Microsoft Xbox Series X|S Storage Cards

[BRiT]

will only need to do that for next gen /patched gamea which I'm assuming you meant.

Yeah, I might want to rethink things a bit.

My initial approach was anything I frequently play but won't be patched for nextgen I'd want on the fastest device regardless. So that means the internal 1TB will be filled upto 75% (room left for future game updates or new small titles) and then I'll be juggling things off of it as needed when new games release.

But if prior-gen games show no difference between NVME and external SSD then no need to move them off their current external drives. Certainly would make things easier than doing the juggling up front and so frequently.

 

[Remij]

By the looks of it, wonder if you could upgrade the onboard ssd.

It looks like a standard NVMe connection, but it's the form factor of the drives themselves which I doubt would be compatible with anything else out there. Looks too short.

 

[Sycologist]

I'm disappointed MS didn't go with USB 4.0. That would make for external NVMe USB 4.0 devices a good option. Right now 1TB NVMe is around $100.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

I'll just put my existing 1TB external on my new console and play my unenhanced BC games from it. That will get me by long enough for the expansion card to drop to $100.

 

[mpg1]

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/09/we-are-in-possession-of-a-working-xbox-series-x/

 

[BRiT]

It's so tiny. Let's hope the price is as well.

 

[eastmen]

It's so tiny. Let's hope the price is as well.

could sorta replace a cartridge don't you think ?

 

[BRiT]

could sorta replace a cartridge don't you think ?

Yes, but I think even if the capacity is dropped all the way to 128 GB, it would still be cost prohibitive to use for a 1 game per "nvme cart" scheme. Though it's a different story if it's more of a general storage item you can place into Kiosks to get your game loaded. That would be nifty to see happen, but there's no retail Microsoft Stores left for that. It's certainly better for mobile than dealing with UHD BluRays.

 

[Rangers]

It's so tiny. Let's hope the price is as well.

Dunno if you saw the new leak from a UK retailer, was supposedly 159 (pounds? Euros?). Usually EU videogame prices translate directly to dollars (even if the currency doesn't).

https://www.overclock3d.net/news/software/xbox_series_x_s_1tb_storage_expansion_listed_for_159/1

Another "We'll see".

 

[AzBat]

Dunno if you saw the new leak from a UK retailer, was supposedly 159 (pounds? Euros?). Usually EU videogame prices translate directly to dollars (even if the currency doesn't).

https://www.overclock3d.net/news/software/xbox_series_x_s_1tb_storage_expansion_listed_for_159/1

Another "We'll see".

https://twitter.com/x/status/1308356875340087296

One of the reasons I didn't post it when it first turned up.

Tommy McClain

 

[eastmen]

Yes, but I think even if the capacity is dropped all the way to 128 GB, it would still be cost prohibitive to use for a 1 game per "nvme cart" scheme. Though it's a different story if it's more of a general storage item you can place into Kiosks to get your game loaded. That would be nifty to see happen, but there's no retail Microsoft Stores left for that. It's certainly better for mobile than dealing with UHD BluRays.

was thinking more of a replacement for an sd card and just make an all digital portable xbox

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Yes, but I think even if the capacity is dropped all the way to 128 GB, it would still be cost prohibitive to use for a 1 game per "nvme cart" scheme. Though it's a different story if it's more of a general storage item you can place into Kiosks to get your game loaded. That would be nifty to see happen, but there's no retail Microsoft Stores left for that. It's certainly better for mobile than dealing with UHD BluRays.

The Kiosk type things were a thing in a Japan and I'm sure have been trailed, with limited success, elsewhere. As a mechanics to get a game home where your internet is slow I think it would work well but you presumably wouldn't work to store games across a lot of cards, this would I think limit game updates to only when you insert any particular card.

 

[Rangers]

Look's like $220 is final. Yikes. Official Best Buy pre order listing=$219.99


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/seagate-1tb-game-drive-for-xbox-series-x-and-series-s-external-custom-pci-express-gen4-x2-nvme-solid-state-drive/6425015.p?skuId=6425015

IMO that really hits the XSS hard, as to expand the (playable) storage is extremely expensive.

[Mod edit: trimmed URL identifiers]

 

[zed]

Yes expensive ATM but history has shown us in a couple of years it will cost maybe half that

 

[Rurouni]

Look's like $220 is final. Yikes. Official Best Buy pre order listing=$219.99


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/seagate-1tb-game-drive-for-xbox-series-x-and-series-s-external-custom-pci-express-gen4-x2-nvme-solid-state-drive/6425015.p?skuId=6425015&irclickid=x34TgOS8LxyOUPr0RHQK3XRkUkiSR2TzSVsjzE0&irgwc=1&ref=198&loc=Skimbit Ltd.&acampID=0&mpid=10078&intl=nosplash

IMO that really hits the XSS hard, as to expand the (playable) storage is extremely expensive.

Looking at Seagate SSD pricing (not just for this expansion) it actually looks...normal.
Basically Seagate SSD product is already overpriced. You add the proprietary and licensing stuff on top of that, well, $220 is probably what you get.

 

[BRiT]

For that price, I expect many to use normal usb expansion drives and juggle what games they're playing off the internal NVME.

At least there was some indication that most Series S games were smaller than the Series X version by around 30%.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

New Yes expensive ATM but history has shown us in a couple of years it will cost maybe half that

Those are prices for mass market standardized products, which the Series' storage cards are not.


A similar situation to this was the Vita's proprietary memory cards, which throughout the years never kept up (or down) with the price-per-GB of microSD cards of similar or faster speeds.
Here's for example the 64GB Vita memory card:
https://camelcamelcamel.com/PlayStation-Vita-Memory-Card-PCH-Z641J/product/B00F27JGVA

Vs. a standard 64GB Class 10 MicroSDXC from Sandisk:
https://camelcamelcamel.com/SanDisk-Mobile-MicroSDXC-Memory-Adapter/product/B0081EAK34

 

[cheapchips]

Those are prices for mass market standardized products, which the Series' storage cards are not.


A similar situation to this was the Vita's proprietary memory cards, which throughout the years never kept up (or down) with the price-per-GB of microSD cards of similar or faster speeds.
Here's for example the 64GB Vita memory card:
https://camelcamelcamel.com/PlayStation-Vita-Memory-Card-PCH-Z641J/product/B00F27JGVA

Vs. a standard 64GB Class 10 MicroSDXC from Sandisk:
https://camelcamelcamel.com/SanDisk-Mobile-MicroSDXC-Memory-Adapter/product/B0081EAK34

I'd have thought it'd be a bit different. MicroSD cards are a standard thing. NVMe drives are cobbled together in all sorts of different ways from standard components, with varying heatsinks etc. The Xbox card should be pretty similar in that regard. The case and the board being the only unique bits.

 

[AzBat]

That pice is just insane. I guess that proves the Series S is definitely being sold for a loss. Half that is $110 & added to the Series S makes the Series X the best value all around. Guess Microsoft & Seagate got to make a profit somewhere. :/

Definitely going to lose some goodwill over this. Hopefully the cheaper USB storage & better software OS management will make it easer to stomach.

Tommy McClain

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I'd have thought it'd be a bit different. MicroSD cards are a standard thing. NVMe drives are cobbled together in all sorts of different ways from standard components, with varying heatsinks etc. The Xbox card should be pretty similar in that regard. The case and the board being the only unique bits.

My bet is Microsoft is charging a fee for every Series' memory expansion that is sold, and SSD makers want to recoup that fee, plus the overhead of creating an additional assembly line for these niche products.
Sure, they can get the controllers and NAND chips from the same places as everyone else, but difference in economy of scale between a M.2 2280 SSD and a Series' expansion cartridge is enormous. Especially while there are zero consoles sold, of course.