Buying an xBox

Happynoj · #1 09-08-2010, 06:53 AM

I'm planning on buying an xBox 360 next week (payday!) and I've been looking at the new models. My dilemma is: 4G or 250G? Not currently being an xBox owner, I'm unsure on what would be best for me, or whether I will need 250G of hard drive space. School me, people.

Simo98 · #2 09-08-2010, 07:10 AM

What is the price difference.

I paid a bit of extra when I bought mine a few months ago to get 120gb instead of 256mb, because you need a hard drive to get downloadable content and expansion packs, as well as updates to play online.

However 4gb might be enough for a couple of expansions/addons, save games, and some updates. Im not sure.

If the price difference is pretty minimal, i'd probably go the 250gb so you never have to worry about space. If your gonna save yourself a couple of hundred though, maybe its worth going 4gb.

Livewire · #3 09-08-2010, 07:11 AM

If you're going to download demos, updates, save music, put movies on it etc, then go with the bigger 250GB. If you're just saving game files and not doing much else with it, I guess 4GB will work.

PS: I don't have a 360, but I own a PS3 and I know the old model 40GB version doesn't have enough space for my liking, but I make due.

jp58 · #4 09-08-2010, 07:16 AM

You WANT the extra space. Believe me. I've had a 16 or 20 gig for as long as I can remember, and I have to ration game saves and the like.

Right now there is .2 gigs free on my hard drive.

Happynoj · #5 09-09-2010, 01:41 AM

I'm not going to be downloading demos, and I'm not going to be putting movies or music onto it. The hard drive will literally just be for save games. I'm thinking 4G at the moment.

tk421 · #6 09-09-2010, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livewire

If you're going to download demos, updates, save music, put movies on it etc, then go with the bigger 250GB. If you're just saving game files and not doing much else with it, I guess 4GB will work.

PS: I don't have a 360, but I own a PS3 and I know the old model 40GB version doesn't have enough space for my liking, but I make due.

any SATA laptop drive can be swapped in the PS3 with the removal of 5 small philips screws. the PS3 even has a built-in backup / restore function.

instructions can be found on Sony's website. no warranty voided.
i swapped the 40gb from my fat, 2 usb PS3 to a 250gb Western Digital Scorpio (the "blue" one) for about $40 ...

mmbongo · #7 09-09-2010, 06:51 AM

Get the 250gig for sure. That way you can copy the games to your hard drives and run them from there. You still need the disc, but they run MUCH faster and it saves wear and tear on the DVD drive.

I assume you don't have broadband, as that would be the only reason you wouldn't be downloading all the free games, correct?

Auzzie-Phoenix · #8 09-09-2010, 08:11 AM

Well, supposedly the new slim x360 has had a bit of redesign to the internals to reduce the risk of the red ring of death. I would say to look at that one for that reason alone. It does have the 250gb hdd in it plus it comes in black as a default color, instead of that ugly white that you need to keep cleaning due to fingerprints, etc...

A larger hard drive will mean extra space to save game data, which can be useful if you rent games and don't get to finish them before the return date. Also for games with multiple character storylines, etc... You would be able to have a save for each character ending and such.

i_got_a_mohawk · #9 09-09-2010, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk421

any SATA laptop drive can be swapped in the PS3 with the removal of 5 small philips screws. the PS3 even has a built-in backup / restore function.

instructions can be found on Sony's website. no warranty voided.
i swapped the 40gb from my fat, 2 usb PS3 to a 250gb Western Digital Scorpio (the "blue" one) for about $40 ...

A bit OT from the OP.

But can you still do that with the PS3 slims? I had heard they had changed it so it wasn't so simple to change the HDD.

KeithBMI · #10 09-09-2010, 08:57 AM

I would spend the extra cash and get the 250GB

I have the 120GB Elite and being able to install the games to the HDD is a nice feature.

Strat-Mangler · #11 09-09-2010, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happynoj

I'm not going to be downloading demos, and I'm not going to be putting movies or music onto it. The hard drive will literally just be for save games. I'm thinking 4G at the moment.

I'm the same way and 4gb is the way to go.

The only advantage to owning a bigger hard drive (apart from what was mentioned before) is simply to dump the texture files onto it so the games load faster... but the difference isn't as perceptible as you might think.

Happynoj · #12 09-09-2010, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Get the 250gig for sure. That way you can copy the games to your hard drives and run them from there. You still need the disc, but they run MUCH faster and it saves wear and tear on the DVD drive.

I assume you don't have broadband, as that would be the only reason you wouldn't be downloading all the free games, correct?

I have 20mb wireless broadband. What can you download free? And I've never felt the need to complain about loading times when I've played on friends' xBoxes, so I'm not to fussed about that feature.

KeithBMI · #13 09-09-2010, 01:02 PM

It runs A LOT quieter if you install the games. It is the difference between a jet place taxing for takeoff and a moderately loud computer.

Strat-Mangler · #14 09-09-2010, 02:28 PM

KeithBMI, you must have a 1st-gen Xbox 360 because mine is very quiet. And it's still the big version ; not the thin one.

I do remember my two friends' 360's being insanely loud when they first got it... until they sent theirs in for a replacement after they got the infamous RRoD.

Simo98 · #15 09-09-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat-Mangler

KeithBMI, you must have a 1st-gen Xbox 360 because mine is very quiet. And it's still the big version ; not the thin one.

I have the most recent one, before the new model. A 120gb Elite.

The DVD drive is flipping noisy, you don't realise it, but if you have been playing it late at night and then turn it off, you think "holy hell that thing is loud".

I didn't know you could install games on the HDD.. i'll have to try that

Thunderscreech · #16 09-09-2010, 03:33 PM

buy a gaming PC and run an Xbox emulator instead. a wireless USB hub and 4 logitech controllers later and BAM, instant Xbox.

Simo98 · #17 09-09-2010, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderscreech

buy a gaming PC and run an Xbox emulator instead. a wireless USB hub and 4 logitech controllers later and BAM, instant Xbox.

Is there any point? Just about everything is released cross platform nowadays anyway.

MJ5150 · #18 09-09-2010, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat-Mangler

.....being insanely loud.....

Pfffft, whatever. You haven't heard loud until you hear pile driving heavy loud.

-Mike

Thunderscreech · #19 09-09-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simo98

Is there any point? Just about everything is released cross platform nowadays anyway.

he wanted an XBox, plus you cant play Fable 2 on PC...yet...

Strat-Mangler · #20 09-09-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simo98

I have the most recent one, before the new model. A 120gb Elite.

The DVD drive is flipping noisy, you don't realise it, but if you have been playing it late at night and then turn it off, you think "holy hell that thing is loud".

I didn't know you could install games on the HDD.. i'll have to try that

Oh, I play at night all the time. It could be the drive itself, since Microsoft uses a handful of different models (BenQ, Toshiba-Samsung, Lite-On, etc.), but mine isn't noisy. FTR, mine's a Toshiba-Samsung model.

To install games on the hard drive, go into the dashboard and press on the top button (either X or Y, I forget which one's the highest one on the controller) and you'll have an option to install the game onto your hard drive.

As I mentioned, however, the benefits vary since a lot of factors come into play. Some games will appear much faster whereas others will barely show any improvement. Newer games stand a better chance of taking advantage of this, though.