The mysterious Xbox Series X port that appears in photos would actually be a port accepting memory cards. According to the Thurott website, this port would allow the use of a form of ultra-fast storage. The site even suggests that these cards will use CFExpress technology that allows transfer rates blithely greater than gigabit per second.
Xbox Series X Ports / Credits: Curry Panda via NeoGAF
At the end of January, photos that appeared on the NeoGAF forum gave us a first idea of the ports that the Xbox Series X will offer. These include a SPDIF port, two USB ports type A, an ethernet port, an HDMI port and power. But also a mysterious rectangular port, initially described as a diagnostic port, which has since piqued the curiosity of Internet users. Meanwhile, Thurott journalist Brad Sams led the investigation. And it seems that this rectangular port actually has nothing to do with the diagnosis.
"This port is for adding extra storage, according to people familiar with the subject, which allows the Xbox Series X to play with the increased weight of the games,"concludes Brad Sams. He adds that he does not yet know "what technology Microsoft uses. However, he argues that the presence of an SSD inside requires a fast storage system, including for memory expansion. He noted that "at the back of USB ports could be used for expansion" and that therefore "this mysterious port is dedicated to expanding storage with high-speed hardware".
CFExpress memory card port?
Thurott also quotes a message from a user on his forums that suggests that this Xbox Series X port will use CFExpress technology or a derivative technology. He notes that the size of the port is close to the CFExpress type B format, and that there are indications that the console will be able to read Compact Flash Express cards, or at least maps of a very close technology. The ability to add more memory is welcome, given the continued increase in the weight of the games. The 8K, and the new capabilities of the console should do nothing to improve the situation.
Read also: Xbox Series X – Microsoft bets on the number of frames per second rather than the 8K
However, with their current size, it is often impossible to install more than 8-10 games on a storage of one terabyte. But there is one problem: CFExpress storage technology is expensive, very expensive. To give you an idea, the SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B 512GB card costs €769.99 on Amazon. A 128GB card of the same brand costs €299.99, and even if you opt for an even less than enough capacity, 64GB, you'll need close to €200. Let's hope that the price of these cards will drop a little between now and then, if we have to use CFExpress cards.
Source: Thurott