It’s a problem that has plagued gamers since the launch of the Xbox One. It seems to take forever to install games on the console, especially when compared to how fast games are installed on the PlayStation 4.Microsoft has never really given a clear explanation as to why this is the case, but there are a few theories.
Why does it take so long to install games on xbox one
One theory is that it’s a design flaw in the Xbox One’s hard drive. The console comes with a 500GB hard drive, which is pretty small by today’s standards. Games are getting bigger and bigger, and with the Xbox One’s mandatory installation of every game, even if you just want to play it offline, that 500GB hard drive fills up quickly.
Another theory is that Microsoft designed the Xbox One to install games in the background while you’re playing them. So, if you start playing a game while it’s installing, you might notice that the game will pause periodically as it installs new content.
This theory would explain why some games seem to take longer to install than others—if the game is constantly pausing to install new content, it will obviously take longer to install than a game that doesn’t have this issue. Regardless of the reason, slow game installations are a fact of life for Xbox One owners. But there are a few things you can do to speed up the process.
The Cause: The Xbox One’s ESRAM
The main reason your game installation might be slow on your Xbox One is because of the console’s ESRAM. ESRAM is a type of memory that is used to store information that the Xbox One needs to access quickly. Games use ESRAM to store things like textures, turning them into pixels on the screen faster.
The problem is that the Xbox One only has 32MB of ESRAM, which is a fraction of what the PlayStation 4 has (256MB). This means that developers have to be more careful about how they use ESRAM, or they risk causing slowdown and frame rate issues.
One way that developers get around this issue is by “streaming” assets from the hard drive instead of loading them all into ESRAM at once. This can cause a game installation to take longer, but it usually results in a smoother gameplay experience.
So, if you’re noticing that your game installations are taking a bit longer than usual on your Xbox One, it’s probably because the developer is trying to avoid any potential performance issues. In most cases, this is actually a good thing!
The Solution: Use an external hard drive
An external hard drive is the best way to fix the slow game installation problem on your Xbox One. All you need is a USB 3.0 hard drive with at least 256 GB of storage space. 512 GB or more is even better. Once you have your external hard drive, just follow these steps:
1. Connect the external hard drive to one of the USB ports on your Xbox One.
2. Go to Settings > System > Storage.
3. Select the external hard drive as your default storage device.
4. Install your games and apps to the external hard drive.
When you connect an external hard drive to your Xbox One, it will appear in the Storage section of the Settings menu. Just select it as your default storage device and all future games and apps will be installed to the external hard drive instead of the internal HDD.
The Pros: Faster installation times, more storage
Slow game installation times on the Xbox One have been a source of frustration for many gamers. Some games can take hours to install, and if you want to play them before they’re done, you have to wait even longer. However, there are some upsides to this slower process. Here are four reasons why a slow game installation on Xbox One might not be such a bad thing.
1. Faster installation times: If you’re patient, you can actually save time by waiting for the game to install slowly. Once the installation is complete, you’ll be able to play the game immediately without having to wait for it to download and install separately.
2. More storage: Games take up a lot of space, and if you have a limited amount of storage, it can be frustrating trying to keep track of which games are installed and which ones aren’t. By allowing games to install slowly, you can free up space on your hard drive so that you can install more games overall.
3. Fewer headaches: Trying to manage multiple downloads at once can be frustrating and confusing. If you let each game installation finish completely before starting another one, you’ll avoid having to keep track of multiple files simultaneously.
4. Better performance: Downloading and installing a game all at once can put a strain on your system resources, which can lead to poorer performance overall. By letting games install slowly, you can minimize this strain and ensure that your system runs more smoothly.
The Cons: You need to buy an external hard drive
The biggest downside to this whole situation is that you need to buy an external hard drive. The Xbox One only comes with a 500 GB hard drive, and with games now reaching 50+ GB in size, you’re going to need to supplement your storage. A 1 TB external drive will set you back about $100, so it’s not a small investment.
The Bottom Line: A slow installation process on Xbox One can be frustrating, but there are some upsides to it
A slow installation process on Xbox One can be frustrating, but there are some upsides to it. It’s no secret that the process of installing games on the Xbox One is painfully slow. The console has to copy and decompress data before it can even begin playing the game, and even then, it often has to install patches and updates before you can start playing. All of this can take hours, which is why many gamers have stopped buying physical copies of games altogether and instead rely on digital downloads.
However, there are some upsides to a slow installation process. For one, it allows you to play other games or do other things while your game is installed in the background. And if you’re patient, you can often find deals on digital downloads that are much cheaper than physical copies of games.
So, while a slow installation process on Xbox One can be frustrating, there are some upsides to it. If you’re patient, you can often find deals on digital downloads that are much cheaper than physical copies of games.