Modder Demonstrates Xbox One SSD Performance Boost

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Modder Demonstrates Xbox One SSD Performance Boost

A YouTube comparison video demonstrates how replacing the hard drive in your Xbox One with an SSD or SSHD can lead to improvements in both boot-up and loading times.

This may seem a little obvious, at least to those of you in the know about such things, but replacing the conventional hard drive in your Xbox One with a solid-state drive (SSD) or solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD) results in a not-insignificant improvement in performance. A faster drive means faster boots and faster loads, right?

Even so, it's kind of cool to see it in action, which we may now do with just the click of a mouse thanks to YouTube user Brian Williams, who posted a three-in-one comparison of the console equipped with all three drive types. In a cold boot, the SSD offers a roughly ten percent improvement over the standard drive, while the SSHD comes in at about five percent faster; loading Call of Duty: Ghosts sees a more significant difference, as both the SSD and the SSHD load the game around 20 percent faster.

Despite the performance kick, there are two major drawbacks to going to flash-based storage with the Xbox One. First and foremost, installing one of these drives voids your warranty, so mistakes will be expensive, and second, they ain't cheap: 2.5" SSDs from Newegg start at around $300, a heavy price for a relatively modest performance boost. SSHDs are a lot cheaper - 500GB units start around $80 - and a far more cost-effective solution if you're willing to compromise a bit on performance.

Source: YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBpmyktXdJ0]


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The White Hunter

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Oct 19, 2011
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So it's faster, but it's not as dramatic an increase as it is on the PC.

E.g. I went from 2 minutes~ with an HDD to about 3 seconds with my 840EVO.

Also worth noting that the X1's OEM hard disk is only a 5400rpm drive, which is relatively slow for a hard disk. Probably not worth the expenditure. Although if it improves Battlefield 4 load and stability like it does on PC then there may be a point.
 

Adam Jensen_v1legacy

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Sep 8, 2011
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Phrozenflame500 said:
Only a 50% on a PC with an SSD.

Makes me wonder what's slowing the boot down.
The performance could be greater in the future when they update the system and the OS isn't as bloated. At least that's what Xbone owners should hope for.
 

PoolCleaningRobot

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Mar 18, 2012
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Phrozenflame500 said:
Only a 50% on a PC with an SSD.

Makes me wonder what's slowing the boot down.
SkarKrow said:
So it's faster, but it's not as dramatic an increase as it is on the PC.

E.g. I went from 2 minutes~ with an HDD to about 3 seconds with my 840EVO.
My guess would be that the Xbox doesn't have SATA III connector. I don't think the ps3 or ps4 have one either. Of course that was one of things I liked about consoles. They lacked a bloated OS so you don't need an SSD to get a fast boot. At least the ps4 only takes 20 seconds to cold boot. Still longer than the ps3 though
 

The White Hunter

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Oct 19, 2011
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PoolCleaningRobot said:
Phrozenflame500 said:
Only a 50% on a PC with an SSD.

Makes me wonder what's slowing the boot down.
SkarKrow said:
So it's faster, but it's not as dramatic an increase as it is on the PC.

E.g. I went from 2 minutes~ with an HDD to about 3 seconds with my 840EVO.
My guess would be that the Xbox doesn't have SATA III connector. I don't think the ps3 or ps4 have one either. Of course that was one of things I liked about consoles. They lacked a bloated OS so you don't need an SSD to get a fast boot. At least the ps4 only takes 20 seconds to cold boot. Still longer than the ps3 though
It's probably just SATA II and capped or something.

Those are rather long boots from cold still, I'm into my games in under a minute, as in playing, not at a menu or anything,or loading.
 

Hairless Mammoth

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Jan 23, 2013
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Spending almost as much as the cost of a new console on a SSD ugprade to drop load times by 10%? That just proves this generation is about 2 watered down pcs with Bloatware OS(especially Xbone) and mid-spec parts, while being hyped up as the most powerful things around. I'd rather stick to my old pc that an SSD could make a difference with and could get a new video card that trumps both systems, and I'd buy a Wii U once there's more games out, since that does something different. Though it's great to have someone do this experiment and see what performance you could get.
 

Arawn

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Dec 18, 2003
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This was rather interesting to say the least. I'm abit surprised it takes nearly a minute for the Xbox One to boot itself to the base menu (dashboard w/e) Does anyone know if the PS4 takes time to get going as well? If so would this experiment provide similar results?
 

Lovely Mixture

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Jul 12, 2011
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I hadn't bothered looking up the prices for the Xbone and PS4 until now. I'm failing to see how expensiveness is an excuse for not building a decent PC at this rate, considering the price/performance payoff.
 

Spaceman Spiff

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Sep 23, 2013
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Adding the cost of a SSD to a $500 console for a minute boost in performance seems like a huge waste of time and money(and warranty). For that cost one could build a pretty good PC.

Of course I can't put a price on the fun/amusement the guy had tinkering with a new piece of hardware in a way that nobody has before. So different strokes, I guess.