Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Download sizes for your favorite video games continue to grow, with external storage now one of the best investments for Xbox consoles. While already an essential item for Xbox One owners, Microsoft's latest Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S only magnify the issue with larger file sizes but the same restrictive storage capacities.
Events like Black Friday often bring unmatched savings, and many retailers have already dropped their best discounts ahead of the big day. That makes it an ideal time to invest in some of the best external hard drives and SSDs for Xbox consoles, expanding your storage with more room for games. We've rounded up all the best value external hard drive, and SSD deals currently live as Black Friday looms, all ideal for expanding Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.
Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive
Black Friday pushes this affordable Seagate 2TB external hard drive south of $60, which packs five times the storage seen in entry-level Xbox systems. It offers ample room to install all your favorite titles, with a simple plug-and-play setup, no matter your console. The current deal at some retailers pushes this below the video game's cost, ideal when tight on virtual space.
When considering the best Black Friday deals on external storage, it's crucial to consider whether you're looking for a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) for your Xbox. Hard drives provide the most affordable upgrade, providing more capacity for your dollar. But upgrading to an SSD means drastically improved speeds, cutting transfer and loading times in the process.
It's also worth considering which size external drive works best for you. Xbox consoles support anything from 256GB through to 16TB, but many high-capacity drives prove overkill for the average user. Unless you're a digital hoarder, upgrading your storage by just a couple of terabytes (TB) proves sufficient over time.
And for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S owners, be aware of limitations imposed on USB storage. Microsoft's next-generation SSD inside its new consoles means that while USB drives can store Xbox Series X|S Optimized games, they need to be moved to the internal storage when played. That feature is reserved for the Storage Expansion Card, designed to match the internal SSD, although backward compatible titles do play on any device.
With that said, this is the best of the bunch this Black Friday.
Best Black Friday Hard Drive Deals for Xbox
For most, a hard drive offers excellent value for money, upping your storage beyond the base configuration. While you miss out on the speed benefits granted by the best SSDs for Xbox, they're considerably more affordable.
WD easystore 1TB External Hard Drive | $135 at Best Buy
Western Digital is one to trust in external storage, and this 1TB entry from its easystore series provides one of the cheapest expansions for Xbox consoles right now. Over 40% savings drops this down to just $48 ahead of Black Friday while providing ample space for more games and apps.
Seagate Game Drive 2TB External Hard Drive | From $70 at Amazon and Best Buy
This 2TB "Game Drive" packs Seagate's storage tech into an Xbox-branded shell designed to work best for console gaming. While it's no different from other drives in terms of performance, it's currently available at $70, down from $90, and almost matching its killer Prime Day discount.
WD 5TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive | $98 at Amazon
Expand your Xbox console with a serious storage upgrade, unlocking an additional 5TB of space for dozens of titles. While this may prove a little excessive for some, it's well-suited to those with extensive game collections or cycling through Xbox Game Pass. While read and write speeds are mediocre, this is a cost-effective upgrade you don't want to miss this Black Friday.
Best Black Friday SSD Deals for Xbox
SSDs deliver unparalleled performance, with their quick read and write speeds resulting in system-wide gains on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One consoles. Using these external drives cuts load times across most games, and those saved seconds accumulate over the years. And while strict storage requirements push Xbox Series X|S users to the Microsoft-approved Expansion Card, SSDs still reduce backward compatibility load times and speed up transfer times to the internal SSD.
Seagate Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S
Best for Series X|S
While this SSD is unlikely to see Black Friday discounts, it's still the best money can buy for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The ultra-fast NVMe tech inside matches Microsoft's own internal SSD speeds, connecting through a dedicated proprietary port on the console. While that doesn't come cheap, it's the only storage that plays Xbox Series X|S Optimized titles. And as a heads up, this doesn't work with Xbox One consoles.
Samsung T7 500GB External SSD | $80 at Amazon and Best Buy
The Samsung T7 range demonstrates the latest in portable SSD technologies, including 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write peak speeds, far outpacing previous generations. This 500GB variant has been our top recommendation year-round, with savings through Black Friday keeping it below $100. It's lightweight yet premium in an aluminum casing and available in three color options.
SanDisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSD | $85 at Amazon
This compact SanDisk SSD also fits the bill for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S systems, defined by a rugged design, with shock protection and IP55 dust and water resistance. It hits peak 1,050 MB/s read, and 1,000 MB/s write speeds, both impressive in the context of gaming. While it's all about speed, that added protection goes a long way if you're traveling — and clumsy. It's at the lowest price we've seen, offering serious savings below its usual $130 going rate.
Samsung T5 1TB External SSD | $130 at Amazon
Opting for a 1TB SSD comes at a premium, but this saving ahead of Black Friday grants more storage without the crazy price tag. We've opted for the previous T5 model here, undercutting the T7 despite sales on its successor, with peak speeds up to 540MB/s. That slowdown won't have a drastic impact on Xbox performance, with all the speed benefits and ample room for more games.
Samsung T7 2TB External SSD | $280 at Best Buy
High-capacity SSD drives are often prohibitively expensive, but the Samsung T7 has seen its 2TB model discounted for a limited time, shaving the cost. You're still looking at the same 1,050 MB/s read, and 1,000 MB/s write speeds, integral to the series, but with more space to pack your collection.
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