Revolutionary New Xbox Expansion Cards Unveiled - Enhance Your Gaming Experience!

Western Digital has recently entered the competition for expandable storage cards for the Xbox Series X/S consoles, offering a more affordable and versatile option for gamers. Ever since the release of the fourth generation of Xbox hardware in 2020, consumers have been hesitant to purchase the expensive Seagate expansion cards, which cost up to $399.99 for the 2 TB version - almost as much as the console itself. Moreover, the proprietary nature of the Seagate card limits its use to the Xbox Series X/S only, discouraging many gamers from investing in it. As a result, some have chosen to install Xbox Series optimized games internally and use an external drive for other titles. However, the rumors of Western Digital releasing a third-party storage expansion option for the Xbox Series X/S have sparked excitement among gamers.

Xbox Series X/S owners can now enhance their storage capacity with Western Digital's newly launched WD_Black C50 expansion cards. The cards are available in two models - a 500 GB option for $79.99 and a 1 TB option for $149.99. They can be purchased directly from Western Digital and Best Buy, while preorders are available on Amazon for a July 7, 2023 release.

In response to news of a competitor entering the market soon, Xbox has reduced prices for the Seagate expansion cards. The new prices are $89.99 for 500 GB, $149.99 for 1 TB, and $279.99 for 2 TB. It's unclear whether Western Digital has plans to release a 2 TB competitor for the Seagate card. However, the concern for both brands is that the proprietary format may not be compatible with future iterations of Xbox, limiting their usefulness.

Sony's choice for storage expansion has been widely regarded as the winner of the ongoing "console wars." Microsoft attempted to discredit the PlayStation 5's storage solution by promoting the simplicity of a hot-swappable card. However, PS5 owners have the advantage of purchasing any SSD with a read speed of 5500 MB/S and a heat sink, benefiting from the competitive market's more affordable prices. Moreover, it's worth noting that opting for a regular external hard drive for storage on both PS5 and Xbox Series is a viable option for those looking to save money. It's essential to keep in mind that Xbox One games upgraded for the new consoles and those labeled Xbox Series X/S cannot be played directly from an external drive.

Sources: Western Digital, Xbox