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[marquimvfs]

The Xbox Series X Storage Expansion card had a brief moment in the spotlight during the latest Inside Xbox stream. Microsoft showed off the card in real life and offered more insight into how it will let you store more games without sacrificing performance.

This memory card stores a terabyte worth of game data, not just a few megabytes of save files. As Xbox Series X director of program management Jason Ronald explained, it also matches up with the speed offered by Xbox Series X's internal storage "exactly".

"But at the same time, we know plenty of people have existing USB hard drives. And we want to make it as easy as possible, so you can easily just take the existing external hard drive that you have, unplug it from your current console, plug it into your Xbox Series X, and all your games are instantly available to you. And you can continue to run all those games directly off that external drive. So once again, we're really focused on giving as many options as possible because we know storage is critically important for gamers who have plenty of games they love playing."

"Built in partnership with Seagate, this 1TB custom storage solution expands storage capacity of Xbox Series X with the full speed and performance of the Xbox Velocity Architecture. Previous-generation Xbox titles can still be played directly from external USB 3.2 hard drives. However, to receive all the benefits of the Xbox Velocity Architecture and optimal performance, Xbox Series X optimized games should be played from the internal SSD or Xbox Series X Storage Expansion Card."

Price was not revealed.

Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/the-x...card-but-it-is-a-highly-refined-external-ssd/

 

[cookiemuffin]

Guess the price
$250?

 

[ZehDon]

Realistically USD$199.00.
Be better if it was USD$129.00.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

I wish they would have gone with someone other than Seagate, they don't have the most dependable products...

 

[marquimvfs]

If it's the same price (or cheaper) than a nvme, good. But history told us that proprietary solutions are not cheap. It's also sad that, even sacrificing speed, XSX games won't run on USB drives.

 

[Imtjnotu]

I'm gonna say $149. Doubt it's more

 

[ethomaz]

It will be a bit more expensive than a 1TB NVMe SSD.

 

[IntentionalPun]

The wording is interesting; “should be” not “must be” played from SSD.

 

[bad guy]

. It's also sad that, even sacrificing speed, XSX games won't run on USB drives.

But it says XSX games should be played via fast ssd/card, not must. ?

 

[GenericUser]

how many likes on instagram?

 

[-Arcadia-]

I absolutely love that the thing is, for all intents and purposes, an old-school memory card.

Certainly the price won’t be the same, but I was never a big fan of buying big, clunky accessories like the Xbox 360 hard drive, nor having to unscrew things out of a bay.

This is really elegant, convenient, and cute.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

I absolutely love that the thing is, for all intents and purposes, an old-school memory card.

Certainly the price won’t be the same, but I was never a big fan of buying big, clunky accessories like the Xbox 360 hard drive, nor having to unscrew things out of a bay.

This is really elegant, convenient, and cute.

I miss the MagicGate PS2 memory cards and thr data for each game had an icon/avatar that represents the game.

 

[Neo Blaster]

I'm gonna say $149. Doubt it's more

For a portable, proprietary, small form-factor 1TB NVME drive? Sure!! /s

 

[Neo Blaster]

But it says XSX games should be played via fast ssd/card, not must. ?

Don't do this to yourself...

 

[Neo Blaster]

The wording is interesting; “should be” not “must be” played from SSD.

Why ignore the main advantage of this generation? Just to go cheap?

 

[longdi]

I will say $199 for 1Tb.
While Series X is $499. That is how MS will fight Sony to the end on console msrp

 

[Mr Hyde]

I think it's cute with memory cards. Takes me back to the old school-era of PSX / PS2. I hope Sony presents their own cards to.

 

[gamerforever]

These will be £150 at the very least, probably £200.

 

[marquimvfs]

But it says XSX games should be played via fast ssd/card, not must. ?

I can be wrong, but it sounds just like pr talk. The way they're talking about i general, saying that the old games can be played with external storage, makes me believe that the new games can only run through the internal storage or the proprietary memory card.

 

[marquimvfs]

I think it's cute with memory cards. Takes me back to the old school-era of PSX / PS2. I hope Sony presents their own cards to.

I hope they don't, and keep supporting open standards like usb and PCIE (for the internal NVME).

 

[-Arcadia-]

I miss the MagicGate PS2 memory cards and thr data for each game had an icon/avatar that represents the game.

Same. Well, I was more on the GameCube side back then (still played and really enjoyed PS2 at a friend’s; got one later on), but it was basically the exact same thing, down to the cute images and gifs for save files.

We spent something like ten years with those things, including PS1, in some of the best gaming years ever, so they just hold a lot of nostalgic value.

 

[Mr Hyde]

hope they don't, and keep supporting open standards like usb and PCIE (for the internal NVME).

Sony have already confirmed they support external USB-drives at least.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I hope they don't, and keep supporting open standards like usb and PCIE (for the internal NVME).

How the tune of proprietary vs open standard changes when It is someone’s console manufacturer of choice depending on it is interesting, but I will admit that being able to easily swap in and swap out external storage to be pretty neat... still having an open standard solution that allows you to buy any* third party drive of your choice (*as long as it is fast enough... which makes sense) to be superior.
This thread’s article seems to add nothing more than the DF article where the XSX innards where first revealed IIRC... are there any new details at all?

 

[marquimvfs]

I will say $199 for 1Tb.
While Series X is $499. That is how MS will fight Sony to the end on console msrp

Who remember the 100U$ WiFi adapter at the 360 launch?

 

[bad guy]

Don't do this to yourself...

I'm PC only, and just interested in the hardware.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I will say $199 for 1Tb.
While Series X is $499. That is how MS will fight Sony to the end on console msrp

So, the PS Vita strategy of pricier proprietary storage to offset the reduced main console costs?! Didn’t people here hate and mock it (part of the whole “proprietary standards is anti consumer” movement every time Sony launched any of its own home grown tech)?

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Don't do this to yourself...

Phil already confirmed in an IGN interview that you will be able to play your Xbox One games from a regular USB HDD. Your Series X games have to move over to the SSD in order to be played, though.

 

[longdi]

So, the PS Vita strategy of pricier proprietary storage to offset the reduced main console costs?! Didn’t people here hate and mock it (part of the whole “proprietary standards is anti consumer” movement every time Sony launched any of its own home grown tech)?

I think Series X implementation is a good solution for this gen.
Maybe 5 years down, with Series X-ii, MS can switch to non-prop storage, when nvme nand storage become fully mainstream.

Right now, because of the costs, because of the limited exposure, because of the requirements, it make sense to package a high quality proprietary solution for plug and play.
Besides have you tried self install nvme m.2. It is pretty tricky, with the tiny screw, and standoff.

I think MS made a right choice, now. It helps to offset the msrp of Series X itself. We shall see.
Everything points to MS going for a low price, high performance entry to their next gen platform

 

[jts]

The wording is interesting; “should be” not “must be” played from SSD.

It’s a segue to what they state that those games CAN be played from a USB 3.2 HDD, but the optimized ones SHOULD be played from SSD.

But it says XSX games should be played via fast ssd/card, not must. ?

It’s referring to XSX-optimized (enhanced) games, not XSX games.

 

[John254]

I think that at first Microsoft will have cheaper expansion cards just because their NVMe solution requires lower speeds than Sony's. I fully expect "Sony approved" NVMe drives to cost 300€+ for 1TB at first.

But later? I expect prices to drop and then Sony will have the advantage but not for Microsoft since there is only one manufacturer.

I just don't understand why Microsoft won't let more manufacturers to create these cards so price can drop. Because as far as i know, only Segate is making them

 

[Oddvintagechap]

I hope they don't, and keep supporting open standards like usb and PCIE (for the internal NVME).

Sony can still release their own branded SSD.

 

[M1chl]

I wish they would have gone with someone other than Seagate, they don't have the most dependable products...

When it comes to SSD it does not really matter, because NAND Flash and Controllers are from different manufacturers, Seagate just package it.

 

[-Arcadia-]

I think Microsoft’s approach could make sense at first, with Sony’s paying off later.

It’s looking like it’s going to be difficult, by Mark Cerny’s own words, to find an off-the-shelf storage solution that meets PS5’s needs, for maybe a year or two. The tech just doesn’t exist/isn’t up to that standard yet.

For that reason, I’m really hoping Sony offers their own proprietary drive for sale during this period (and imagine they will).

If this happens though, they’ll be on even footing — everyone will have proprietary drives, and Microsoft’s just happens to be super casual friendly, and honestly kind of fun.

Later on, though, as standards catch up, PS5 fans should be able to upgrade for a lot less than an historically expensive proprietary product from Xbox, shifting the advantage.

If price/room weren’t a factor, I’d prefer both a proprietary slot, and a universal bay.

 

[Bernkastel]

It will be a bit more expensive than a 1TB NVMe SSD.

Less than those 7 GB/s certified NVMe drives for PS5. A fucking 4.8 GB/s NVMe SSD costs 250 USD. The market for that will only exist for PS5.

 

[longdi]

Less than those 7 GB/s certified NVMe drives for PS5. A fucking 4.8 GB/s NVMe SSD costs 250 USD. The market for that will only exist for PS5.

Nand prices fluctuate more than HDD prices. It could be $250 now, but $300 in Jun.
Worst case, PS5 owners will be unable to increase their storage size for a while
7gb/s nvme ssd may launch after PS5. Plus Sony verification + firmware updates, who knows if the wait spill over to 2021?

 

[Bernkastel]

I think a lot of people dont get why some proprietary accessories cost more, its because they are made in limited quantities But in case of XSX they are repackaging the same hard drive that is present in Series X into a memory card, which is already being produced in bulk. This is why its only 1 TB. As the parts used to make XSX get cheaper, so will the memory card.
On the other hand, there is no demand for the 7 GB/s NVMe drive for PS5. Its like 128 GB RAM, no one is interested in it. The market for those NVMe drives which have to be inserted inside the PS5(how many people used Internal SSD in PS4?) is always smaller than XSX memory cards. By the time they actually get cheaper, the generation would have ended.

 

[Mistershine.]

So many people not realising that in this instance should is being used as a polite must.

I wonder how much the decompression hardware adds to the cost?

 

[Panajev2001a]

Less than those 7 GB/s certified NVMe drives for PS5

Considering how strictly you report official PR and this is the n-th time people point out how 7 GB/s is NOT the minimum requirement for open market drives to you, I am starting to think this is you being intentionally misleading to attempt to create a false narrative.

Sony never stated you needed 7 GB/s certified drives and targeting high specs and proprietary vs open standards is an orthogonal discussion to it: after railing against Sony for many years on them using proprietary memory storage solutions it must create some cognitive dissonance having to praise it to follow company line, eh ?

 

[metareferential]

It's going to be expensive as fuck.

But most gamers do not and will not need an expansion on memory.

If you properly manage disk space and have a somewhat decent (by let's say 2010 standards) internet connection you're good to go.

And you could always just plug a usb 3 drive in to store terabytes of shit, and copy it to the main ssd when needed.

This is a smart move by Ms after all. Even if it's "anti-consumer".

 

[John254]

One great thing is, that Microsoft will allow XsX games to be stored on external HDD (have 8TB for XOne) and then you can just move it to SSD

 

[longdi]

Considering how strictly you report official PR and this is the n-th time people point out how 7 GB/s is NOT the minimum requirement for open market drives to you, I am starting to think this is you being intentionally misleading to attempt to create a false narrative.

Sony never stated you needed 7 GB/s certified drives and targeting high specs and proprietary vs open standards is an orthogonal discussion to it: after railing against Sony for many years on them using proprietary memory storage solutions it must create some cognitive dissonance having to praise it to follow company line, eh ?

I think Mark Sony sorta clearly hinted at needing high speed drives, holding off to buy any nvme now.
7Gbs is thrown about because that is the 'standard' fastest speed of new drives.

Put 2 together, it is pretty clear 7gbs is needed to compensate PS5 stprage design.

Anyway, either Phil thought thoroughly through their choices, or things just fell luckily in place.
At the end of 2019, we were hearing news of nvme nand becoming totally mainstream, because of falling prices.
Then earlier this year, reports of nand shortages appear(i think is price fixing).
Now we have virus outbreak
IMO, off the shelf nvme will remain expensive for at least a year or even more.

 

[Panajev2001a]

By the time they actually get cheaper, the generation would have ended

We will see . I will just wait for the inevitable hot takes from you and the others if and when Sony were to launch their own PlayStation branded external customised NVMe SSD’s you can slot in and out of the console...

 

[Pallas]

I miss the MagicGate PS2 memory cards and thr data for each game had an icon/avatar that represents the game.

Remember those off brand memory cards that had more storage and had the gray LED screen? I really miss the memory card days sometimes And I’m honestly happy at these are small like memory cards.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I think Mark Sony sorta clearly hinted at needing high speed drives, holding off to buy any nvme now.
7Gbs is thrown about because that is the 'standard' fastest speed of new drives.

Tim Apple joke eh? Anyways, he clearly said that their target is 5.5 GB/s and that, while that seem very very high and out of range for drives available now (also for height requirements too), this would not be a problem on the open market for long he saw drives coming this year or soon after that which would “saturate” aka max out PCIe 4.0 bandwidth and he quoted what maxing our PCIe 4.0 means: 7.0 GB/s. Are you really saying that the “minimum” spec for user bought SSD is the MAX bandwidth allowed by the PCIe 4.0 SSD drives?!?

He “also” said that drives implementing only the basic NVMe two priority levels support would need “a bit more” bandwidth than the 5.5 GB/s drive... from this to interpreting the “a bit more” as 1.5 GB/s more feels ludicrous.

The big issue with NVMe drives is flash shortages, price fixing ahoy yes, not the controller logic around it so open market SSD vs Proprietary SSD makes little difference.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Can your new games XSX games work on your old external drive you can plug in?

Or is that just for the X1X games?

 

[longdi]

Tim Apple joke eh? Anyways, he clearly said that their target is 5.5 GB/s and that, while that seem very very high and out of range for drives available now (also for height requirements too), this would not be a problem on the open market for long he saw drives coming this year or soon after that which would “saturate” aka max out PCIe 4.0 bandwidth and he quoted what maxing our PCIe 4.0 means: 7.0 GB/s. Are you really saying that the “minimum” spec for user bought SSD is the MAX bandwidth allowed by the PCIe 4.0 SSD drives?!?

He “also” said that drives implementing only the basic NVMe two priority levels support would need “a bit more” bandwidth than the 5.5 GB/s drive... from this to interpreting the “a bit more” as 1.5 GB/s more feels ludicrous.

The big issue with NVMe drives is flash shortages, price fixing ahoy yes, not the controller logic around it so open market SSD vs Proprietary SSD makes little difference.

The issue is, 5.8~6gbs nvme is not on any known road map for off the shelf nvme.
The next step up is 7gbs. So thats why we calling for 7gbs.

When you think of it, Mark Sony may have created for themselves a gap between off the shelf market and their #psecosystem.

In terms of pricing, i would guess Phil Xbox would have ordered secured a bunch from Seagate, ensuring supplies for the early core gamers

 

[John254]

Can your new games XSX games work on your old external drive you can plug in?

Or is that just for the X1X games?

Nope
XsX games needs to be on internal drive/expansion card to be played. You can store them on external HDD but when you want to play them, you need to move them to the internal drive/expansion card

XOne, X360 a Xbox games can be played on external HDD

 

[captainraincoat]

Nope
XsX games needs to be on internal drive/expansion card to be played. You can store them on external HDD but when you want to play them, you need to move them to the internal drive/expansion card

XOne, X360 a Xbox games can be played on external HDD

Don’t think that’s correct
They specifically mentioned you could bring your drives from this gen and they would work straight away

 

[Barakov]

It will be a bit more expensive than a 1TB NVMe SSD.

EVENTUALLY Samsung will have to lower their prices. Sony wins again.

 

[John254]

Don’t think that’s correct
They specifically mentioned you could bring your drives from this gen and they would work straight away

Yup. But this only applies to XOne, X360 and Xbox games.

If the game will get patched to take advantage of Xbox Velocity Architecture or it will take advantage of it by default you will need to move it to internal drive/expansion card.

So for example. I'm probably taking my 8TB external drive from XOne with me to XsX. Every game on that drive should work with XsX from that external drive. But if i will buy a game for Series X, then i need to play it from internal drive/expansion card