Earlier this week, a handful of retailers discounted Seagate’s Xbox Series X/S Expansion Cards to new all-time low prices. Now, Microsoft is making those price cuts permanent (via Polygon). As of Friday, pricing for the Expansion Cards starts at $90 for the 512GB model, while the 1TB and 2TB variants will set you back $150 and $280, respectively. That’s 32 percent and 30 percent off the $220 and $280 the 1TB and 2TB models started at previously.
A welcome price reduction
While you could (accurately) argue Microsoft’s proprietary storage solution for the Xbox Series X and Series S is still too expensive, a permanent price cut is a step in the right direction for the company’s ninth-generation consoles. It means those Expansion Cards will cost less with subsequent sales, making them more competitive with the regular NVMe drives you can buy for Sony’s PlayStation 5.
Moreover, further price relief could be on the way. In April, Best Buy briefly listed a 1TB expansion card from Western Digital. At the time, the listing suggested the NVMe would cost $180 (now more expensive than Seagate’s 1TB model), but more competition could push prices lower. The introduction of new manufacturers and more storage options in the market will undoubtedly benefit consumers, giving them a wider range of products to choose from and possibly even better deals.
The price cut for the Xbox Series X/S Expansion Cards comes as a relief for gamers who have been struggling with the limited storage space on their consoles. As games continue to grow in size, requiring more storage space, the need for affordable and accessible expansion options has become increasingly important. This price reduction will likely encourage more gamers to invest in additional storage, improving their overall gaming experience and reducing the need to constantly delete and reinstall games to free up space.
Comparison with PlayStation 5
While the Xbox Series X/S storage expansion cards are still more expensive than some NVMe drives available for Sony’s PlayStation 5, the price cut does make them a more competitive option. PlayStation 5 owners can use a variety of compatible NVMe SSDs to expand their storage, and with the permanent price reduction for the Xbox Series X/S Expansion Cards, Microsoft is narrowing the gap in terms of storage pricing between the two platforms.
In conclusion, the permanent price cuts on Xbox Series X/S storage expansion cards are a step in the right direction for Microsoft, as it makes storage expansion more accessible and affordable for gamers. With the potential for even more competition in the market, it’s likely that further price reductions may be on the horizon. This move not only benefits gamers but also makes the Xbox Series X/S a more competitive option against Sony’s PlayStation 5, which has a more flexible storage expansion solution.
