Yes, you can install a 2TB hard drive in an Xbox One S
As a hardcore Xbox gamer and content creator, I was running out of space on my 500GB Xbox One S far too quickly. With just 7-10 AAA games, I was constantly needing to juggle and delete titles to make room for new installs. External USB drives helped, but the USB bus bandwidth and slower 5400 RPM drives meant longer load times. The obvious solution was upgrading the internal drive – but could I put a massive 2TB drive inside my Xbox One S?
Xbox One S Supports Up to 2TB Internally Out of the Box
The great news is Microsoft designed the Xbox One S from the ground up to support hard drives up to 2TB. The system architecture and OS can fully utilize 2TB without any hacks or modifications needed. Based on Digital Foundry analysis, while disks larger than 2TB may technically function after being formatted, compatibility and performance issues start to emerge. So 2TB is the realistic ceiling for trouble-free operation.
Why 2TB is the Sweet Spot for Storage Space
With AAA games now exceeding 100GB+ per install, 500GB fills up astonishingly fast. A 2TB drive upgrades capacity 4x over the stock model, providing room for 25+ big titles. While higher capacity 4TB+ drives exist, the exponential price increase doesn‘t justify the benefit. As per Xbox experts WindowsCentral, 2TB hits the best balance.
Seagate FireCuda is the Top Performing and Reliable 2TB Option
Based on extensive research across many enthusiast Xbox sites like WindowsCentral and TrueAchievements, combined with Amazon reviews and forums, the 2TB Seagate FireCuda SSHD consistently emerges as the best performing and most reliable choice. The SSD cache delivers much faster load times than traditional HDDs by caching frequently accessed data. Seagate‘s 5-year warranty provides peace of mind for years of intensify gaming.
Seagate 2TB FireCuda Gaming SSHD Stats:
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 210MB/s |
| Cache Size | 128MB |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Step-by-Step Guide to Physically Install New 2TB Hard Drive
Upgrading the internal drive involves opening up the console and swapping out the stock 500GB HDD. Check out this quick how-to:
[Embed step-by-step YouTube video guide showing drive replacement]While daunting if you‘ve never dug into a PC before, I found the Xbox One S to be very straightforward thanks to Microsoft‘s meticulous design and engineering. Everything neatly modularizes and connects with custom cabling so very minimal disassembly is required. Just don‘t lose any of the tiny screws!
What You‘ll Need:
- T8 and T10 Torx screwdrivers
- 2TB 9.5mm SATA hard drive (Seagate FireCuda recommended)
- External SATA to USB adapter to backup data (optional)
Follow along with the video and you‘ll have your new high capacity 2TB drive installed within 30-45 minutes, ready to bolster your gaming storage!
2TB Can Store 50+ AAA Games – Extra Room for Captures and DLC
Once formatted, the raw 2TB capacity clocks in at around 1.8TB actual usable space. Based on today‘s average install footprint, that provides room for 55+ AAA games! For perspective, that‘s over 4x what the measly 500GB could hold.
Plus you still have another 50% unused space left over for recordings, expansions packs, mods, you name it. No more wasting hours deciding what to delete or running out of capture storage midway through an epic round!
Projected Game Installs Possible on 2TB Xbox One S:
- Red Dead Redemption 2 – 150GB
- Forza Horizon 5 – 103GB
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare II – 125GB
- Elden Ring – 50GB
- Cyberpunk 2077 – 80GB
- Starfield – 100GB (estimated)
Plus 45 more AAA titles!
You‘ll essentially never run out of space again with the massive 2TB locally attached. External drives are handy for media, but for frequent gaming, internal SSD/HDDs provide much faster access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is using an external SSD drive better than upgrading internal storage?
While external SSDs via USB 3.0 offer faster speeds, the USB bus bandwidth will bottleneck performance versus a direct SATA connection. Direct attached storage will always outperform external expansion.
Can you use any brand hard drive?
Seagate, Western Digital, and Toshiba drives have the most reliable compatibility. Always stick with a major manufacturer that specializes in storage solutions.
I hope this comprehensive guide better equips you to evaluate your own Xbox One S storage upgrade! Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m happy to provide additional advice or benchmarks for your specific configuration. Time to step up your gaming capacity!
