I might just buy an Xbox this Black Friday - but you can bet I'm grabbing this early storage deal first

WD Black C50 Xbox storage card leaning on a Series X controller
(Image credit: Future)

I might start putting my Game Pass subscription to good use this year, taking advantage of cheaper Xbox Series S prices to bring my membership down to the big TV rather than staying holed up at my PC. Before I even look at console deals, though, I know I'm going to be buying more storage for that device, and Amazon has just the deal today.

The 1TB WD Black C50 storage expansion card is going for just $99.99 this week, a full $50 off its $149.99 MSRP. That's a brand new record-low price, beating previous offers by around $20. I've never seen this drive go below $100 before today - even during major sales events it's always been stuck at around $125. The previous record was set in July of this year, when the C50 dipped to $119.99 at Amazon, though the same rate hasn't been seen since. If you're looking to maximize your Game Pass downloads over the holiday period, this is a must-see.

This is the kind of offer I would expect to see when official Black Friday Xbox deals stick the landing at the end of the month, so grabbing it two weeks early feels like a solid win. After all, the Seagate alternative is still sitting at $149 at Amazon right now.

WD Black C50 1TB Storage Expansion Card | $149.99 $99.99 at AmazonSave $50 -

WD Black C50 1TB Storage Expansion Card | $149.99 $99.99 at Amazon
Save $50 - This 1TB WD Black C50 card has just plummeted to a new record-low price at Best Buy. It's the first time I've seen a dedicated 1TB Xbox drive go below $100 - prices are usually settled at between $120 and $130 even during major sales events.

Buy it if:

You have a Game Pass subscription
You play on a digital-only Xbox
You mostly play digital games

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want to future-proof with a larger card

Price check: Best Buy: $99.99 | Walmart: $149.99

Should you buy the WD Black C50?

WD Black C5 held in front of two gaming monitors with its shield cover on

(Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson)

The WD Black C50 is the best Xbox Series X hard drive for a reason; it's fairly priced, offers speedy storage, and still supports quick resume functionality. There's no need to move files between your drive and console, everything is playable straight away and the whole thing is just a simple plug and play affair. Simple? Easy? Fairly priced? That's the kind of hardware I'm after.

There's a Seagate-shaped behemoth lurking in the depths, though. The WD Black C50 is the first ever contender to the former king's own Xbox storage card. For years, anyone after an officially licensed storage addition only had this one choice, but now WD Black's card has fully overtaken. Put simply, it offers the same experience for less cash. The only players who shouldn't be taking WD Black's offer over Seagate's are those who want to future-proof with double the storage.

If you want to move past 1TB and into 2TB territory, you'll need to stick with Seagate. The WD Black C50 taps out at this 1TB card, so those keeping a fully stocked Game Pass library will need to spend a little more this holiday season. The 2TB Seagate card is on sale right now, down to $199.99 from $359.99 at Amazon. It's within $10 of its lowest ever price and does match up to the same value as WD Black right now. After all you're getting double the storage for double the price.

We're keeping you topped up with all the latest Black Friday gaming deals, but if you're after more accessories, check out the biggest Black Friday Xbox controller deals and Black Friday gaming headset deals.

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Tabitha Baker
Managing Editor - Hardware

Managing Editor of Hardware at 12DOVE, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.