SanDisk enters the Xbox storage card market with the Optimus GX C50 — and a 2TB option at US$339.99
SanDisk has become the third company to sell official storage expansion cards for the Xbox Series X and Series S, bringing a new lineup called the Optimus GX C50 and a 2TB option that earlier rivals did not match at launch. The cards are priced at US$109.99 for 512GB, US$199.99 for 1TB, and US$339.99 for 2TB, with UK pricing at £88.99, £177.99, and £249.99 respectively (VGC). The 2TB card is listed at €290.99 on SanDisk's Irish storefront (SanDisk).
Those are introductory prices. SanDisk's own website lists the standard prices as US$137.99 for 512GB, US$249.99 for 1TB, and US$424.99 for 2TB once the launch discount ends (VGC).
For anyone who owns an Xbox Series X or S, expansion cards are the only way to add storage that runs games at the same speed as the console's internal drive. A standard external USB hard drive can hold games, but it cannot play Series X/S titles directly — the card slots into a dedicated port on the back of the machine and is recognised as native storage.
When the Xbox Series X and S launched in November 2020, Seagate was the sole maker of these cards. Its 1TB card launched at US$220, and no other manufacturer joined the market for nearly three years (VGC).
Western Digital became the second entrant in 2023, selling the WD_BLACK C50 card in 512GB (US$79.99) and 1TB (US$149.99) capacities. That same year, Seagate cut its own prices to US$89.99 for 512GB, US$149.99 for 1TB, and US$279.99 for 2TB (VGC). Best Buy currently lists Seagate's 2TB card at US$349.99 (Best Buy).
SanDisk, now a separate brand from Western Digital after the two companies split, also continues to sell the WD_BLACK C50 card on its storefront in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB variants (SanDisk). The Optimus GX C50 is a distinct, newer product line under the SanDisk name itself.
For Xbox owners, the practical effect of a third entrant is straightforward: more options, and the first time a 2TB expansion card has been available at launch from a brand other than Seagate. Whether the introductory pricing sticks — or settles at the higher list prices — will depend on how the three brands compete on the shelf in the months ahead.
