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[IbizaPocholo]

Report: There may be a cheaper 500GB Xbox Series X|S Seagate storage card on the way

Xbox Series X|S storage expansion options are convenient but limited.

www.windowscentral.com

According to a report from XboxSquad.fr, a listing for a 500GB SSD option from Seagate has appeared on wholesale retailer Innelec's internal systems. The listing suggests this costs around 125 euros, making it cost roughly half that of the 1TB version, as you might expect.

Update: XboxSquad also posted a separate listing from French retailer Micromania suggesting a November 14, 2021 launch date for a 512GB card expansion, costing around $150.

We've reached out to Microsoft to find out if they can confirm or debunk this retail listing. Either way, it's best to take it with a pinch of salt until we get something official or more concrete. Retail listings aren't always the best sources of information, but this particular one seems promising.

 

[RiccochetJ]

I can't imagine myself going for a 500gb SSD no matter how fast it is. I'll just continue to swap out my non-active games to my 5TB mechanical until the prices naturally come down for the 1TB variant. And honestly I'm hoping that they start introducing larger drives.

 

[NeonGhost]

How about we get a 2tb

 

[prinz_valium]

I can't imagine myself going for a 500gb SSD no matter how fast it is. I'll just continue to swap out my non-active games to my 5TB mechanical until the prices naturally come down for the 1TB variant. And honestly I'm hoping that they start introducing larger drives.

I have a 2TB external SSD and i still have to delete stuff

 

[N1tr0sOx1d3]

500GB simply won’t cut it for long. I wouldn’t be surprised if MS Flightsim with all packs weighs in heavier than this alone.

 

[Fess]

A smaller SSD?? I filled the internal 1TB drive first night
Give me a 2TB expansion card instead, and let beta testers send in the old 1TB drive for a bigger replacement.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Yup need to get the 1tb cheaper and bring out a 2tb option.

 

[Andodalf]

More options is good, Hope it comes with a price drop to the 1 TB for those that need it, and more 3rd party solutions soon

 

[kyliethicc]

Should cost $60 max for 500 GB @ 2.4 GB/s.

 

[sinnergy]

I think it should cost 20 euros .. what do I win?

 

[StreetsofBeige]

500gb too small.

If I'm going to bite, has to be 1 tb minimum.

 

[michaelius]

So 400+$ to get same storage as series X ? Sounds like a deal of generation

 

[StreetsofBeige]

The 1 tb Seagate card is $290 in Canada. If another third party 1 tb card came out at somewhere between $170-200 cdn I'd maybe bite.

 

[Investor9872]

Anyone buying these smaller 500 GB cards will regret it. I promise you!

 

[Corndog]

Should cost $60 max for 500 GB @ 2.4 GB/s.

Totally different form factor.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Totally different form factor.

Is the Seagate form factor designed by Jonny Ive or someone even more famous?
This was the point people were making, proprietary storage always coming at a premium over off the shelf hardware.

 

[kyliethicc]

Totally different form factor.

They took a M.2 2230 version of the M.2 2280 WD SN550 (called the SN530, same speeds, just not sold to public) and put it inside a CF Express card metal shell. PCI Gen4x2 instead of PCI Gen3x4.

That's why I could see them charging about $10 more ($60) than what it should cost ($50).

 

[Bojanglez]

I saw something the other day about a prototype third party enclosure, I think that's the future. Let us put whatever drive we want in ) that meets the speed requirements)

 

[dcmk7]

Why not a 2tb option? Is there a reason why they haven't got this out already? It makes more sense than 500gb.

 

[NickFire]

If they charge 150 for that it is highway robbery IMO.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

One thing that the high priced Xbox cards has made me realize (I've got a 3 GB external HDD which 2 TB is used for random hoarding of games). Currently dont give a shit. I got a bunch of games on the SSD, the rest on HDD, I thought about the games and placement and freed up my SSD to be 300-400 gb of space. Getting rid of FH4 was 150 gb alone.

With One X and both internal and external working the same, I was just downloading and hoarding all kinds of GP and GWG I'd either never play or play only a couple times. I'll keep it on the HDD since I can, but only games I really feel like sinking time into I'll move it to SSD a few at a time. My SSD has maybe 6-7 games on it only now.

 

[RPS37]

Just charge me 300 for a 2TB and my xbox will last years.

 

[Jibran#one]

Enough for a call of duty , nice very nice

 

[Iced Arcade]

I thought expansion was going to be a must eventually but I'll be honest... Swapping games to and from the external is pretty fast and simple. Not to mention no one is playing 20 games at a time.


Isn't the Seagate exclusive contract up soon?

 

[sinnergy]

They took a M.2 2230 version of the M.2 2280 WD SN550 (called the SN530, same speeds, just not sold to public) and put it inside a CF Express card metal shell. PCI Gen4x2 instead of PCI Gen3x4.

That's why I could see them charging about $10 more ($60) than what it should cost ($50).

Now double it , that’s how you stay in business.. 120 dollars . About 50% margin is the norm in the world .

Now take into account engineering, contractual costs etc ..

 

[kyliethicc]

Now double it , that’s how you stay in business.. 120 dollars . About 50% margin is the norm in the world .

Now take into account engineering, contractual costs etc ..

If Western Digital will sell me the WD Blue SN550 500 GB M.2 2220 Gen3x4 NVMe SSD for $50 right now, then it probably costs them like $20 to make. So when Xbox & Seagate sell their 500 GB Xbox SSD card for like $150, remember that thing probably cost them like $30 to make. Proprietary storage is a pure profit ripoff.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

If Western Digital will sell me the WD Blue SN550 500 GB M.2 2220 Gen3x4 NVMe SSD for $6p50 right now, then it probably costs them like $20 to make. So when Xbox & Seagate sell their 500 GB Xbox SSD card for like $150, remember that thing probably cost them like $30 to make. Proprietary storage is a pure profit ripoff.

Makes sense.

Accessories are high margin for anything in electronics. And I consider a tiny SSD card for $290 cdn in the same vein. But a standard high capacity PC HDD for cheap not.

Monster cables, TV mounting brackets, USB sticks, microSD cards, Sony's custom Vita cards, Xbox 360's external HDD etc.... all jacked up shit.

I remember an old coworker who sold cables back in the 2000s when everyone was getting amped up buying hi-def cables to go with their new HD tv. Future Shop would sell them for like $200 and he said he'd sell it them for about $30. So as crazy as it seems, all those insanely priced cables by Monster werent even so much set by them. Its the stores all doing it. The TVs probably made them hardly any money, but they'd get you on cables, mounting brackets, TV stands and stuff like that.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Now take into account engineering, contractual costs etc ..

Get the same spiel about Apple profit margins then see at the end of the year how net profits after all costs and taxes are still ginormous… accumulate 5-10 years to take into account fixed and research costs better and it is still ginormous.
Once again proprietary storage lost both the performance and the price war against the open off the shelf drives.

Back to complaining about Sony’s greed with game prices and shrug this one off or make justifications for it… oh I see how you are already a step ahead of me here: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/xbox...card-slot-it’s-claimed.1618083/post-264572157 (always great news / hope springs eternal only on one side ).

 

[ZywyPL]

Good proposition for XSS owners, but for XSX I'd prefer a 2TB version.

 

[M1chl]

They took a M.2 2230 version of the M.2 2280 WD SN550 (called the SN530, same speeds, just not sold to public) and put it inside a CF Express card metal shell. PCI Gen4x2 instead of PCI Gen3x4.

That's why I could see them charging about $10 more ($60) than what it should cost ($50).

Holy hell just looked at the CF Express Cards, seems like the Xbox card is bargain in comparison. Not the mention faster.

I would still want normal NVMe SSD, 100% but oh well, so at least 2TB+ card, thx.

 

[DevilMayFlyForAWhiteGuy]

I bought a 500gb external Samsung SSD last year for $80. Not a lot of space but I got it primarily for the handful of backwards compatible Xbox One games that have long load times. Something like DOOM 2016 took forever to load on an HDD on Xbox One, but takes 1/5th the time on an the SSD plugged in to the XSX.

My internal XSX SSD is only for Next gen/X enhanced games that require it, so hopefully that lasts a while.

 

[Calverz]

Options is good.
Microsoft doing everything right recently.

 

[Badlucktroll]

need 2 or 4tb. I want to install every game pass game.

 

[TheDreadLord]

As soon as this seagate deal ends I’m pretty sure we will be able to buy 10USD adapters from Ali Express and plug in whatever ssd we want.

 

[Arun1910]

I have a 2TB external SSD and i still have to delete stuff

That's cause you hoarde games.

I don't understand why you need so many things downloaded at once.

 

[Allandor]

Should cost $60 max for 500 GB @ 2.4 GB/s.

Well, the small form-factor has it's own price-point, but yes, the current price is much to high. I would expect 1TB (in that form-factor) to be arround 150€ at this point. And still the option for 2TB+ is completely missing.

That's cause you hoarde games.

I don't understand why you need so many things downloaded at once.

It's the same for me. Yes I have installed a few games (on my XB1 I had an 8TB HDD with 5TB filled). But I don't want to redownload a game if I want to play it and I'm not always playing the same game over days I play different games from time to time. Also my wife and kids want to play other stuff so, yes I need more space and SSDs are very limiting but I don't wan to go back to HDDs as those are to loud and slow.

 

[prinz_valium]

That's cause you hoarde games.

I don't understand why you need so many things downloaded at once.

Because I moved and now I have slow internet. It sucks.

 

[ParaSeoul]

Just sell an adapter.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Just charge me 300 for a 2TB and my xbox will last years.

GL with that.

 

[DarkMage619]

Get the same spiel about Apple profit margins then see at the end of the year how net profits after all costs and taxes are still ginormous… accumulate 5-10 years to take into account fixed and research costs better and it is still ginormous.
Once again proprietary storage lost both the performance and the price war against the open off the shelf drives.

Back to complaining about Sony’s greed with game prices and shrug this one off or make justifications for it… oh I see how you are already a step ahead of me here: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/xbox-series-x-s-can-use-standard-ssds-in-the-expansion-card-slot-it’s-claimed.1618083/post-264572157 (always great news / hope springs eternal only on one side ).

The proprietary drive loses in price and speed and wins in hot swap ability, portability, ease of use and installation. The speed differences haven't really been realized when games on both platforms load within seconds of each other and in some cases the lowly XSX|S has even faster load times.

Price is the best advantage with off the shelf drives and because one platform has costs and higher prices the other platform does not those saving get eaten in other areas. The whole thing is a series of trade offs with neither having any serious advantage especially when it finally both have options to just connect an external SSD and transfer titles one intends to play soon and archive other games for later play.

On topic it's good to have more drive size options and it hasn't been proven the 1TB drive will be that price forever. If they drop in any meaningful way the price advantage for off the shelf drives diminish.

 

[Banjo64]

The 1tb has regularly been on sale for £170 and was as low as £140 for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

I’d pick up 500gb when it hits £60.

 

[dcmk7]

It's about time we get given the option for a 2TB option from SeaGate. Surely it's feasible?

Ironically Sony has the better and cheaper options available at the moment.
No one would have thought that 6 months ago. When the situation looked dire.

Hopefully MS reacts and we get some other (& cheaper) options made available, whether from SeaGate or another supplier.

 

[RPS37]

GL with that.

350?

 

[kikonawa]

just bought the WD Blue SN550 1tb for my pc for 83 euro from amazon... still dont get thepoint of the series S..

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

350?

Maybe a bf deal or by gens end.

 

[Panajev2001a]

It's about time we get given the option for a 2TB option from SeaGate. Surely it's feasible?

Ironically Sony has the better and cheaper options available at the moment.
No one would have thought that 6 months ago. When the situation looked dire.

Hopefully MS reacts and we get some other (& cheaper) options made available, whether from SeaGate or another supplier.

Indeed, price + size + speed + drive variety. It is also getting better as they are tied to the evolution of commercial SSD’s.

The ability to buy lots of 1 TB cards for XSX could allow you to have collection of games you swap from (having multiple cards you can easily swap from is not bad), but at a very steep price (one supplier and a limited market will tend to have a steep premium just like for Xbox 360). Then you need to manage on paper or a spreadsheet the whole collection.
You are better off buying a much much larger 4-8 TB HDD to store backups and transfer them as and if needed.

 

[DarkMage619]

Indeed, price + size + speed + drive variety. It is also getting better as they are tied to the evolution of commercial SSD’s.

The ability to buy lots of 1 TB cards for XSX could allow you to have collection of games you swap from (having multiple cards you can easily swap from is not bad), but at a very steep price (one supplier and a limited market will tend to have a steep premium just like for Xbox 360). Then you need to manage on paper or a spreadsheet the whole collection.
You are better off buying a much much larger 4-8 TB HDD to store backups and transfer them as and if needed.

I wonder the number of customers who seriously will need multiple TBs of storage for games. One storage card will be plenty to transfer games to a friend's house and a large external drive if you must archive them. The 500GB card isn't a ton of space but it would be much cheaper and would still have the benefits of hot swapping, portable, ease of use and install.

 

[dcmk7]

Indeed, price + size + speed + drive variety. It is also getting better as they are tied to the evolution of commercial SSD’s.

The ability to buy lots of 1 TB cards for XSX could allow you to have collection of games you swap from (having multiple cards you can easily swap from is not bad), but at a very steep price (one supplier and a limited market will tend to have a steep premium just like for Xbox 360). Then you need to manage on paper or a spreadsheet the whole collection.
You are better off buying a much much larger 4-8 TB HDD to store backups and transfer them as and if needed.

I think that's the biggest advantage.

As the technology evolves and ultimately gets cheaper, PS5 will still be compatible.

Rather than being locked behind an expensive proprietary option.

Hopefully the next Xbox will allow a more conventional route going forward. I would prefer it as a consumer, I think most would.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I wonder the number of customers who seriously will need multiple TBs of storage for games. One storage card will be plenty to transfer games to a friend's house and a large external drive if you must archive them. The 500GB card isn't a ton of space but it would be much cheaper and would still have the benefits of hot swapping, portable, ease of use and install.

Ease of install sure, ease of use feels like you are re-using ease of install and counting it twice, and hot swapping and portable in a home console are way way way way down below the importance ladder compared to cost and storage density (not to talk about speed). The rumoured 500 GB cards might contain 2-3 games the size of COD and patches and still be way overpriced compared to what you find on the open market.

We are going to great lengths to justify proprietary storage (I remember when the talking point was that PS5’s SSD would be too costly for people), PS Vita needed warriors of this cal over .

 

[Riky]

I wonder the number of customers who seriously will need multiple TBs of storage for games. One storage card will be plenty to transfer games to a friend's house and a large external drive if you must archive them. The 500GB card isn't a ton of space but it would be much cheaper and would still have the benefits of hot swapping, portable, ease of use and install.

Having multiple consoles makes the Storage Card the best option for me, no opening the console, no heatsink needed. Can take my card to friends and it installs in one second. No disclaimer that I might not get the same performance because I will.
Happy to pay for that convenience.