Xbox help - difference between Arcade & Elite

Sons wants an Xbox (alreadt got PS2 hooked up to one telly and Wii to another so reluctant to get an xbox cos one of the others will probably get locked away and forgot). I've been told that main difference between Arcade and Elite is the Hard Drive.

I have some questions
1. apart from game saves, what is the hard drive used for
2. How many game saves can you get on the internal memory (or whatever the arcase uses) and can it be expanded (other than by adding a HD). If it is a removal card, what format and are they available cheap
3. I understand that to use Xbox live on a wireless network, I need a wireless adapter. According to shop salesmen this will cost me £60. Is there a cheaper alternative eg. unofficial microsoft hardware, or can you get them second hand
4. Does the Elite version come with anything else that the arcade doesn't e.g. extra/better controllers, faster processor etc.

TIA

 

1-Can download demo's & other games onto a hard drive.
2-There is NO internal memory, you'll need at least a memory card.
3-You can wire your 360 to use your laptop's (if you have one) wireless network.
4-Elite has HDMI, I don't think Arcade does.

 

The HD is used for saving games you can also download games to it if you buy them off Xbox marketplace (sometimes they are free - just got Fable 2 for nowt). </p>

You can expand the storage using cards which plug into the front of the console. There doesn't seem to be many 3rd party wireless adaptors available. I've hooked mine into the router with a dirty gret cable which is a pain but can't be arsed to pay a fortune for Microsux products.</p>

Processor spec and controllers etc. are identical across the range. </p>

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Cheers Jonno

1. What type of memory card ?

Not practical to wire to laptop - different rooms

Probably not going to be attached to a HD telly (not for a while), but can the cable be changed to HDMI later - i.e. is it just a cable issue, or is the arcade not designed for HD

These othr games that can be downloaded - are they just freeware stuff.

I'm not convinced the Elite is better than the Arcade for my sons purposes, but the deals around for the Elite seem to make it very good value, but when you add in the wireless adapter and xbox live subscription, its a dear present

 

Thanks Amos

Not too impressed with the cost of the wireless adapter and subscription just so my son can play with his mates.

One thing i've only just thought of.

Only got a basic broadband package with speeds of about 1mb/s. Dont know about the PING etc, but is it going to be pointless trying to play games online?

 

I would go for elite mate.....

Theres some cracking deals at the moment. I bought one other day for £200 quid with two of the lastest games, the arcade one is only a bit cheaper so definetly worth it in my opinion.

 

Arcade does have an HDMI socket - I've the arcade version

But only comes with an av cable - both machines have memory devices - arcade has a 512 mb card whereas the Elite has a 120gb hard drive but a 250gb version is being released. Think both come with wireless controllers

 

RE: Arcade does have an HDMI socket - I've the arcade version

Yeah but they don't have internal memory. The early Arcade consoles didn't come with HDMI, didn't know they'd put it on now.

 

What does it matter if it's external or internal it does have memory

which can store content.

 

It works pretty much the same as a PS2 memory card, you just plug it in and play.

You can download free demos, you have to pay for games. Stuff such as game add ons and GTA IV even has new stories to download (they cost about £13).

If you're considering downloading anything, then you'll need a hard drive, but you can buy an arcade and just buy a hard drive to put on at any time, they're just plug & play.

Arcade's apparently now come with a HDMI socket, but not a cable.

 

Yeah, i agree the deals seem great, jut didn't want to part with £200 for the console + £60 adapter + £45 annual subs !!! It alway annoys me that as time progresses they keep the prices high and give more stuff, rather than drop the prices

 

I know mate, its a rip off really, wireless should be built into the xbox and come included. They just like to take as much of our money as possible

 

Dunno how well it would work with a 1MB connection. For an Xbox live subscription, look on places like Play.com. Got a 12 month subscription for around &pound;26 saving quite a bit on the official Microsux price. they e-mail you a code which you enter into your account on the console and off you go.</p>

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Some great deals as there is a new version coming out that you can pre order

Wireless is well worth it and the Gold package too.....also due out next week is Sky TV via XBox not sure but I think you need to be on Gold

 

just get an ethernet cable plugged in

if you can reach, although if he's younger than 16 i wouldn't recommend him going online (he'd get bullied and/or annoy the rest of us!)

elite > arcade everytime.

 

RE: I would go for elite mate.....

I agree - it's worth it in the long run especially getting a couple of top notch games thrown in (Fifa and Need for Speed etc)

Wireless adaptor - you can get them for about £45 if you look around.

Live is easily available for £26 (E bay or Play as someone said)

Also, I noticed in ASDA earlier in the week that they were selling 60gb Hard drive consoles (i.e. not Elite) for £120 (no games or anything).

I was sorely tempted as I only have the 20gb HD which is pretty full now.

 

Get a PS3.

And get rid of the PS2. If you get him either console, the PS2 isn't going to get used.

 

yeah, that was another option. Are the new slim consoles backwards compatible - i sem to remeber there was a version with cheaper hardware that didn't play PS2 games.

Is the online gaming community as big for the PS3 as xbox, and is it as user friendly

 

ps3 community and online isn't as good, and the slim isn't ps2 compatible

 

Online on the PS3 is just as good, it's got a web browser and BBC iPlayer too.

The 360 looks cheaper than the PS3, but take into consideration additional costs depending on what you want. If you want to play online it'll cost £40 for the year if you pay in one payment, where as the PS3's online stuff is free. If you want to go online through wireless rather than an ethernet cable, you'll have to buy an extra piece for the 360 that costs over £40, and again the PS3 has built in wireless. Even a rechargeable pack (so you don't have to keep forking out for batteries) for the 360 costs £10, but it's already included with a PS3 controller.

I even paid a few quid to cancel my live subscription, on the phone for about ten minutes.