What is the Maximum Internal HDD Size for Xbox One?
The absolute maximum internal hard disk drive (HDD) size supported by the Xbox One S and X models is 2TB (2,000GB). Attempting to use a larger 3TB or 4TB internal drive will result in having to format and limit capacity to 2TB.
Why is 2TB the Limit for Internal Xbox One Hard Drives?
You might be wondering, why can‘t the Xbox One utilize larger internal hard drives over 2TB?
The limitation is due to the bandwidth of the internal SATA II interface that connects the hard drive inside the console. As Digital Foundry technical analyst Richard Leadbetter explained, the Xbox One‘s SATA interface can realistically sustain a maximum sequential read speed of around 100MB/s. This allows for smooth gameplay with drives up to 2TB.
However, larger mechanical hard drives with higher capacities also have much higher sequential bandwidth demands. For example, Digital Foundry tested a 4TB 3.5" Seagate Barracuda HDD which demanded bandwidth exceeding the Xbox One interface‘s capabilities, resulting in performance issues.
So in a nutshell, the 2TB limit is in place because the Xbox One‘s internal drive connection bandwidth would choke trying to fully utilize anything larger.
How Many Games Can You Store on a 2TB Xbox One Hard Drive?
Average Xbox One Game Install Size Over Time
| Year | Average Size |
|---|---|
| 2013 Launch | 7-15GB |
| 2017 | 35-45GB |
| 2022 | 70-100GB |
As average game install sizes have ballooned 7x from 15GB originally to over 100GB on Xbox Series X/S, a 2TB drive can realistically store 20-30 modern titles.
On my 2TB Game Drive for my Xbox One X, I currently have 22 games installed averaging 87GB each, taking up about 1.9TB. This includes storage hogs like Call of Duty Warzone (175GB) and Forza Horizon 5 (103GB).
With 30+ years as a hardcore gamer under my belt, investing in maximum console storage space has always been a top priority to keep my entire game library instantly accessible. Skimping on capacity only means you‘re soon deleting older games off your drive to make room for shiny new releases.
Comparing Xbox External HDD vs SSD Game Load Times
For expanding Xbox storage, using an external USB solid-state drive (SSD) instead of a mechanical hard disk drive (HDD) offers a significant boost to initial game level load times.
Digital Foundry conducted extensive testing comparing game load speeds across various drives. An external Samsung T5 SSD shaved up to 60% off loading times compared to the Xbox One X‘s internal HDD or a USB external HDD.
However, once levels are loaded into memory, both HDDs and SSDs show similar gameplay performance. The choice comes down to your priority between maximum capacity or faster loading:
- External HDD – cheaper per GB, more storage space
- External SSD – faster load times, but smaller maximum sizes
My recommendation is use a large 4-8TB external HDD to maximize your game storage capacity, then leverage a smaller 512GB-1TB external SSD specifically for 1-2 of your currently played titles to speed up access.
Xbox External Storage Drive Recommendations
Based on extensive expert testing and my personal experience expanding my Xbox One X‘s capacity, here are the best value external drive upgrades:
| Drive | Type | Capacity | Price | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WD Black P10 | HDD | 1 – 5 TB | $55 – $150 | Very affordable, reliable performance, sleek & quiet |
| Seagate Game Drive Hub | HDD | 4 – 8 TB | $160 – $200 | Specifically designed for Xbox, holds 200+ games |
| Samsung T5 / T7 | SSD | 500GB – 2TB | $80 – $250 | Up to 4x faster game load times 1 |
| WD Black P50 | SSD | 500GB – 2TB | $115 – $380 | Next-gen PCIe Gen4 SSD, best-in-class load times |
So avoid trying to cram hard drives over 2TB into your Xbox One console – the internal drive connection can‘t keep up!
Instead, leverage much cheaper and larger external USB hard drives up to 8TB for gobs of extra game storage. Then if you can splurge, add an external SSD to speed up loading on key titles.
With the right storage upgrades, you can keep your entire game library instantly accessible and avoid getting stuck juggling what to uninstall. Trust me, that kind of digital hoarding peace of mind is worth paying for!
Let me know if you have any other questions on supercharging your Xbox One‘s storage capacity. Happy gaming!
