The mysterious port on the Xbox Series X is probably a memory card slot

The Xbox Series X may have one less secret before us. The unusual port on the back of the console is probably the memory card slot. We will use it instead of an external disk.

Microsoft was the first to reveal the appearance of the upcoming next generation console. Initially, we only saw the front and top of the Xbox X Series, but the official graphics were quickly joined by a leak showing the back of the console in the pre-production version .

Thanks to this, we know that the back of the console will have a power supply connector, HDMI output, two USB ports, S / PDIF port, Ethernet port and ... a mysterious longitudinal socket.

The mysterious port on the Xbox Series X is probably the CFexpress card slot.

Initially, it was thought that the mysterious port is a diagnostic and debugging interface for developers. A quick internet investigation showed that it could actually be a CF Express memory card slot.

This information was reached by a forum user on the site of the famous Paul Thurrott . First, the internet user estimated the slot size at 31 x 4 mm. Secondly, an earlier leak said that the Xbox Series X will use the Phison's PS5019-E19T controller, which is responsible for flash memory support. Third, the controller specification reveals that it can support CFexpress cards that are 29.8 x 3.8 mm in size.

It all forms a very credible whole. There is a good chance that the Xbox Series X will allow the use of CF Express cards in the form of memory expansion. However, this is not the first better memory format.

Xbox Serie X with CFexpress cards instead of external drives? On the one hand, it makes sense.

Until now, the memory of desktop consoles could be expanded through external drives, and SD consoles were used by mobile consoles, such as Nintendo Switch.

The CFexpress format is becoming the successor to the SD card . Such cards are increasingly found in the most advanced cameras. For example, the latest Canon DSLR camera with dizzying video parameters (RAW recording in 6K resolution) supports CFexpress format, because SD cards are simply too slow.

The fastest SD cards on the market have a UHS-II interface providing speeds of up to 312 MB / s. The fastest announced SD card format will reach 985 MB / s ... sometime.

Meanwhile, CFexpress cards available on the market offer read and write speeds that go head-to-head with the fastest SSDs. The first generation of CFexpress cards supports transfers up to 1.97 GB / s, but just around the corner is the next generation with extreme speeds up to 4 GB / s.

It is not difficult to imagine a situation where the CFexpress card would replace not only the SD card, but also an external disk, even the one made in SSD technology.

On the other hand, CFexpress card prices are horrendously high, and they currently have low capacity.

You sit? Well. A 64 GB CFexpress card costs PLN 800. And what is 64 GB in the face of modern games? Let's look at the 128 GB media. It is more profitable, but it costs horrendous PLN 1200. 256 GB will provide even better profitability, but we will pay 1900 PLN for it. For 512 GB we will pay round 3,000 zł. Bigger capacities are not available yet.

Such prices are terrifying. Remember, however, that the CFexpress format is fresh. The CompactFlash Association was only approved by it in 2017, while SD cards have been with us for 20 years. Do you remember the first SSDs? They were also cosmically expensive, and today they are already in virtually every laptop, and will also go to the upcoming consoles.

Consoles designed for a good five, six, and maybe even seven years of age. Over this time, the CFexpress standard will become more widespread and also become cheaper.

That's why I'm inclined to believe that the mysterious slot in the Xbox X Series is the CFexpress memory card slot. at the beginning few will use it, but ultimately it can be a good solution.

The mysterious port on the Xbox Series X is probably a memory card slot