Xbox Update: Xbox 360 4 GB vs. Xbox 360 250 GB—Product Review

Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 have been dropping their prices on a fairly consistent basis since the consoles first appeared on the market. The two consoles have probably reached close to their bottom on price reductions though. In years past, $199.00 was about the floor until a new system hit the market. In this Xbox Update we will discuss the Xbox 360 4 GB vs the Xbox 360 250 GB.

Xbox 360 offers two distinct versions of the game system—a 4 GB version and a 250 GB version. The two versions seem very similar except for the price tag for those unfamiliar with gaming particulars. The Xbox 360 4 GB usually retails for $199.00 while the 250 GB version is $299.00. Someone looking to make a purchase can usually find a discount by buying online though.

The Xbox 360 4 GB is Microsoft’s offering of their gaming system to the public at a discounted price. The 4 GB version retails for about $100.00 cheaper than the 250 GB version.

Features

• · Wi-Fi: 802.11n Wi-Fi ready. Also compatible with b/g/n network.

• · Kinect Ready: Capable of handling the Kinect accessory for hands-free gaming.

• · (1) Wireless Controller: 1 wireless controller comes with the system.

• · Cabling: Comes with a composite A/V cable to connect to the television.

• · Ports: 5 ports are available to connect to other devices such as surround sound.

• · Xbox Live (1 month free): capable of supporting the Xbox Live network. Xbox Live allows online gaming along with a host of other features such as streaming Netflix directly to your television.

• · Storage Space: 4 GB of storage space.

• · Warranty: Comes with a 1-Year limited warranty

The features of the 4 GB version are relatively robust compared to past systems. The main hanging point would be that 4 GB of storage space. The problem with only 4 GB of storage is that it really limits the user on how much data can be stashed away on the system.

Games are downloadable from Xbox Live. Many of these games take up around 2 GB (or more) of storage. Since that will be over half the storage space or more (system info and game saves take up more), it will be difficult to save much of what someone may want such as movies or music.

The lack of storage may be overcome by purchasing a Microsoft Xbox 360 250 GB Hard Drive. The hard drive costs $99.99, so why not just spend the extra money initially to get roughly the same storage?

The Xbox 360 250 GB is the upgraded version of the Xbox. This version usually retails at around $299.99.

Features

• · Wi-Fi: 802.11n Wi-Fi ready. Also compatible with b/g/n network.

• · Kinect Ready: Capable of handling the Kinect accessory for hands-free gaming.

• · (1) Wireless Controller: 1 wireless controller comes with the system.

• · Slim: The Xbox 360 S is much slimmer and very quiet compared to the previous versions.

• · Storage Space: 250 GB of storage. This is a TON of storage. Most players will be hard pressed to fill this bad boy up.

• · Headset: Used to communicate with other players while playing online.

• · Cabling: Comes with a composite A/V cable to connect to the television.

• · Ports: 5 ports are available to connect to other devices such as surround sound.

• · Xbox Live (1 month free): capable of supporting the Xbox Live network. Xbox Live allows online gaming along with a host of other features such as streaming Netflix directly to your television.

• · Warranty: Comes with a 1-Year limited warranty

The Xbox 360 250 GB version offers basically the same products with a couple big upgrades. These two upgrades make the additional cost of this version worth it.

The main component of the additional costs will be the extra storage space. This version offers 250 GB’s of storage that will be tough to completely use. This gives gamers plenty of room to store downloaded games, content, movies, music, and more onto the hard drive.

Another feature that increases the value is the addition of the headset. The headset is an essential component to playing games online. The communication it provides is incredibly valuable in cooperative games such as Call of Duty or Halo.

The features for both systems detail that both systems are Kinect read—but what is it?  The Xbox Kinect is Microsoft’s answer to interactive gaming.  Nintendo has the Wii remote and the Playstation has the Move.  Xbox has the Kinect.

The difference between the Kinect and the others is that it offers completely hands-free gaming.  Instead of holding a controller and swinging it like a bat in a baseball game—you are the bat.  If a soccer ball is coming at you—kick it!  The Kinect is a new and innovative way to play games that increases the activity level of all gamers.  No more sitting on the couch for hours on end!

The Xbox Kinect can either be bought separately as an accessory to the Xbox 360 or in a bundled package with an Xbox 360.  They come in either a 4 GB or a 250 GB package (surprise).

Both systems offer similar features with the 250 GB version including that all important storage space.  The decision on which to buy is highly dependent on what the user is planning on using their game system for.

If the user doesn’t intend to download any games (there are many to choose from) or put movies or music on their system—it may be better to get the 4 GB Xbox 360.  This is a definite option for those that do not want to invest the extra $100.00 and don’t see a need for the additional 246 GB of space.

If, on the other hand, the user wants to get the full complement of Xbox goodies from their system—try the Xbox 360 250 GB version.  Most gamers will never need to buy additional memory and can enjoy their system for its entire life-cycle.  That concludes this Xbox Update:  Xbox 360 4 GB vs. Xbox 360 250 GB.

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