Hey there! Modern games keep getting bigger, so running out of space is a common headache for Xbox owners. But you probably don‘t need an expensive upgrade to fix that when adding external USB storage is such a simple solution…
How Much Extra Capacity Do You Need?
First, a quick look at why most gamers want more room beyond the built-in drive:
The base Xbox One models from 2013 only packed a measly 500 GB, while 2018‘s Xbox One X boosted that to 1 TB. Sounds like plenty, until you realize average game install sizes now exceed 50 GB, with giants like Call of Duty topping 100+ GB!
[Table showing growth in top game file sizes from 10 GB average in 2009 to over 90 GB now]So if you play more than 10-15 AAA titles, that storage disappears shockingly fast. Trust me, I‘ve been in your shoes juggling what to delete just free up a few gigs!
Adding external USB storage solves this simply. But with so many drives out there, how do you choose? Let me make that easy for you…
Step 1: Compare the Top External Drives for Xbox One
SSD and HDD drives are both good options. HDDs store more for less money, while SSDs cost more but load much faster. For Xbox One, I‘d focus on capacity not speed.
[Table showing key specs and prices for top 5 Xbox external drive recommendations, covering both SSD and HDD]I‘ll go into more technical differences later. But for now, any of those models have great gaming performance with massive 2, 4, even 5+ TB sizes!
Step 2: Easily Connect your New Drive
Hooking up an external drive only takes a minute. For a portable model powered just by USB, use the front ports if you‘ll be swapping it a lot. This avoids cluttering up space behind your console.
If connecting a desktop drive with a separate power cord, the rear USB ports typically work better to neatly organize the wiring…
USB 3.0 is fast enough to run the biggest games. The Xbox One actually can‘t utilize anything faster!
Now on to the interesting part…
Step 3: Configure Your Drive to Store Games
The first time you connect the drive, Xbox will ask how you want to use it. Choosing "Format for Games & Apps" gets it ready to hold all your games and DLC.
I strongly suggest telling it this drive will only work with your current console. That allows better file management as the system can automatically update titles stored on the external device.
Once formatting finishes, your extra space is good to go!
Step 4: Let Your Xbox Work Its Magic
You‘ll immediately have whatever massive capacity you added free for installing games, downloads, captured videos – you name it!
Anything new you get will automatically save onto the external drive. Or easily relocate games manually anytime under "My Games & Apps".
That storage pressure disappears! You can promptly forget about juggling capacity and download to your heart‘s content.
So there you have it – adding external USB gives your Xbox breathing room for all those monster 100+ GB downloads! Let me know if any other questions come up. Happy gaming!
