Expanding the storage on your Xbox Series X can be an expensive endeavor thanks to Microsoft’s decision to use proprietary expansion cards. Thankfully Black Friday sales have seen those cards get some heavy discounts, and this 1TB card from WD_Black just dropped to an all-time low.
Right now you can pick up the WD_Black 1TB Xbox Expansion Card for $99 at Amazon. Not only is that an all-time low for this amount of storage, it finally brings the expansion card down to a reasonable price — almost equal to the current price of WD_Black’s 1TB SSD for PS5.
The problem with current-gen console games is that they can’t be played from just any external storage. You need very specific specs and read/write speeds, and for Xbox owners that means having to buy an official Xbox Expansion Card — rather than a cheap external SSD with a USB cable. Those will only work for games from previous generations.
Unlike the PS5, which uses a standard SSD connection in its expandable storage port, the Xbox Series X and Series S went a different route. Initially only Seagate sold compatible cards, and even Black Friday deals didn’t see much in the way of price drops. So being able to expand your console’s storage without feeling ripped off was next to impossible
Things have changed since WD_Black released its own expansion cards a few years back, and we’ve been seeing regular price drops on Expansion Cards from both companies. Only now, thanks to Amazon’s Black Friday sale, the cost of a 1TB drive is cheaper than ever before.
While the pricing has always left gamers feeling frustrated, the Expansion Card system has had its advantages. Expanding storage on PS5 requires pulling off the console’s face plate and screwing the drive in place. Meanwhile Xbox Expansion cards can be plugged and unplugged as easily as a USB stick — and without having to switch off the console first.
Sadly WD_Black hasn’t discounted its 2TB Expansion Card, but Seagate has — now costing $199 at Amazon. While this is $1 more expensive than buying two 1TB drives from WD_Black, that dollar buys you the convenience of not having to swap around your cards to play different games. Which is worth bearing in mind.
There are plenty more Black Friday deals for you to enjoy right now, and we’ve got ongoing coverage of our favorite deals on our Amazon Black Friday deals page. Or, alternatively, check out our main Black Friday deals hub for savings on hundreds of products at different retailers.
