In a major update for Xbox users, Microsoft is upgrading its consoles to support external storage devices beyond 16TB storage.
This build should drop for the general user base in the not-too-distant future as it is only available now for the members of the Xbox Insider program Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring.
Xbox 16TB Storage
However, XBOX consoles were capable of only supporting up to 16 TB of a USB drive. Now people have plugged in a lot of greater hard drives, and the system does partition them in as many segments, each up to a maximum of 16 TB. A great example would be that one hard drive is 24 TB; it would come in as a partition of 16 TB, then another partition of 8 TB. These partitions will be exposed as separate devices in the console’s storage management interface for better organization of games, apps, and media.
When this upgrade is applied to an external drive that has previously been formatted, the user will have no choice but to erase the drive and then reformat it for using the enhanced capacity. This leakage in an earlier update, addressed with this update, is where Microsoft declares that the systematic formatting of drives bigger than 16 TB is futile.
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The decision comes with a growing demand for storage space from gamers. Modern AAA titles eat up much storage, and services such as Xbox Game Pass make many players keep game libraries of very substantial sizes. By finally allowing for bigger external drives, Microsoft is offering flexibility to gamers to manage their collections more effectively.
Although Microsoft’s official Xbox-branded external storage currently tops out at 12 TB, third-party devices are available with up to 18 TB and 28 TB. These larger drives are appropriately more expensive, and gamers should consider whether the additional storage is worth the extra cost.
Besides expanded storage support, the recent update adds network quality indicators for cloud gaming sessions. These show real-time feedback in case of a connection issue, such as packet loss or increased latency, to help players troubleshoot and improve their experience.
This update is one more demonstration of Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing the gaming experience, in terms of storage limitations, by providing tools to optimize performance. As games evolve and continue to require more and more resources, such updates mean that the Xbox platform will remain able to adapt to the needs of its user base.
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For those interested in increasing their console’s storage, it’s well worth paying attention to all the latest news and carefully weighing up all the options. With the right external solution, gamers will be able to ensure they have enough space for favorite titles and new releases.
