Unlike the PS5, which can take off-the-shelf compatible NVMe drives, the Xbox Series X/S requires a proprietary expansion card to add more storage to the console. Thankfully, Xbox owners can now look forward to the Western Digital WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card, which comes in 500GB and 1TB variants to add more storage space.

With file sizes of games now crossing the 100GB mark, it is getting increasingly difficult to keep a library of games installed on your console without deleting old favourites when a new one gets added.

WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card UAE Pricing and availability

The Western Digital WD_BLACK C50 will be available sometime this July in the UAE and the Middle East. While the regional price is still unavailable, the 500GB expansion card costs $79.99 (approx. AED 295), and the 1TB card will set you back by $179.99 (approx. AED 550).

WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card Specifications

Capacity:500GB, 1TB
Interface:Xbox Expansion Slot
Compatibility:Xbox Series X/S

Design

The Western Digital WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card for Xbox is a small cartridge-like device that plugs straight into the back of the Xbox Series X/S.

The device doesn’t require opening the console or dealing with screws. Simply remove the protective cover the disk comes in, and plug it into the expansion slot at the back of the console.

Features and performance

The Western Digital WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card adds 500GB or 1TB of additional storage space on the Xbox Seriers X/S. For reference, the Xbox Series X comes with 1TB of internal storage, and the Xbox Series S comes with 500GB of storage. At the recently held Xbox Games Showcase, Xbox also announced a new Xbox Series S SKU with a black colour scheme and 1TB of internal storage. The console will be priced at $349 (a cool $100 more than the previous Xbox Series S 500GB version).

The expansion card supports the Xbox Velocity Architecture, which means that the card’s performance will be as close to the speed of the internal SSD. It will also support Quick Resume and work like a native disk drive. Users will also be able to move games from the internal storage to the expansion card without reinstalling or redownloading the game.

Alternative to WD_BLACK C50

Seagate has been the only company that has released a compatible expansion card for the Xbox Series X/S. Like the WD, Seagate’s SSDs also support the Xbox Velocity Architecture and match the speed and performance of the internal storage. It comes in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB versions.

FAQs

When will the WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card be released in the UAE?

The Western Digital WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S will release sometime in July in the UAE and the Middle East.

Do I have to open the Xbox console to install the Expansion Card?

Unlike the PS5, the Xbox Series X/S does not require the user to open the console to add more storage. The WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card can be plugged into the dedicated expansion slot on the back of the console.

Will the WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card Perform Slower Than Internal Storage?

No, the WD_BLACK C50 supports the Xbox Velocity Architecture, so it should perform as well as the internal storage, including providing quick loading and Quick Resume in compatible games.
Mufaddal Fakhruddin
Mufaddal Fakhruddin

Mufaddal Fakhruddin has been writing about games and technology for the past 15 years. He has lost count as to how many reviews he has written over the years, but he is sure headphone reviews make up at least 70% of that.

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