Gaming on the Xbox Series S is a great experience, but the limited storage space can be frustrating when you want to install multiple games. Microsoft has been making significant changes to how external storage works with their latest consoles. Xbox Series S now supports external USB drives larger than 16TB, removing previous size limitations and giving gamers more flexibility with their storage options.
While external hard drives and SSDs can be connected to the Xbox Series S, there are important limitations to understand. These external drives can store any Xbox game, but you can only play backward compatible titles directly from them. For games optimized for Xbox Series S, you’ll need to transfer them to the internal SSD or use the official Storage Expansion Card before playing.
Seagate offers specialized external drives designed specifically for Xbox consoles, providing high-speed performance and seamless integration. These drives offer a simple plug-and-play solution that complements the Xbox interface, making storage management easier for casual and serious gamers alike.
Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition Joins Xbox Game Pass Lineup
Starting April 3, 2025, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can dive into the chaotic world of Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition. This comprehensive package includes the base game along with all six content add-ons and a plethora of bonus cosmetic packs. Players can experience the game solo or team up with friends in cooperative mode, exploring diverse environments, battling formidable foes, and collecting an arsenal of weapons.
What’s Included in the Ultimate Edition?
The Ultimate Edition offers an expansive Borderlands 3 experience:
- Base Game: Embark on an intergalactic adventure as one of four Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities and skill trees.
- Season Pass One:
- Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot: Infiltrate a glitzy casino filled with enemies and loot.
- Guns, Love, and Tentacles: The Marriage of Wainwright & Hammerlock: Attend a chaotic engagement party on the ice planet Xylourgos.
- Bounty of Blood: Participate in a showdown against a gang of beast-riding mercenaries on the desert planet Gehenna.
- Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck: Explore the chaotic mind of the psycho Krieg in search of the mythical Vaulthalla.
- Season Pass Two:
- Designer’s Cut: Introduces the ‘Arms Race’ mode and an additional skill tree for each Vault Hunter.
- Director’s Cut: Features a raid boss, new story missions, and behind-the-scenes content.
- Bonus Cosmetic Packs: Includes the Butt Stallion Pack, Retro Cosmetic Pack, Neon Cosmetic Pack, Gearbox Cosmetic Pack, Toy Box Weapon Pack, and equippable XP & Loot Drop Boost Mods.
Enhanced Performance on Xbox Series S
Xbox Series S players can enjoy Borderlands 3 with optimized performance, including faster load times and improved visuals. The game supports 60 frames per second at 1080p resolution on the Series S, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay.
Additional Titles Coming to Game Pass in April
April brings a diverse array of games to Xbox Game Pass, catering to various gaming preferences:
- All You Need is Help (April 3): A cooperative puzzle game where players assist cube-shaped creatures in overcoming obstacles.
- Still Wakes the Deep (April 3): A horror adventure set on an isolated oil rig, challenging players to survive against an unknown menace.
- Wargroove 2 (April 3): A strategy game featuring new commanders and a fresh campaign, building upon the original’s tactical gameplay.
- Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition (April 8): Combines the base game and the Reaper of Souls expansion, offering an extensive action-RPG experience.
- South of Midnight (April 8): An action-adventure game delving into Southern folklore, presenting a unique narrative and art style.
- Commandos: Origins (April 9): A real-time tactics game revisiting the origins of the elite commando unit during World War II.
- Blue Prince (April 10): An architectural adventure where players explore a mysterious manor with shifting rooms.
- Hunt: Showdown 1896 (April 15): A competitive first-person bounty hunting game set in the late 19th century, blending PvP and PvE elements.
These additions underscore Xbox’s commitment to delivering a rich and varied gaming library to its subscribers. Whether you’re in the mood for intense action, strategic planning, or immersive storytelling, April’s Game Pass lineup has something to offer.
Key Takeaways
- Xbox Series S now supports external drives larger than 16TB, significantly expanding storage possibilities.
- Only backward compatible games can be played directly from external drives, while Series S optimized games must be transferred to internal storage.
- Specialized external drives from manufacturers like Seagate offer seamless integration with Xbox consoles for an enhanced gaming experience.
Compatibility and Integration
The Xbox Series S offers versatile storage expansion options to address its limited internal storage capacity. Understanding which devices work best with the console helps gamers make informed decisions about their storage solutions.
Compatible Storage Solutions
The Xbox Series S supports several external storage options. USB 3.0-compatible external hard drives can be connected directly to the console for additional storage space. These drives are perfect for storing Xbox One games and backward-compatible titles.
For Xbox Series S optimized games, the official Storage Expansion Cards are the premium solution. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card and WD_BLACK C50 expansion card are specifically designed to work with Xbox Series X/S consoles. These cards plug directly into the dedicated expansion slot on the back of the console.
External SSDs connected via USB also work with the Series S, offering faster performance than traditional hard drives. Storage capacities up to 16TB are now compatible with Xbox Series consoles, which benefits content creators and gamers with extensive libraries.
Xbox Velocity Architecture and External Drives
The Xbox Velocity Architecture is a core technology in Xbox Series S that enables faster load times and better performance. This architecture includes a custom SSD and hardware decompression technologies.
Only the internal SSD and official Storage Expansion Cards fully support this architecture. External USB drives cannot take advantage of the Velocity Architecture’s full capabilities. This creates a two-tier storage system on the Xbox Series S.
Games that require the Velocity Architecture’s features must be installed on either the internal SSD or an official expansion card to run. However, these games can be stored on external USB drives when not in use, saving precious space on the faster storage options.
Impact on Gaming Performance
Storage choice significantly affects gaming performance on the Xbox Series S. Games installed on the internal SSD or Storage Expansion Card benefit from dramatically reduced load times compared to external drives. The difference can be seconds versus minutes in some cases.
Quick Resume, a feature allowing players to switch between multiple games instantly, works best with games installed on the internal SSD or expansion card. Games on external drives may experience longer resume times.
Xbox One games and backward-compatible titles can run directly from external USB drives with minimal performance impact. This makes external hard drives a cost-effective solution for older games, while reserving premium storage for Series S optimized titles that benefit most from faster access speeds.
Expanding Storage Options
Xbox Series S owners have several options to expand their console’s limited storage. These include official expansion cards that maintain full performance and external drives that offer more affordable alternatives with some limitations.
Utilizing External HDDs and SSDs
External storage solutions provide Xbox Series S users with flexible options to expand beyond the console’s built-in storage. Users can connect external hard drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs) through USB ports. These external drives work perfectly for storing and playing Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox games.
For next-gen Xbox Series games, users can store them on external drives, but must transfer them to internal storage before playing. This transfer process is much faster than redownloading games.
External SSDs offer significantly faster transfer speeds than traditional HDDs. Popular options include drives from Seagate and Western Digital (WD) that are specifically designed for Xbox consoles.
Exploring High-Capacity Drives and Market Options
The Xbox team is reportedly working on support for external drives larger than 16TB, which would greatly benefit players with extensive game libraries. Current external options range from affordable 1TB drives to higher-capacity models at various price points.
The official Seagate Storage Expansion Card remains the premium option. It plugs directly into the console’s expansion slot and performs identically to the internal SSD. These cards are available in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB sizes.
Installation is remarkably simple – users just turn off their Xbox, insert the card into the dedicated slot on the back of the console, and power it back on. The system immediately recognizes the additional storage.
Budget-conscious gamers can use standard external HDDs that offer larger capacity per dollar but sacrifice some speed and functionality. Cloud storage offers another alternative for those with reliable internet connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Xbox Series S users often have questions about external storage options. Here are answers to common questions about enhancing your console’s storage capacity with external drives.
What are the specifications and capabilities of the Seagate Game Drive designed for Xbox Series S?
The Seagate Game Drive for Xbox Series S is specifically designed to complement the console’s capabilities. It offers transfer speeds of up to 140MB/s with USB 3.2 Gen 1 connectivity.
This external drive is available in capacities ranging from 2TB to 5TB. The drive doesn’t require separate power and connects directly to the Xbox via USB.
While it can store Xbox Series S optimized games, these titles must be transferred to the internal SSD before playing. However, backward-compatible games can be played directly from the drive.
What is the maximum external storage capacity currently supported by Xbox Series S following the recent update?
The Xbox Series S supports external hard drives up to 16TB in capacity. This limit applies to individual drives rather than total connected storage.
Users can connect multiple external drives simultaneously, allowing for significant storage expansion. The March 2025 system update maintains this capacity limit while improving transfer speeds.
Xbox Series S also supports the official Storage Expansion Card in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB sizes that function as an extension of the internal SSD.
Which external hard drive models are considered best for enhancing Xbox Series S storage capability?
The WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive delivers excellent performance with speeds up to 130MB/s. It’s available in sizes ranging from 2TB to 5TB and features a durable design ideal for portability.
Seagate’s Game Drive Hub offers massive 8TB and 16TB options with integrated USB ports. This model is perfect for gamers with extensive game libraries.
For budget-conscious gamers, the Toshiba Canvio Basics provides reliable performance at a lower price point. It’s available in sizes from 1TB to 4TB.
Are there any brand-specific external hard drives that are optimized for Xbox Series X and S gaming performance?
The official Seagate Storage Expansion Card remains the only SSD that can directly play Xbox Series X|S optimized games. It connects through the dedicated expansion slot rather than USB.
WD_BLACK drives feature gaming-optimized firmware that improves load times for backward-compatible titles. These drives often include Xbox-themed designs and special features.
Samsung’s T7 portable SSD delivers exceptional speeds for transferring games between drives. While more expensive than standard HDDs, it significantly reduces waiting times when moving games.
How does the Xbox Series S system update impact compatibility with new external storage devices?
The March 2025 Xbox system update improved external storage detection and reliability. This update fixed issues where some high-capacity drives weren’t being properly recognized.
The update also optimized transfer speeds between external drives and the internal SSD. Users report approximately 15% faster transfer rates for large game files.
Compatibility with USB-C drives has been enhanced, allowing direct connection without adapters for newer storage devices.
What factors should be considered when choosing an external hard drive for Xbox Series S to ensure a seamless gaming experience?
Storage capacity should match your gaming habits. Consider a minimum of 2TB if you maintain a large game library.
Connection type is crucial, with USB 3.0 (or higher) being mandatory. USB 3.2 Gen 2 drives offer the fastest transfer speeds for moving games to the internal SSD.
Portability requirements matter if you plan to transport your drive. Desktop drives offer more capacity for the price but require separate power and are less portable.
Reliability should be a top consideration. Choose drives from established manufacturers with good warranty coverage to protect your game library.
