Even if you don't choose an Xbox Series S, you’ll be able to play almost every new game on Microsoft’s older console. For now, anyway. They won’t run as well or look quite as good, but you won’t be forced to upgrade to experience key titles that are coming to Xbox Series X/S. However, between Fable, Starfield, Redfall, Perfect Dark, and Avowed, there's a growing list of upcoming new-gen exclusives. The high cost reflects the bleeding-edge hardware inside, falling in line with our previous predictions before pricing was even announced. The card guarantees the best in internal and external storage, even if pricier than slower USB drives.

The Seagate Expansion Card is by far the fastest external storage for Xbox Series X|S. (Image credit: Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central) But to stress, Xbox Series X|S titles won't run on external hard drives due to slow transfer speeds, failing to meet current console demands. An internal SSD or an external expansion card is required for upcoming releases or older games updated for the latest generation. Unless you're on a particularly strict budget, it's hard to recommend the Xbox One S in 2023 when the Xbox Series S is at a relatively affordable price already. In addition, since Microsoft discontinued production of the last-gen machine two years ago, the Xbox Series S has become easier to find and is in much better supply compared to the Xbox One S. Are Xbox Series S and Xbox One S the same? Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox titles all run on an external USB hard drive with Xbox Series X and Series S. Provided that previous-generation software doesn't receive Xbox Series-geared upgrades, it also runs on USB storage. The Xbox Series S might be tiny, but there’s a lot of power inside. The console targets a resolution of 1440p instead of native 4K (though some titles can output at a full 4K), and is capable of 120fps gaming. Though its GPU is considerably less powerful than the Xbox Series X's, it boasts an almost identical CPU and 10GB of GDDR6 RAM. That’s less than the 16GB the Xbox Series X, but it’s considerably more than the Xbox One S, which only has 8GB of GDDR3.Use with digital games only; console does not play physical discs. 120 FPS: Requires supported content and display; use on Xbox Series S as content becomes available. Xbox Game Pass: Game catalogue varies over time (xbox.com/gamepass). Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and supported game; may require supported Bluetooth controller (all sold separately). Select regions and devices. Streaming limitations apply, server availability and wait times may vary. Requires internet, ISP fees apply. xbox.com/cloudgaming An external SSD is both smaller and faster than a HDD. (Image credit: Richard Devine / Windows Central) Xbox Game Pass: sold separately; game catalogue varies over time. See xbox.com/gamepass and https://www.ea.com/ea-play/terms and https://www.ea.com/ea-play for details. Up to 120 FPS: Requires supported content and display. Use on Xbox Series S as content becomes available.

You can also opt for a USB external drive, choosing between a vast range of third-party options at competitive prices. External hard drives remain extremely affordable, with simple plug-and-play support like Xbox One consoles. However, USB drives come with limitations and don't have the ability to support or run all Xbox Series X|S games like the Seagate Expansion Card can. They're basically only good for storage.We have no reported cases of our products causing harm or danger to anyone. We believe in the safety of our products and we meet all the applicable safety requirements. We are unable to test against the 900+ chemicals listed for Prop 65 and to 100% certainty, and therefore, in an abundance of caution, we have placed the warning on our products to be in compliance with this California regulation. You will also see the Prop 65 warning on products that you buy outside of California, because we are unable to determine our products’ final retail destination. The Xbox Expansion Card makes it simple, with three sizes available. Seagate Storage Expansion Card comes in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB flavors, with pricing proportional to their respective capacities. While Microsoft has also discussed storage from other manufacturers, the ongoing exclusivity period with Seagate means we're yet to see those materialize. One important thing to note is that there’s no disk drive on the Xbox Series S, and you’ll only have 512GB of storage to play with. Unlike the One S, though, it comes with a super-fast NVMe SSD instead of an achingly slow mechanical hard drive, and it can be expanded with the 1TB Storage Expansion Card from Seagate. And while an expensive extra, Seagate's card should give you peace of mind when it comes to storage. Plus, it gets discounted at various online retailers with surprising frequency. You may have heard that everything gives you cancer – if you live in California. The reason is that it is a California state law that requires businesses to provide reasonable warning about the use of any chemicals the state has decided could cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. The list of chemicals and substances is extensive - currently totaling approximately 900. In brief, the growing list of Xbox Series X and Series S Optimized games need high-speed storage, and only Microsoft's custom SSDs can deliver. Beyond the internal SSD included with Xbox Series X and Series S, the official Xbox Storage Expansion Card is the only seamless upgrade.