Xbox Series X

Xbox Series X SSD features only 802GB of usable space

Xbox Series X

Image via Microsoft

Xbox Series X comes with a 1TB SSD, and the console won’t allow players to use all of that as free space to store their games, according to the details revealed in the first round of hands-on previews.

According to the details revealed by IGN, 1TB SSD space will be consistently less extended after the console completes the operating system’s installation. Since the OS and system files retain 198GB, a similar figure compared to Xbox One X’s, players will have 802GB to store games, applications, screenshots, and videos at their disposal.

The console has an expansion slot that allows you to plug in a Seagate SSD card providing an additional 1TB. Curiously enough, that card will bring in a full 1TB, which means it offers more storage than the console’s SSD itself.

It is currently unknown whether Xbox Series S will still have to leave 198GB to the operating system or not, and that could be a major issue for users as the lower specced next-gen console only has a 512GB SSD by default.

PlayStation 5 will face a similar issue, with its SSD coming in at only 825GB. It is unknown for the moment how much of that space will be actually usable, though. Considering the number of new features it is adding on top of PS4’s OS, it might be similarly massive.

Microsoft and Sony have thus far praised the abilities of their SSD as they’re able to deliver much faster loading times, but storage is sure set to be an issue moving forward to the next-gen.

In particular, Sony has pushed much of its marketing efforts to introduce the SSD, which is said to be transformative in terms of game experiences and is, at least on paper, much faster even compared to Xbox Series X’s.