Hardware Modders looking into cheaper expendable storage options for Xbox Series X|S

pcwizard7

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Modders looking into cheaper expendable storage options for Xbox Series X|S

Xbox-custom-SSD-850x551.jpg


A custom solution to Xbox’s biggest problem: overpriced expandable storage.

Microsoft and Sony took different paths with their expandable storage solution for their latest gaming consoles. The PlayStation 5 relies on the NVMe standard with M.2 slot that can easily be replaced with a compatible device. The company provides a detailed tutorial along with a list of officially certified drives. The replacement of the PS5 external drive is easy, and so is expanding the storage on Xbox Series S and X consoles, except it is locked to one manufacturer and one capacity.

The official Seagate Xbox 1TB storage is greatly overpriced and simply a bad value. However, this is the only working option that supports Series S|X games, but users can still store games on USB attached storage and move games should they want to play them. At least the pre-Series games can be played directly from the USB drive. Everyone else who wants to enjoy effortless gameplay with the latest titles is forced to buy Seagate solution.

Naturally, since Xbox Series consoles have been released gamers and modders are looking for alternatives to Seagate Xbox storage. It was quickly discovered that the official expandable drive uses a custom implementation of CFexpress. This implementation supports PCIe Gen4 unlike the original standard, which was designed for cameras. The CFe standard relies on PCIe Gen3 with up to 4 lanes, supporting up to 1 GB/s lane. More importantly, though, it is compatible with NVMe drives.

Learn in Source

Source: https://videocardz.com/newz/modder-...ch-xbox-series-nvme-ssd-as-expandable-storage
 

tech3475

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What's funny for me is that a while back I had others elsewhere defending MS's solution from a cost perspective, they claimed the price will always be in line with the M.2 PS5 compatible options.

In reality, the M.2 drives have come down quite a bit over the last few weeks, even with the added cost of a heatsink.

The biggest concern I'd have with a 'custom' solution for the Series S/X is if MS clamps down on it, like they did on the 360 unlicensed MCs.
 
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DinohScene

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Took a little longer then expected but huraay!

The biggest concern I'd have with a 'custom' solution for the Series S/X is if MS clamps down on it, like they did on the 360 unlicensed MCs.

I had the same thought lol.
 
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pcwizard7

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What's funny for me is that a while back I had others elsewhere defending MS's solution from a cost perspective, they claimed the price will always be in line with the M.2 PS5 compatible options.

In reality, the M.2 drives have come down quite a bit over the last few weeks, even with the added cost of a heatsink.

Xbox Solution $219: https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Stor...ies+s+storage+expansion&qid=1631282351&sr=8-3
WD_BLACK 1TB SN850 NVMe $220: https://www.amazon.com/WD_Black-SN8...ywords=wd+1tb+black+ssd&qid=1631282409&sr=8-4

Price is in line

Xbox's solution allows hot swapable
 

White_Raven_X

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Modders looking into cheaper expendable storage options for Xbox Series X|S

Xbox-custom-SSD-850x551.jpg


A custom solution to Xbox’s biggest problem: overpriced expandable storage.

Microsoft and Sony took different paths with their expandable storage solution for their latest gaming consoles. The PlayStation 5 relies on the NVMe standard with M.2 slot that can easily be replaced with a compatible device. The company provides a detailed tutorial along with a list of officially certified drives. The replacement of the PS5 external drive is easy, and so is expanding the storage on Xbox Series S and X consoles, except it is locked to one manufacturer and one capacity.

The official Seagate Xbox 1TB storage is greatly overpriced and simply a bad value. However, this is the only working option that supports Series S|X games, but users can still store games on USB attached storage and move games should they want to play them. At least the pre-Series games can be played directly from the USB drive. Everyone else who wants to enjoy effortless gameplay with the latest titles is forced to buy Seagate solution.

Naturally, since Xbox Series consoles have been released gamers and modders are looking for alternatives to Seagate Xbox storage. It was quickly discovered that the official expandable drive uses a custom implementation of CFexpress. This implementation supports PCIe Gen4 unlike the original standard, which was designed for cameras. The CFe standard relies on PCIe Gen3 with up to 4 lanes, supporting up to 1 GB/s lane. More importantly, though, it is compatible with NVMe drives.

Learn in Source

Source: https://videocardz.com/newz/modder-...ch-xbox-series-nvme-ssd-as-expandable-storage

Conversion board that can connect NVMe M.2 SSD to the CFExpress card slot of Sintech, Xbox Series X | S​


https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/conversion-board-that-can-connect-nvme-m-2-ssd-to-the-cfexpress-card-slot-of-sintechxbox-series-x-|-s.html


Cheap option available here at $35.99:

http://eshop.sintech.cn/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1378
 

playstays_shun

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and its working?

lAst we had an article about this, it didnt recognize the drive I dont think because of other measures (software related) not specific to being a good 'architectural fit'
 

tuxuser

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I recently purchased one of the SINTECH Xbox Series X/S NVME adapters in an attempt to use a less expensive alternative for NVME storage on my XBOX.

This is the item:

XBOX NVME ADAPTER

It took about 10 days for the adapter to transit to the USA.

You will also need a specific NVME 2030 hard drive.

WD CH SN530 (1tb unformatted, ~867gb formatted). I bought mine on eBay for $110 w/free shipping.

Here is the correct procedure to get the NVME to work.

  1. insert the WD CH SN530 into your NVME PC.
  2. using a “real” partition management software (or via windows command line), delete ALL partitions from the drive. My factory drive had a small partition then a large partition. The small partition did not show up under Windows Disk management, thus why I had to use partition software to delete the partitions.
  3. Convert the disk to MBR.
    1. in windows disk management, right click the drive name (in the far left column), and choose convert disk to MBR.
  4. Format the disk NFTS
  5. remove the NVME from your PC
  6. insert into the SINTECH adapter.
  7. plug the adapter board into your XBOX
  8. the drive will recognize. Format it as a game storage device (NOT MEDIA).
  9. Have fun!

Source: https://www.amixa.com/blog/2021/11/15/how-to-use-the-sintech-xbox-series-x-s-nvme-adapter/
 
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Manu270891

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Are the original Seagate expansion cards readable through a CFExpress USB adapter on PC? It would be great to store my RetroArch games on my expansion card.
 

godreborn

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Wondering why Xbox didnt allow for USB storge for games, weird ass company.
don't know about the xbone, but the series x does. it doesn't allow playing series x games from usb though. however, the ps5 also doesn't allow ps5 games to be played via usb or even disc. the game has to be copied to the internal ssd to be played, which can take up to 30+ minutes or so.
 

fringle

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For this to work I think they are going to need to dump and learn how to spoof the firmware of the expansion drives. Kind of like what was done with upgrading the Xbox 360 hard drive. In order to use a non standard MS issued drive you needed to flash it with a modded firmware before it could be read by the system.
 

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