To increase the storage of its Xbox Series X and S, Microsoft opted for an expansion card, and not an NVMe SSD. The Seagate Expansion Card, dedicated to the brand's next-gen consoles, is a solution that has proven effective, and at the moment, its 512 GB model is available at 99.99 euros instead of 199.99 euros.
Source: Arnaud Gelineau – Aroged
If to increase the storage of their console, PS5 users must partially disassemble their console to install an NVMe SSD, owners of an Xbox Series X or S are entitled to a much simpler and more practical solution. All they have to do is plug in an expansion card from Seagate, which has partnered with Microsoft. The Seagate Expansion Card, as it goes by its nickname, has quite a few advantages. Starting with its price: you can find the 512 GB model for less than 100 euros.
The good points of the Seagate Expansion Card
A well-designed and easy-to-install card The Plug-and-Play system Good responsiveness
Initially priced at 199.99 euros, then most often offered at around 130 euros, the 512 GB Seagate Expansion Card is now available at 99.99 euros from Amazon.
An easy-to-install and easy-to-use expansion card
Reserved exclusively for Xbox Series We particularly appreciate the small rigid plastic cap which protects the tip of the card, but also makes it easier to handle. We insert it into the “Storage Expansion” port of the Xbox.
Once the card is inserted, no need to download any application or software to activate it. Indeed, thanks to the “Plug-and-Play” system, the card is immediately recognized by the console and will be operational as soon as it is inserted. A notification even warns us of the addition of this storage space, which here amounts to 512 GB. This is quite sufficient for those who believe that the 802 GB of the Xbox Series store all their favorite titles.
Responsive storage
Once installed, the Seagate Expansion Card allows us to benefit from reduced loading times and other features, such as Quick Resume, which offers the possibility of launching several games simultaneously. Note that you can also play from the expansion card without the graphics degrading.
On the other hand, if this external SSD storage is as responsive as the console's internal storage, the waiting times are not really equivalent. The internal storage is actually more efficient than the expansion card. For example, to launch a game of Yakuza Like A Dragon, we had to wait 49 seconds with the expansion card, compared to 36 seconds with the console's SSD. Fortunately, this is still a minimal difference. When it comes to transferring games, moving a game from internal storage to the card is faster than moving it the other way around. However, the expansion card still does better than an SSD connected via USB 3.0.
To find out even more, don't hesitate to read our full review of the Seagate Expansion Card.
If you are more in the PS5 team and you are looking for an effective storage solution, we invite you now to consult our guide to the best internal M.2 SSDs and external hard drives for the PS5 of the moment.
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