Hi, I'm looking to buy an Xbox 360 arcade with inbuilt 512mb but I've got a few questions.
All xboxes are electrically identical.. the difference between Arcade, Pro and Elite is:
1) the included memory
Arcade= 256mb memory card (old models) or 256Mb soldered memory chip (new models) or 512Mb soldered memory chip (really new models)
Pro = 60Gb Hard Drive (also 256Mb/512Mb soldered memory chip included in the new/really new models)
Elite = 120Gb Hard Drive (also 256Mb/512Mb soldered memory chip included in the new/really new models)
2) Pro and Elite have a Chrome plastic DVD tray
3) Elite has a Black plastic Case instead of a White case.
4) Included cable
Arcade = Composite Cable (ie Yellow Red and White)
Pro = Component and Composite Cable 2in1 (ie Red, Green and Blue and Yellow, Red and White)
Elite = HDMI Cable
5) Price point
There are no other differences!
You can buy a Hard Drive and fit it to an Arcade (or Pro or Elite) but they cost a lot to buy, more than the price difference between consoles, so you're better off to buy the Hard Drive with the console..
Get a Hard Drive, the 60Gb is plenty.. 120Gb is handy but not worth the price premium, unless you can get a good Games bundle that makes up for the price difference.
Finally, Christmas is a good time to buy an xbox.. the bundled games disappear after Christmas so don't wait for post Christmas Sales.
Note that some places have very OLD stock…for example, in 2006, all xboxes had HDMI added to them.. but this time last year (when I was looking around to buy one), Dick Smith were still selling consoles without HDMI ports!! So expect to still find some places with 256Mb soldered memory chips as the 512Mb chip model was only introduced in July this year.
From my experience:
Cheers
M.
Yeah, I think you might be right.. I recall reading that MS were removing the HDMI cable from Elites.. probably a good thing anyway. HDMI cables are dirt cheap, the MS Composite/Component cable on the other hand!!
Old xbox1 games do work on the 360.. I have Burnout Takedown that I bought by accident and it works just fine. I think roughly 80% of xbox1 games will work.
There's a LONG list of compatible games here:
http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/games/backwardcompatibilitygamesli…
Note that it says on that page "Note: A software emulator is required for each original Xbox game you play on your Xbox 360 console, …"
Yep, found the official or branded cables really expensive. I ended buying a 5 meter dvi cable from MSY for $10. A great bargain.
Thanks for the emulator info for older games, wasn't aware that was available.
I'm pretty sure the game prompts you for an update when you put it in the drive..
Given that V8 Supercars is an Australia only game (I'm guessing) it's unlikely that it has had the requisite files uploaded to the xbox server which might explain why it's incompatible…
I'm no expert but here are the things I think I know:
the changes from old to new are basically HDMI port, better cooling layout inside, lower power requirement, less current from the power brick, different make/model of DVD drive. Old ones uses to have Samsung and BenQ, all the new ones seems to have Lite-on DVD drives.
I believe that an arcade with a hard drive is pretty much the same thing as an Elite.
I believe all the new 512mb Arcades has the HDMI port plus the other new features.
You will always need the original disc to play, unless you are talking about Xbox Live Arcade games that you pay and download from Microsoft. All other games, you can install to the HDD, but will still need the original to play. I'm not sure what you mean by 'original xbox games'? Do you mean Xbox1 games or do you mean original Xbox 360 games? Each game will probably take maybe approx 5GB of hdd space, depending on the game - some are way smaller and others are way bigger. Probably 10GB of hdd space is used by the 'operating system' and can not be used by you.
I don't think they make 256mb Arcades anymore.