Even with the arrival of the recent powerful Xbox Series X|S Duo, the old Xbox One consoles still offer excellent gaming experiences to millions of gamers. However, games are continually increasing in size with time, and gamers need enough space to store their favorite games. Luckily, it is possible to connect an external drive or SSD with Xbox One.
Nowadays, getting an external hard drive of Xbox One is a necessity. All top-notch games need a great space, and top sellers like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Red Dead Redemption can easily exceed the 100GB mark. Most people save some cash by getting an Xbox One with 500 GB of internal storage, and it’s no wonder that an external hard drive is necessary.
All Xbox One consoles can connect with up to two external hard drives, ranging between 500 GB to 8 TB in size. This allows you to store all of your favorite games in one place and you don’t have to spend much to buy one. Here, we have prepared a list of the best cheap external hard drive for Xbox One (2022).
Quick Shopping Tips
Here are the most important factors to consider while buying an external hard drive for Xbox One:
Interface Type
The Xbox One series can support up to two external hard drives that can be connected with the help of a USB 3 cable. This is important to consider because Xbox One doesn’t support newer USB 3.1 2nd gen. Luckily, most modern external hard drives come with a USB 3 cable, so you don’t need to worry much about this.
Desktop or Portable?
It is ideal to buy a portable external hard drive for Xbox One. However, these drives don’t need a dedicated main power supply, which means you only need one cable to deal with. The disadvantage is that they can max out up to 4TB. If you are looking for more space, you should go for a desktop external hard drive, and thus a spare wall socket is needed to plug it in.
Our Recommendations of The Best Cheap External Hard Drive For Xbox One (2022):
AWARD | MODEL | RETAILER |
EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR AN EXTERNAL DRIVE | Samsung T7 1 TB Portable SSD | |
SEARCHING FOR AN SSD FOR YOUR XBOX ONE CONSOLE BUT HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET, SD600Q IS A PERFECT CHOICE | ADATA SD600Q 480 GB Portable SSD | |
A PORTABLE SSD IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE TO EXPAND YOUR CONSOLE'S STORAGE CAPACITY WITHOUT TOO MUCH HASSLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO MOVE AROUND A LOT | Samsung 870 QVO 2 TB SATA SSD | |
IT IS THE CHEAPEST EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE THAT OFFERS RELIABILITY AND BARE MINIMUM SPEEDS THAT ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY GAMES ON YOUR XBOX ONE CONSOLE. | Toshiba Canvio Basics 1 TB Portable HDD | |
WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING EXTRA STORAGE FOR STORING TERABYTES OF DATA ON YOUR XBOX ONE CONSOLE, ONLY A FEW HARD DRIVES ARE BETTER THAN THE SEAGATE EXPANSION DESKTOP HDD | Seagate Expansion 8 TB Desktop HDD | |
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN ARMORED OR RUGGED HARD DRIVE, IT IS A HARD DRIVE WITH A STRONG BUILD QUALITY AND A METAL TOPSIDE THAT GIVES A BIT OF A SHOPPING CONTAINER AESTHETIC | WD Black P10 1-5 TB Game Drive | |
IT OFFERS EXCELLENT BUILD QUALITY AS IT IS SHOCKPROOF, ANTI-SCRATCH PROTECTION, AND WATER-RESISTANT | Silicon Power Armor A62 | |
IT COMES WITH THE LATEST V-NAND AND A ROBUST ALGORITHM-BASED CONTROLLER; IT IS A FAST AND RELIABLE SSD THAT COMES IN A WIDE RANGE OF COMPATIBLE FORM FACTORS AND CAPACITIES | Samsung 860 EVO 500 GB SSD | |
IT OFFERS EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AS AN EXTERNAL SSD, AND YOU CAN EXPERIENCE A SPEED OF UP TO 2000 MBPS. GAMES CAN LOAD INCREDIBLY QUICKLY, FILES CAN BE RETRIEVED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, AND THE PERFORMANCE LEVELS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY CONSISTENT | WD Black P50 Game Drive | |
BEST PICK FOR THE BEST CHEAP EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE FOR XBOX ONE 2022 | Toshiba 1 TB Canvio Advance |
Let’s dive deeper into the reviews of the best cheap hard drives:
10 best cheap external hard drive for Xbox One:
Key Features
- Portable form factor
- 1050 Mbps read speed
- Password protection
- 1 TB hard disk size
Overview
Samsung T7 Portable SSD is an excellent choice for an external drive. It is a compact and an exceptionally built portable SSD. You can get some excellent features like a fingerprint sensor, reliable speeds, and a modern USB Type-C, 3.2 2nd Gen connection to make it excellent for your console. It can be connected with Xbox One and Xbox X|S series.
This hard drive offers excellent read and write speeds up to the 1,000 Mbps mark. You will experience improved load speeds and performance while playing your favorite games on the Xbox One consoles. However, there is a limit, the older Xbox One consoles are only limited to USB 3.0 ports, and you won’t be able to take full advantage of all the speed that this SSD is offering. You will experience an improvement over the standard internal HDD that comes with Xbox One and it won’t completely change your gaming experience.
This hard drive isn’t fast enough to play full-blown Xbox Series X|S Optimized titles, but it is undoubtedly the best external SSD available for Xbox Series X|S to store all of your favorite games. It is an excellent option to choose for matching the capabilities of Xbox One, X, or S series capabilities.
It is available in three different sizes: 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB. However, the base model doesn’t offer a ton of storage, but it offers a surprisingly reasonable price. The price will grow if you want to increase the storage. It is also available in three different colors: red, gray, and blue.
PROS |
Available in different colors and sizes |
CONS |
Overkill of use on Xbox One Consoles |
Key Features
- 5-inch form factor
- 440 Mbps read speed
- USB 3.0 hard disk interface
- 480 GB digital storage capacity
Overview
One of the major differences between modern SSDs and old HDDs is affordability. HDDs continuously fall in price with time, while SSDs can maintain their sizeable price lead than the slower and less reliable variants. ADATA SD600Q Portable SSD is perfect to meet your expectations by offering decent speeds for prices that are comparable to some hard drives. If you are searching for an SSD for your Xbox One console but have a limited budget, SD600Q is a perfect choice.
This hard drive is an excellent choice than a similarly priced HDD. You will get increased read and writing speeds than most HDDs. You can expect at least 400 Mbps read speed as well as decreased power consumption and increased durability. Most SSDs are expensive, but this one is affordable and fulfills your performance needs. However, the speeds of this hard drive are lower than premium SSDs available on the market, but still, it is a perfect deal to buy for your Xbox One.
Still, you can get increased performance and load speeds. It is easy to plug in and use with your Xbox One. It is available in different flavors: 240 GB, 480 GB, and 960 GB. We find that 480 GB is ideal and affordable for this SSD. It is one of the best external hard drives that you can get for the Xbox One. The best part of this hard drive is it’s excellent price factor. Those looking to give a decent boost to their console’s storage can quickly go for this hard drive without breaking their bank. It is also available in different colors to choose from.
PROS |
Incredible value |
CONS |
Slower than other SSDs |
Key Features
- 5 inches form factor
- 560 Mbps read speed
- Serial ATA hard disk interface
- 2 TB digital storage capacity
Overview
A portable SSD is an excellent choice to expand your console’s storage capacity without too much hassle, especially if you are planning to move around a lot. However, if you want to buy a more cost-effective solution to add speedy SSD storage to your console and want to plug it in, then this may not be the right choice. Samsung 870 QVO is an internal 2.5-inch SATA SSD and comes with a compatible cable which is a great way to save money without sacrificing much on the fantastic SSD speeds and benefits.
Samsung 870 QVO SSD offer 500 Mbps read and write speeds, and it offers a solid upgrade over what you get from base Xbox One internal storage. It can be compared with mid-range SSDs. Also, it comes with various storage options ranging from 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, and 8 TB options. However, 8 TB SSD storage can be expensive, and it can cost more than any standard game console. If you are looking to download every game, you need plenty of storage in the SSD category. This hard drive isn’t a portable SSD which means it doesn’t have a durable enclosure and is not designed to be carried around. Those who want to buy this SSD should keep in mind that they basically need to leave it plugged in semi-permanently.
This product is an excellent choice for people who are looking for a high-capacity SSD drive to expand the storage capacity of their console. It starts with a price of $100 for 1 TB. However, 2 TB model is the sweet spot for many users as it offers plenty of space at the same price you are getting the 1 TB variant. You can also go for 4 TB or 8 TB if the budget isn’t a problem for you. Moreover, you will also need an external adapter cable to plug this SSD into Xbox One console.
PROS |
More affordable than portable SSDs |
CONS |
Needs an additional cable to work |
Key Features
- 33 Pounds item weight
- USB 3.0 and 2.0 compatibility
- Plug and Play hard drive
- 1 TB digital storage capacity
Overview
HDDs are known to be more affordable than SSDs, but Toshiba Canvio Basics is one of the best offerings available on the market. It is the cheapest external hard drive that offers reliability and bare minimum speeds that are good enough to play games on your Xbox One console.
This hard drive is a go-to choice for an initial storage expansion on Xbox One. However, it doesn’t offer the same speed as an SSD and won’t be future-proof if you upgrade your console.
There are always some sacrifices that you need to make while choosing a hard drive over a modern SSD. Still, this drive is the cheapest solution available on the market that gets the job done and double or triple the available storage on most Xbox One consoles. Like other portable hard drives, it is a plug-and-play hard drive.
It is a decent expansion drive for Xbox One and many other drives available below the Toshiba Canvio Basics’ price point that cannot offer the same level of reliability and consistency as this drive. It is available in different sizes: 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB, and all of them are value-driven offerings. However, the 1 TB model can be ideal for most people, as those looking to get a hard drive at this price point are probably looking to get a quick and cost-effective solution to expand their console’s storage. If you are looking for more storage and ready to spend more cash, you can buy the higher variants that offer more storage capacities.
PROS |
Reliable expansion drive |
CONS |
Not future-proof as an SSD |
Key Features
- 43 pounds weight
- 120 Mbps read speed
- Compatible with desktop devices
- 8 TB digital storage capacity
Overview
Sometimes all you need is to download every game and store it in your library. When it comes to getting extra storage for storing terabytes of data On your Xbox One console, only a few hard drives are better than the Seagate Expansion Desktop HDD. This hard comes with excellent features and offers excellent storage capacity. It offers nearly limitless capacity for storing and playing games on Xbox One.
The great thing is that it offers much value for your storage needs. It offers 8 TB, which is reliable, and it comes at a comparable price to a high-capacity SSD, which offers only 2TB of storage at this price. Of course, you should go for this fantastic HDD if you want to take advantage of the storage. However, it doesn’t offer future-proofing, which is less of a concern, and this is a great way to get mass storage to download and play your favorite video games even if you are not playing them directly off it.
Keep in mind the Seagate Expansion Desktop HDD needs a separate power source to be plugged into your Xbox One console. You need an outlet free in the vicinity of your console and ensure that you have the additional space to accommodate this HDD. This much storage needs additional power to run, but once you have set it up, you don’t need to mess with the Seagate Expansion Desktop HDD a lot.
This hard drive comes in different sizes: 8 TB, 10 TB, 12 TB, 14 TB, 16 TB, and 18 TB. It is a perfect choice for Xbox users who need reliable mass storage for their game collections. For many users, 8 TB can be a perfect entry point because it offers a ton of storage for gamers.
PROS |
Great value for storage |
CONS |
Need an external power source |
Key Features
- Portable form factor
- 140 Mbps read speed
- USB 1.1 hard disk interface
- 2 TB digital storage capacity
Overview
The WD Black P10 hard drive is a great portable option to expand your storage. However, if you are looking for an armored or rugged hard drive, it is a hard drive with a strong build quality and a metal topside that gives a bit of a shopping container aesthetic. Moreover, it also runs cool even with hours of continuous use.
Why would you need to run it that long? Well, when you connect it with your console and download or play every single game, you surely need to run it for hours. It offers 130 Mbps of write speed for the Xbox One console and can perfectly run the entire game collection from this external hard drive rather than the storage system of the console.
Overall, it is a great hard drive to connect with Xbox One or PS4. It is available at an affordable cost and offers great performance for power users. Available in different sizes: 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, and 5 TB. It comes in a portable and durable form factor to get fast access to your gaming library anywhere you go. It is a high-performing HDD that optimizes the gaming performance of your PC or console to improve your gaming experience.
PROS |
Runs cool and quietly at all times |
CONS |
Standard speed |
Key Features
- Portable form factor
- Flexible cable-carry design
- USB connectivity technology
- 1 TB digital storage capacity
Overview
Silicon Power Armor A62 is an excellent option for people looking for a hard drive that offers decent and reliable transfer speeds and rates and solid design. It offers everything needed for an external hard drive.
It is a solid unit that comes with a bit of weight, which makes it seem like it can survive a drop or bumps around the house. It offers excellent build quality as it is shockproof, anti-scratch protection, and water-resistant. Plus, it comes with a rubber bumper around the outside that helps grip it when you are on the go, and it adds a bit more protection to this drive. The rubber actually pulls away at some parts that act as a holder for the USB cable when traveling, and it has a little USB port cover that is nice for storage.
Moreover, it can be used solely as an Xbox One external hard drive; you can use it to back up a load of files via PC. It is easy to set up and use with incredible transfer speeds. Overall, it is a strong hard drive for Xbox One console.
PROS |
Easy to set up and use |
CONS |
You may need an external case to take it out |
Key Features
- 2 form factor
- 550 Mbps read speed
- Serial ATA hard disk interface
- 500 GB digital storage capacity
Overview
The Samsung 860 EVO is a great SSD explicitly designed for mainstream PCs and laptops. It comes with the latest V-NAND and a robust algorithm-based controller; it is a fast and reliable SSD that comes in a wide range of compatible form factors and capacities. However, you will need a separate USB 3.0 caddy to use it with The Xbox One because the connector is Serial ATA-600 and not USB 3.0, but it is easy to install with a connector.
At 500 GB, you won’t get the best price-to-storage ratio, but you will get the excellent speed you can expect from an SSD external hard drive on Xbox One. It is a reliable SSD that helps you get the performance and reliability you are looking to access media files and in-game videos. The most noticeable thing about this drive is it’s speedier loading times that make a noticeable improvement in modern games.
Overall, it is is great choice for those looking for enhanced performance and reliable SSD for The Xbox One. The enhanced engineering system makes it more compatible with your computing system. It offers more consistent speeds and is helpful to carry heavy workloads and multitask. Benefiting from the faster and more fluid communication with your host system.
PROS |
Available at a great price |
CONS |
Expensive if you need a bigger storage |
Key Features
- Portable form factor
- USB 1.1 hard disk interface
- Super speed USB 20 Gbps interface
- 500 GB digital storage capacity
Overview
The WD Black P50 SSD is a wonderful choice. It is a solid drive that comes with a complete package. It is a rectangular-shaped hard drive that is smaller and easy to carry. The best part is the portability and reliability of this drive. The case of this drive looks aesthetically appealing with military-style molded metal and the traditional sleek WD_Black marking and aesthetic.
You can connect it with Xbox One and experience incredible speeds. It comes with a USB-C port that can be used on your devices as USB-A or USB-C connection. It has a small but clear LED indicator on one of the short ends, which is helpful, but one slight disadvantage is that it gets a little warm while you use it, so you need to keep it in mind while placing it.
P50 offers you everything you can expect from a high-quality external SSD. You will get amazing speed as promised when it comes to speed. It offers excellent performance as an external SSD, and you can experience a speed of up to 2000 Mbps. Games can load incredibly quickly, files can be retrieved in a matter of seconds, and the performance levels are exceptionally consistent. It is a great SSD that will surely enhance your gaming experience by reducing the loading screen time and increasing the playtime.
Overall, it is a great hard drive to buy for Xbox One. However, you will need to pay a bit more, but it’s definitely worth it. It is hard to let it go as this drive is the top contender in the world of best external hard drives for Xbox One.
PROS |
Great design |
CONS |
A bit expensive |
Key Features
- 5 inches form factor
- Up to 3 GB storage capacity
- Password protection
- 1 TB digital storage capacity
Overview
Toshiba Canvio Advance is another best pick for the best cheap external hard drive for Xbox One 2022. It comes with a simple design, a glossy shell, and a neat blue power light available on the top. It doesn’t need an additional power source, can be easily plugged into the USB port of your Xbox One console, and works fine.
It offers excellent read and write speeds that match all other drives available on this list. Moreover, it offers a two-year standard warranty. However, you can also use it on the PC; it comes with password protection and offers automatic file backup features that are helpful to lift this model above in our top budget pick.
A reliable and powerful HDD is available at a great price. The only disadvantage of this hard drive is that it doesn’t come in a green color, which means it won’t be able to complement your console. It is available in white, which also looks slick when placed next to most Xbox consoles. Moreover, you will also get 1 TB version at an affordable price, which makes it a genuine bargain. Overall, it is a great choice for your console.
PROS |
Small and slick |
CONS |
Offers standard HDD speed |
Summary for The Best Cheap External Hard Drive For Xbox One (2022):
AWARD | MODEL | RETAILER |
EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR AN EXTERNAL DRIVE | Samsung T7 1 TB Portable SSD | |
SEARCHING FOR AN SSD FOR YOUR XBOX ONE CONSOLE BUT HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET, SD600Q IS A PERFECT CHOICE | ADATA SD600Q 480 GB Portable SSD | |
A PORTABLE SSD IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE TO EXPAND YOUR CONSOLE'S STORAGE CAPACITY WITHOUT TOO MUCH HASSLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO MOVE AROUND A LOT | Samsung 870 QVO 2 TB SATA SSD | |
IT IS THE CHEAPEST EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE THAT OFFERS RELIABILITY AND BARE MINIMUM SPEEDS THAT ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY GAMES ON YOUR XBOX ONE CONSOLE. | Toshiba Canvio Basics 1 TB Portable HDD | |
WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING EXTRA STORAGE FOR STORING TERABYTES OF DATA ON YOUR XBOX ONE CONSOLE, ONLY A FEW HARD DRIVES ARE BETTER THAN THE SEAGATE EXPANSION DESKTOP HDD | Seagate Expansion 8 TB Desktop HDD | |
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN ARMORED OR RUGGED HARD DRIVE, IT IS A HARD DRIVE WITH A STRONG BUILD QUALITY AND A METAL TOPSIDE THAT GIVES A BIT OF A SHOPPING CONTAINER AESTHETIC | WD Black P10 1-5 TB Game Drive | |
IT OFFERS EXCELLENT BUILD QUALITY AS IT IS SHOCKPROOF, ANTI-SCRATCH PROTECTION, AND WATER-RESISTANT | Silicon Power Armor A62 | |
IT COMES WITH THE LATEST V-NAND AND A ROBUST ALGORITHM-BASED CONTROLLER; IT IS A FAST AND RELIABLE SSD THAT COMES IN A WIDE RANGE OF COMPATIBLE FORM FACTORS AND CAPACITIES | Samsung 860 EVO 500 GB SSD | |
IT OFFERS EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AS AN EXTERNAL SSD, AND YOU CAN EXPERIENCE A SPEED OF UP TO 2000 MBPS. GAMES CAN LOAD INCREDIBLY QUICKLY, FILES CAN BE RETRIEVED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, AND THE PERFORMANCE LEVELS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY CONSISTENT | WD Black P50 Game Drive | |
BEST PICK FOR THE BEST CHEAP EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE FOR XBOX ONE 2022 | Toshiba 1 TB Canvio Advance |
Conclusion
A wide range of storage devices are available out there; many of them pair with Xbox One consoles. However, a few of them stand above the rest as they offer a better experience and value than others. Our top pick in this list is the Samsung T7 Portable SSD, and it offers excellent speeds and a well-designed and well-built body. This hard drive will enhance your gaming experience on Xbox One console. It offers a unique experience and provides even better value when you connect it with Xbox Series X or S. So it can be ideal for upgrading to a current-gen console. It starts at a great price point, but the higher tiers of this hard drive are expensive.
If you are looking to get a simple and affordable addition to your Xbox One storage, you can go for Seagate Portable HDD. It is a great choice but slower than an SSD and doesn’t offer future-proofing for Xbox Series X or S. However, it is a reliable and affordable hard drive that comes with ample storage for installing new games. No matter what you choose from this list based on your specific needs, you will be able to download and play more games than ever on your Xbox One console.
After reading these reviews, you will be able to save time and money while choosing an affordable external hard drive for Xbox One. This list includes some of the best SSDs and HDDs that are helpful to increase your storage capacity and enhance your gaming experience. Choose wisely what you need for your specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which External Hard Drive is Best for Xbox One?
In this list, we have provided the best cheap external hard drives ranging from 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, and 8 TB for Xbox One. You can check the reviews and choose the best one according to your specific needs.
Can You Connect any External Hard Drive with Xbox One?
No, there are some requirements of Xbox One for external storage. You need to choose an external hard drive that is compatible with Xbox One and meets all the requirements of Xbox One external storage. In this guide, you should check what kind of hard drive is compatible with Xbox One.
What Size External Drive Do You Need for Xbox One?
You should choose an external hard drive that is above 256 GB. According to your specific needs, you can go for 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, or any other hard drive size for Xbox One. The larger the external hard drive size, the more games you can store on it. Moreover, if you need to play many games, it is ideal to go for a larger capacity external hard drive.
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