SanDisk is entering the Xbox Series X|S storage expansion market with three new officially licensed cards in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities.
The new Optimus GX C50 Storage Expansion Cards are designed to match the performance of the consoles’ internal SSDs and support Xbox Velocity Architecture. That means compatible Xbox Series X|S games can run directly from the cards without needing to be moved back to internal storage first.
SanDisk joins Seagate and WD Black as another supplier of Xbox Expansion Cards, giving players one more option at a time when some existing models have been difficult to find in stock.
SanDisk Optimus GX C50 Xbox Expansion Card prices
| Capacity | US price | UK price |
|---|---|---|
| 512GB | $109.99 | £88.99 |
| 1TB | $199.99 | £177.99 |
| 2TB | $339.99 | £249.99 |
The cards are already listed by SanDisk, but a specific release date has not been confirmed. The current product pages use a notification option rather than showing immediate availability.
The cards work like existing Xbox Expansion Cards
Xbox Series X|S Expansion Cards use a proprietary storage format designed to provide performance close to the consoles’ built in SSDs.
That distinction is important because a regular external USB hard drive or SSD can still be useful for storing games, but many titles optimized for Xbox Series X|S cannot be played directly from slower external storage.
They generally need to be transferred to internal storage or an approved Expansion Card before they can run.
SanDisk says its Optimus GX C50 range supports Xbox Velocity Architecture and low latency performance intended to match the internal SSD.
The new cards therefore work as direct storage extensions rather than simple archive drives.
Three capacities cover different storage needs
The 512GB model provides the cheapest entry point at $109.99, while the 1TB version costs $199.99.
The largest 2TB option reaches $339.99.
That pricing still makes Xbox Expansion Cards a relatively expensive way to add storage, particularly compared with some conventional external drives. The advantage is that games optimized for the current Xbox consoles can be played directly from the card.
The cards also include a one month trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and one month of Discord Nitro, according to SanDisk’s product description.
More competition arrives after years of limited choices
Seagate was initially the main supplier of Xbox Series X|S Expansion Cards after the consoles launched in 2020.
WD Black later introduced competing models, and SanDisk is now becoming another official option.
The additional supplier does not immediately solve the high cost of proprietary Xbox storage, but it should improve availability if the new models reach retailers in meaningful quantities.
That may be particularly useful because some existing Seagate and WD Black cards have moved in and out of stock.
For players who need more space and want to run Series X|S optimized games directly from expanded storage, the Optimus GX C50 range now provides three additional choices. The main unanswered question is when the cards will become widely available, as SanDisk has announced the products and pricing but has not yet provided a firm launch date.
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