X-BOX 360, which model?

[JPS]

Hi guys

 

Just a piece of advice really. I am looking into purchasing an X Box 360 but am unsure which one to get. By the looks of things it is pretty much just the size of hard drive that differs (putting 'bundles' aside). Now I understand that the ideal would be to buy the one with the largest drive but I dont want to if it really isnt necessary. If it helps, I dont plan to store pictures, music or any other misc files on the machine. I would have presumed it was just for game saves and therefore small drives would be ample? Perhaps someone in the know could clarify the situation for me?

 

Thanks

[mattx]

I install all my games onto the Hard Drive - which is advisable as it cuts down on noise and loading times etc. I have the Elite version which is great. [ And I have only just started getting back into games and stuff again after 5 a year break !! ]

[JJonas]

I would get one of the new slim models (black shiny case) as these should be more reliable than the first design. They also have a dedicated Kinect port which will allow you to add a Kinect camera without the need to purchase a separate power supply.

 

Older models might by a cheaper buy but there have been well publicised reliability issues - Red Ring of Death. If buying second hand make sure you get the seller to confirm that the console can connect to Xbox Live. Some people modded their consoles to play pirated games and as a result were banned from Xbox Live.

 

Hard Drives are used for games saves, updates ( a typical bug fix update is about 4mb) and also Download content which adds additional features to an already released game.

 

I have a 120gb Hard drive on my Xbox and it is getting pretty full

Edited November 29, 2010 by JJonas

[featured_spectre]

Get the new kinect ready models...they seem pretty reliable, just do not activate the warranty until you get a red ring or such like!

[newpersn]

think i might upgrade mine at somepoint then

 

need a bigger HD soon.

[daz666]

Hi get the new slimline ones i have one and there far better than the older versions.

[ZeroHour]

They also have a dedicated Kinect port which will allow you to add a Kinect camera without the need to purchase a separate power supply.

 

Just a FYI the extra power cable is included in the box and you dont have to buy it.

[stevenlong1985]

Hey

I have a 120gb harddrive only about 30gb used I think, I just backup my games on there, loads quicker. just means i can play games online 5 seconds quicker

[JPS]

So the option is there to install games to the hard drive and therefore presumably the disc isnt needed (or it just simply has to be inserted to check you own the original game)? Using this logic I guess that a basic 4 Gb machine is going to be pretty limiting? So for example once your collection of games hits even half a dozen then installs aren't going to be an option I presume?

 

I will def buy new and at moment not too concerned about Kinect. It looks like a slimline elite 250 Gb is probably the way forward then?

[featured_spectre]

250GB slimline is the way forward

[mattx]

Indeed, once the game is installed the disk just needs to be drive to check. [ I found this out only a few months ago !! ]

I have a small 120 GB hard drive which is about 3/4s full - thing is I just tend to play Black Ops now so the other games I'll un-install at some point and then wait to get some new ones after Xmas.

[Fatmas]

I currently have a 20gb Premium that's over 2 years old and hasn't RROD'd yet! *Touch wood, star jump etc..* But WHEN it breaks (I'm hoping it does so I have an excuse) I will be getting a 250gb slimline. Saw one on show and it is quiet, it's also a lot smaller than I thought, AND has built in WiFi if ethernet is not available.

[JPS]

A lot of posters are talking about this ring of death, are these consoles not very reliable? I have owned numerous in the past and in fact still have many of them (SNES, Wii, PS1 PS2 etc) and to be fair I have never really hammered them but I have never had any of them malfunction. Is build quality deteriorating? Have I been lucky?

[localzuk]

For the original models, the failure rate was researched to be anything from 42% upwards. Some have put it at a 54% failure rate.

 

Older consoles failed less, as they were less complicated and produced a lot less heat etc...

 

The newer models are a lot better though, as Microsoft solved many of the issues.

[JPS]

I reckon it depends on the previous owner. Some people have them on for hours at a time.

 

Does that mean that the internal cooling can't really cope with the console being run for that long?

[featured_spectre]

I use mine for about 1-2 hours a day and have done since June. Before that it was about 1-2 hours a week. Had it for over a year and no problems with it apart from it being loud and chucking out tremendous heat. I have seen my neighbours one which is on for 4-6 hours a day and has been for the last 2 years start to show signs the RROD will happen soon (red lines on the GFX display etc).

 

It is all dependant on how much you use it and how intensive the games are - EG CoD and Crysis will juice up the machine more than Sonic or Fifa for example.

[kevbaz]

you can get the new slim 4gb model then pop in your own hard drive, there are tutorials on how to do it, a freind of mine did it this way, wish i did too as it would have saved a few bob

[JPS]

you can get the new slim 4gb model then pop in your own hard drive, there are tutorials on how to do it, a freind of mine did it this way, wish i did too as it would have saved a few bob

 

I did wonder about this approach but was a little concerned about affecting warranty. May look at it as an option though.

 

Thanks for all the replies so far. I would thank the individual posts but I dont seem to appear to be able to do so due to a lack of Thanks button.

[Pete10141748]

The RROD was a problem with the earlier models of the Xbox where is would heat and cool each time you used it and eventually the Graphics Chip would fail or the boards inside would crack due to the 'cold solder' joints expanding and contracting when heating/cooing (mainly the heating though). You can buy additional fans to attach to the back of the Xbox but it makes a hell of a noise and hasn't really proved to prolong life that much.

 

The newer models (the Elite mainly) were much better but it still happens now and then to consoles if they are used for a prolonged period regularly (my Elite RROD'd during a summer holiday, but I had spent about 7 hours each day for nearly a week using it! lol)

 

The newest model (the 250b slimline) should not have the problem, as now if it is overheating it will flash up an error message on the screen and shut itself down automatically and won;t turn back on until it has cooled enough to be safe to use again. If that happens a few times in a short space of time then you need to find a better ventilated place to put the console!

[mattx]

My Elite's vents after a few hours get quite dusty etc so before I turn mine on I make sure they are clear and free of any nasty stuff. A quick blow with some compressed air sorts mine out.

[JJonas]

 

The newest model (the 250b slimline) should not have the problem, as now if it is overheating it will flash up an error message on the screen and shut itself down automatically and won;t turn back on until it has cooled enough to be safe to use again. If that happens a few times in a short space of time then you need to find a better ventilated place to put the console!

 

I believe they took the red leds out so it is now physically impossible for this model to RROD as to is it more reliable - time will tell

[kevbaz]

pretty much all of the "rumours" of the slim360 rrod are fake, the console doesnt even have a red led aparently. the only real fault is error86 (i think) and its due to the hard drive needing to be reseated. also seen people complaining how the discs get scratched in the drive but its down to the idiots shaking the console...

 

Haters hating for the sake of hating...

[ZeroHour]

you can get the new slim 4gb model then pop in your own hard drive, there are tutorials on how to do it, a freind of mine did it this way, wish i did too as it would have saved a few bob

 

I would never do that tbh as its easy for MS to ban your xbox from xbox live and also it would invalidate warranty.

[kevbaz]

Im pretty sure it doesnt, the new models are different and the drives are just normal drives again, nolong in the big grey plastic box, pretty much the same as the ps3, cant see it invalidating the warrenty either as your not opening the 360, they made the hard drive removable for a reason

[Pete10141748]

I believe they took the red leds out so it is now physically impossible for this model to RROD as to is it more reliable - time will tell

 

They took out the Red Ring LEDs and replaced them with 1 LED in the center of the power button;

 

So now it's RLOD - Red Light of Death!