Picking the Right XBox 360

The XBox has been through almost as many version changes as Sony's PS3 has. Apparently, one box is just not enough. There are currently four different versions and any will do for just plain old gaming. But if you care about doing anything online or storing media, the cheapest box just isn't gonna do. Follow this guide to figure out what you should know about each set.

XBox 360 Core
The now canceled core model is, or was, a bare bones set with a wired controller, the console proper, Standard Definition audio/video cables (Although High Definition is still supported) and power cables. It's disabled because of the lack of any storage space. Meaning that you will also need to buy a memory card or a hard drive to save any games. Plus if you want to display anything in High Definition you'll need to buy Component cables as well . These are things that come with the the Pro model and above. Because of these shortcomings, this isn't a very good model. It's a good thing it's no longer for sale.

XBox 360 Arcade Model
The newest addition is the XBox 360 Arcade model. It's basically the Core model but, with a few upgrades. A wireless controller replaces the wired one included in the core set. The output has also been upgraded from the Core model to now support HDMI (But still only includes Composite Cables). Also, instead of no storage space at all, this comes with a paltry 256MB card preloaded with games. Absent from this set, although it would have been nice, is the Atari 2600 look-alike arcade stick.

This is a set designed for people who can't find a Wii and they just want a quick, easy, jump in and play game console for less money then the higher end models. Five Xbox Live Arcade games come included on the 256MB card. These are small bite-size games usually bought and downloaded from Xbox Live Arcade. (Hence the name of this model). Not very many of these games are noteworthy but, some are pretty fun. Unfortunately, what's included in the box does not necessarily feature the best titles. These are: Boom Boom Rocket (So-So), Feeding Frenzy (Boring), Luxor 2 (Not Bad), Pac-Man Championship Edition (Pretty Good), and UNO (Yawn). More can be downloaded off of XBox Live. However, you need a hard drive to access online features. (A good reason to buy a hard drive right away). These games take up most if the space on the card. This means that even before you open up your new XBox, the card is already almost full! You'll be able to save data for a few games but, it won't be long before you need more. At that point it's either buy another card or get a hard drive.Yet another disabled console, courtesy of Microsoft. The smallest hard drive is more then ten times larger (20GB) then the included memory card. You might as well skip a step and get a better model right off the bat. This is marketed as a entry level XBox for less. But the cheap price buzz wears off when you realize that you need to pay more to get what should have come with it. I highly recommend passing on this crippled money pit.

Xbox 360 A.K.A. the "Pro System"
OK, Now this is a better entry level option. The included 20GB hard drive is plenty for game saves and a few movies and Arcade games, making it a perfect way to get started playing games without having to worry about running out of space quickly. It's not ideal for anyone who wants to use their XBox for their media hub however.
This is the lowest end set to come with Component cables. A HDMI port is standard for Pro Consoles made after August 2007 but, none come with HDMI cables.

Be wary of the new Go Big bundle which includes two XBox 360 games, Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Theres nothing wrong with the games but, the added cost for Microsoft may result in them cutting corners with the quality of the hardware. For example: I bought an Xbox 1 Bundle a few years back with a Tetris Worlds and Star Wars: The Clone Wars game disc. The DVD drive was not a quality Samsung drive but a lesser quality Thomson drive. I got disc read errors after a 16 months. I didn't even know that there was a difference until I read about it online. True, Microsoft was losing more money on the XBox 1 then they are with the XBox 360 and it was only after a year and a half that my drive stopped working. It could have been time for a new one anyway. However, If you do buy a bundle be sure to keep the warranty information.

XBox 360 Elite
This is the best and most expensive set. Thanks to the large 120GB hard drive packed in, this choice is ideal for people who want to save everything and use their XBox for a media hub. This is currently the only one to come with an HDMI cable and a HDMI port in the same box. The black paint and chrome trim help to match in with your stereo equipment (If it's black that is). This is the one to have for the complete XBox 360 setup. Also, be aware of the potential problems of the Go Pro bundle for the reasons mentioned about the Go Big bundle.

Here's the breakdown of each XBox out there (Click to expand):