XBOX One (S): Retrofit SSD - how it works

Although the XBOX One S has only been around for a year, it is only sold with an integrated HDD hard drive. This practical tip shows you how to retrofit the same pure SSD.

XBOX One S: Retrofit SSD - HDD vs. SSD

Before you start installing the SSD, the first question is, of course, what is the difference between an SSD and an HDD?

• The main difference is that no mechanical parts are installed in an SSD.
• With an HDD, a read head moves over magnetic disks and reads out the stored data. An SSD, on the other hand, consists of many stacked flash memories, similar to a USB stick.
• An SSD is significantly more robust. As a rule, it can even survive falls.
• In addition, SSD hard drives work almost silently.
• The SSD is also ahead in terms of weight because it is significantly lighter.
• Finally, the computing speed is the most important advantage of an SSD, because it enables notebooks to start twice as fast. Files even open four times faster than with an HDD.
• The disadvantages of an SSD are the higher price and that an SSD hard drive can usually not be read out after a defect.

XBOX One S: Retrofitting an SSD - advantages & benefits

The advantages of retrofitting an SSD with the XBOX One S are therefore obvious.

• They express themselves above all through an increased write and storage speed.
• However, there are many reports on the Internet according to which the use of an SSD hardly brings any added value, because although "only" an HDD is installed in the XBOX One S, it works at a comparatively high speed, so that the supposed increase in speed is almost is negligible.
• If you transport your XBOX One S more often, installing an SSD can still be worthwhile because, as mentioned above, it is significantly more robust and resistant than an HDD.
• Ultimately, your usage scenarios for the XBOX One S should decide whether it makes sense to convert to an SSD.
• At the same time, you should note that replacing the internal hard drive will invalidate the warranty of your XBOX One and involve some complications - which is why we recommend connecting an external SSD.

XBOX One S: Retrofit SSD - the implementation

According to the theoretical background, it is now time to implement the memory exchange in practice.

• Before installation, you will of course need an SSD, ideally with an appropriate housing. We recommend one from StarTech as housing, as SSD you can use the Samsung SSD 850 EVO with a clear conscience. The storage size depends entirely on how you use the XBOX One, but you should choose at least 500 GB.
• Then insert the SSD into the case. To do this, simply plug the connection of the SSD onto the mainboard of the housing.
• The SSD should then sit relatively firmly and, above all, not wiggle.
• Close the housing and adjust with the enclosed screws and the screwdriver.
• Then connect the included SATA to USB cable to the case.
• Start the XBOX and connect the hard drive to a free USB port on the back with a USB cable.
• After the XBOX has recognized the hard drive, a notification window appears in which you can choose whether you want to install media files or games on the hard drive.
• If the latter applies to you, select "Format disk" and then give your SSD a name.
• In the next step you can choose whether new games and files should be automatically installed on the SSD or continue on the internal storage.
• In the "Games & Apps" app, you can now select the memory to be displayed from the selection menu in the top bar on the right. You can switch between "Total storage", "Internal storage" and "External storage".

XBOX One S: upgrade SSD - move games

After the external SSD has been set up, it is now necessary to move the games from the internal storage to it.

• To do this, select a game and press the menu button.
• Then navigate to the "Manage Game" option and then select "Move All".
• On the screen that appears, select "Move".
• The process begins and is shown next to the game symbol. However, logically, you cannot start the game while moving. Otherwise you can use your XBOX as usual.

Another practical tip tells you what you can do if the fan on your XBOX One S rattles.