Are all Xbox 360s equal???

[ajcj]

This is a 'which console' thread, i suppose, but I can't find a similar one....... I have decided, I think, to upgrade my Xbox to a 360. I know, I know, it's reckless, plunging in like this when the 360 is so new and unproven, just call me Mr Early Adopter. Putting aside the timeliness, I have had a snuffle around Game today, and eBay, and.......Too Much Choice Problem! This will be for some online racing games with buddies, some solo shootmurderdeathkill, and perhaps Kinect for the little people.

I'm quite happy to buy something refurbished or 2nd hand (it's how I buy my cars) but how do I decide which one I want? Obviously one likes to follow the 'more is better' maxim (it's how I buy my cars), but if 4GB is enough, what the hell would I do with 320GB? Elite, slim, GoW paint job, arcade, white, 4, 20, 90, 120, 250, 320........ Is there a consensus on here for which one to get - performance, reliability, value, etc?

All advice gratefully received.

[MrAdaam]

For the cost I would go for a newer, 250GB model. There isn't a massive amount of difference n cost and you can buy them with the kinetic as a bundle for around £250 iirc.

[Stu R]

Go for as much storage as you can.

You can install games to the hard drive, which is nice as it means the DVD drive isn't constantly spinning up, quieter etc. They do take a lot of space though. There's also downloadable content, which can be a few GB for some games.

[ajcj]

Thanks chaps, that's helpful. Any reason to buy any of the limited editions or are they just paintwork?

[Famous Graham]

Paint jobs (and bundled with the appropriate game if new). Nothing different inside.

[Webber3]

This Star Wars console is a bit more than just paintwork http://www.xbox360-offers.co.uk/articles/xbox360-s... , but it's not out just yet.

[ajprice]

Some of the special editions make different noises for the cd tray opening and closing etc. Gun noises for the Halo version and stuff like that, otherwise, I think the standard Xbox with a hard drive is 250GB, the special edition ones are 320GB now. Leave the 4GB alone.

[Famous Graham]

Webber3 said:

This Star Wars console is a bit more than just paintwork http://www.xbox360-offers.co.uk/articles/xbox360-s... , but it's not out just yet.

No, it's still just a paintjob. A rather good one, granted, but there's nothing different about the console and how it performs.

[Neil H]

Except the sound effects when you open the DVD tray.

I'm considering buying one of those to keep for the collectability.

[Famous Graham]

Alright, paint AND sound job

My point is, the internal gubbins are the same.

[mmm-five]

Famous Graham said:

Alright, paint AND sound job

My point is, the internal gubbins are the same.

But the lights are a different colour too, and they're internal

I wish they would do a 'high-performance' version so that you could play at the equivalent of 'ultra' settings on the PC. Although the 720/1080 or whatever that comes out in 2012/3/4/5 will have to do with it's blu-ray drive and quad-HD output for my quad-hd OLED screen

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

I sometimes wish that too, but it'd totally ruin the point of console gaming where the games are developed to be played on one system and one system only. Not like PC gaming and the problems you often experience as a result of the myriad hardware permutations.

[FellowPazzini]

I recently got the MW3 Edition Xbox, wasn't too bothered about what type of Xbox I was getting but then the sales rep told me of the silly MW3 noises it makes... I was sold right there (sad I know lol). The power switcvh is definatly a MW3 sound but after years of playing the game I can't for the life of me figure out what the Eject button sound is, it sounds like something more from Star Wars tbh.

HD size though, mine has a 320 GB capacity and I can't figure out why they are so big. You can't store media (films, pics & music although it is easily streamed from the PC) onto the HD, from what I understand you can only store game files onto it which helps the Xbox run a little quieter & will prolong the life of the it too. If that is the case it may as well come with a 50GB HD then knock the price down significantly.

I would still recommend getting a newer model as all the connections at the back ie HDMI, Fibre Optic Cable are apparently allot easier to get to without additional costs.

[RobDickinson]

You can store music on the drive, the xbox will even rip a CD for you.

I still have a 20gig 360 and dont need more space.

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

When you start installing games (@6gb each) and big DLC packs (I've seen these go up to 1.5GB), along with save games (I think I've got around 1GB of these), as well as the 2GB the Xbox takes up for its own use… you start wanting a bigger HDD. I routinely fill up my 60GB one, but I can't really see the need for a 320! Surely you can't be playing that many games at once to have them all installed AND fill up the HDD…

[MagicalTrevor]

I have a 360 that I no longer use, it's a HDMI one and because the original HDD died I've upgraded it to 250GB. I have a VGA cable, HDMI lead and a wireless controller for it.

I've also got Forza4 plus the Wireless Racing Wheel (the handheld one) if that floats your boat, and it should... This is Pistonheads after all!

I was thinking of selling it today as it happens. It's in good condition and has never suffered from RROD, the only error experienced was the faulty hard drive (now fixed of course)

PM me if it sounds like what you're after

[T84]

mmm-five said:

Famous Graham said:

Alright, paint AND sound job

My point is, the internal gubbins are the same.

But the lights are a different colour too, and they're internal

I wish they would do a 'high-performance' version so that you could play at the equivalent of 'ultra' settings on the PC. Although the 720/1080 or whatever that comes out in 2012/3/4/5 will have to do with it's blu-ray drive and quad-HD output for my quad-hd OLED screen

That would totally negate the plus points of console-only game dev, the fact that you know for definite the target hardware is a huge advantage.

[Halb]

Famous Graham said:

Webber3 said:

This Star Wars console is a bit more than just paintwork http://www.xbox360-offers.co.uk/articles/xbox360-s... , but it's not out just yet.

No, it's still just a paintjob. A rather good one, granted, but there's nothing different about the console and how it performs.

It's got a bigger HD.
I bought the GoW3 one, 320gb. I don't notice the sounds anymore.
that SW one was available when I bought my GoW3 one.

[Lurking Lawyer]

Halb said:

It's got a bigger HD.

True - but you can buy the 320 Gb HDD separately now anyway. Credit back the cost of selling your existing HDD (assuming you're using a Slim, anyway) and it's rather cheaper to do that - unless your inner geek absolutely HAS to have an R2D2 coloured console!

[Halb]

Lurking Lawyer said:

Halb said:

It's got a bigger HD.

True - but you can buy the 320 Gb HDD separately now anyway. Credit back the cost of selling your existing HDD (assuming you're using a Slim, anyway) and it's rather cheaper to do that - unless your inner geek absolutely HAS to have an R2D2 coloured console!

I was a GoW3 geek. I am actually a much bigger SW geek, but there was no Vader xbox, now that would have been my first choice