excellent, overall performance with 1,050 Mb/s read and 1,000 Mb/s write standards. That means quicker speeds, decreased load instances, and better overall performance. While the boundaries on the USB drive suggest you might not play Xbox Series X|S Optimized titles here. However, thanks to the backward-compatibility of the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and authentic Xbox video games, you can still play a large number of titles. It’s an excellent option if you’re looking for an external drive for your Xbox.

Pros

• Compact design
• Expensive HDD
• Only 500 GB

Cons

• Can't run Xbox Series S|X exclusives

Specification

• Price $79.99
• Read Speed 1050 Mb/s
• Item Weight ‎2.08 ounces
• Item Dimensions 3.3 x 2.2 x 0.3 inches
• Digital Storage Capacity 500 GB