A Buyer's Guide to Xbox One Compatible External Hard Drives and SSDs

The internal hard drives on the Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X can fill up quickly with major releases like Gears 5 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. With more large-scale games on the horizon, expanding the console’s storage is a practical necessity for many players. An external drive is the simplest and most effective solution for managing a growing library of games, applications, and media.

Xbox One External Storage Requirements

For an external storage device to work with the Xbox One family of consoles, it must meet two primary criteria. First, it needs to connect via USB 3.0 to ensure data transfer speeds are fast enough for gaming. Second, the drive must have a minimum capacity of 256 GB. When a compatible drive is first connected to the console, it will need to be formatted, a process that erases any existing data on the drive to prepare it for use with the Xbox One.

Once formatted, the external drive can store a wide variety of content. This includes full game installations, downloadable content (DLC), application data, and patch updates. It can also be used to hold media files such as pictures, music, and videos, making it a versatile storage expansion.

Microsoft’s design for the Xbox One consoles strongly favors external storage over internal upgrades. While replacing the internal drive is technically possible, it is a complex process that involves significant disassembly of the console. Using an external drive is a simple plug-and-play alternative that does not require opening the hardware. External drives work in conjunction with the console’s internal storage, and the Xbox One can recognize and use up to two external drives simultaneously. This allows for a massive potential increase in total storage space. Another key benefit is portability; a player can take their external drive to a friend’s console, sign in with their Xbox Live account, and immediately access their entire game library.

HDD vs. SSD: Deciding on Speed or Capacity

When choosing an external drive for an Xbox One, the decision primarily comes down to two types of technology: the traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and the more modern Solid-State Drive (SSD).

Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are mechanical drives that use spinning platters to read and write data. Their main advantages are high capacity and low cost. It is easy to find external HDDs with several terabytes (TB) of storage at an affordable price. This makes them an excellent choice for players who want to download and store a vast collection of games, especially subscribers to services like Xbox Game Pass. HDDs come in two main form factors: portable and desktop. Portable drives are smaller and draw power directly from the console’s USB port. Desktop drives offer the largest capacities but require a separate power adapter and must be plugged into a wall outlet.

Solid-State Drives (SSDs) use flash memory and have no moving parts. This results in significantly faster data access speeds compared to HDDs. For gaming, this translates directly into improved performance. Games stored on an SSD will generally have shorter loading times, and both installation and data transfer processes are quicker. The primary drawbacks of SSDs are their higher price per gigabyte and more limited maximum capacity, with consumer models at the time typically topping out around 2 TB. An SSD is the ideal choice for players who prioritize performance and want to minimize time spent on loading screens.

For Xbox One X owners, the storage question is even more pertinent. The console’s ability to run games at 4K resolution often involves downloading large 4K texture packs, which consume a substantial amount of disk space. For these users, a high-capacity drive is particularly beneficial.

Recommended External Drives for Xbox One

Based on the console’s requirements and the available technology, several models stand out as reliable options for expanding an Xbox One’s storage.

Officially Licensed Seagate Drives

Microsoft partnered with Seagate to produce several officially licensed Xbox Game Drives. While these often cost more than generic equivalents, some came with special bundles. The Seagate 2 TB Game Drive Xbox Sea of Thieves Special Edition, for example, included an exclusive in-game weapon (the Midnight Blunderbuss) and a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass. Other Game Pass Special Edition drives were also available in 2 TB and 4 TB capacities, which included the one-month subscription without the Sea of Thieves cosmetic item.

Recommended External HDDs

For players focused on maximizing storage capacity, these desktop and portable HDDs are strong choices.

Desktop HDDs (External Power Required):

• Seagate Expansion Desktop: Available in 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, 5 TB, 6 TB, and 8 TB sizes.
• Toshiba Canvio for Desktop: Available in 3 TB, 4 TB, 5 TB, and 6 TB sizes.
• Western Digital My Book Desktop: Available in 3 TB, 4 TB, 6 TB, 8 TB, and 10 TB sizes.

Portable HDDs (USB Powered):

• Seagate Expansion Portable: Available in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB sizes.
• Toshiba Canvio Basics Portable: Available in 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, and 3 TB sizes.
• Western Digital Elements Portable: Available in 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, and 4 TB sizes.

Recommended External SSDs

For those seeking the fastest possible loading times, these portable SSDs deliver a noticeable performance boost.

• Samsung T5 Portable SSD: Available in 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB sizes.
• SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD: Available in 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB sizes.
• Western Digital My Passport SSD: Available in 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB sizes.