Thanks to Emanuel, an intrepid tipster who went above and beyond the call of duty, we managed to get a full unboxing of
the Xbox 360 Arcade before Microsoft has even been able to send out a press release about the thing.
Whenever the console officially lands, you can expect to pick up the hard drive free console for around $299.99 (
Amazon said $279.99), which includes a 256MB Memory Card, a Wireless controller, an HDMI port minus the cable, and a disc that includes
copies demos of Xbox LIVE Arcade games Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship, and Uno. Check out the full gallery below.
Update: We added some more shots from before the unboxing, including one for the eagle-eyed that shows the all important manufacture date: September 4th, 2007.
[Thanks again, Emanuel E.!]
posted October 14th 2007 7:57PM
Does anyone know if this is the Falcon series?
Thanks
It would've been nice to at least see the manufacture date on the console.
It would be even better if the owner could check if the console was Falcon...
In response to whoever said that the 256mb will only be enough to save on like 5 games, my PS2 memory card is only 8mb and that can save a good amount of games. What makes Xbox 360 games need so much more space just to save?
JDizzle -
They were probably talking about ~50MB Live Arcade downloads, not game saves.
I would definitely say no, this console isn't Falcon. The manufacture date is around when Falcon has been put in other consoles (non-H3), but the team is CSON. There haven't been any reported CSON Falcon consoles from what I have read, only FDOU.
"In response to whoever said that the 256mb will only be enough to save on like 5 games, my PS2 memory card is only 8mb and that can save a good amount of games. What makes Xbox 360 games need so much more space just to save?"--- Its not for the games saves, its for the games you downlaod off xbox live arcade
Can someone explain to me what would be the advantages and disadvantages of buying this XBox versus the premium or Elite models? Thanks in advance!
ummm... it's $70 CHEAPER?
The Premium has an extra 20GB hard drive, HDMI and ethernet cables, as well as a headset.
The arcade has only a 256mb memory card in it's place
The elite has a 120gb hard drive, HDMI and ethernet cables and headset.
Yeah but what is the benefit of the hard drive?
Or in other words, what can't you do by not having the hard drive?
Can you get a cheaper hard drive elsewhere later on?
Well I'm a get this. Free Component cable don't matter if I going to get a VGA (or HDMI) cable anyway. Who needs an ethernet cable? I have so many lying around in my house. Headset, I'll pick one up when I need one. 20GB HDD, Meh. Canadians don't have much downloadable content anyway.
the hard drive allows you to download things off of live, and keep your game saves for more than like 5 games(The memory card is tinnnyyyy), and you can only play backwards compatible xbox1 games with it.
and no, you can't buy a cheap HDD later, MS hasn't dropped the price and only their peripheral HDD works.
To really take full advantage of what the 360 has to offer, you're gonna have to pony up for the hard drive eventually. You might as well buy it from the get go, cause it's cheaper, when all things are considered, when bought in the premium package than separate later. But if you really can't afford a premium system, this sounds a hell of alot better than the regular core. It comes with the arcade disc which has $30 worth of arcade games on it, and a wireless controller, instead of a wired one that comes with the core
The elite is probably overkill if you there isn't a part of your brain saying "my life won't be complete until I download hi def movies/TV shows from MS that are fairly expensive and often have short usable lifetimes".
The 20 gb drive on the pro level 360 is likely good enough for more users...You can store a ton of game saves, download a more than few game demos (I'd say this is the biggest plus of the pro or the elite, being able to download free demo games to tried them out before you spend $60 to find out they are 'teh suck'...although not every game gets demoed on xbox live.) and if important to you, and the hard drive allows for backward compatibility with selected Xbox1 games as well. Also I believe you need a hard drive if you want to play many of the online multiplayer matches on xbox live as well
If you are casual gamer not interested on online gaming or playing Xbox1 games and are merely want to give the 360 a try on with some single player/home only multiplayer, then this package isn't the worst thing you could buy. If you feel the need for more down the road, you can always spend the $100 for HD down the road. Given the free games, the memory unit and the wireless controller, the arcade back is a definite step up in value and usefulness over the pervious core/tard pack.
One advantage is if you have a launch 360 that isn't RRoD, but not functioning properly and you didn't get the extended warranty, and you crave an XBOX 360, but don't have the money for an Elite, the Arcade pack's low price becomes tempting.
Or, it's better than getting a Wii, in the long run.
Now, I know it can play Doom, but why isn't it included?
The hard drive... and a component cable though if your TV has an open HDMI port, a $4 purchase from Monoprice fixes that up.
Because the rating on the box would no longer be "E" for "Everyone".
so...i dont own a 360. But im wondering whats the difference between this and the regular one? its cheaper so its called arcade?
It's a renamed Core (now with HDMI) with a wireless controller instead of a wired one and a disc with 5 games on it.
Thanks, chuck - that's what I was wondering; just exactly what are differences between this and the core!
Good sum up.
"AHHHHH" I said when the engadget homepage loaded and I saw the first headline...
Also, we haven't found out about thhe lego star wars and harry potter pictures we saw on the previous arcade post.
they are on the back of the box. The pictures are also on the back of the new premium package and the new elite package.
This one has no backwards compatibility if playing original xbox games are important to you.
Xbox games are barely available except for Halo anymore. It's probably OK to most.
Engadget, make a giveaway contest when the arcade is available.
Emmanuel's a true American Hero.
Does the 360 with the HDMI port do upscaling to HD 1080 with DVD playback?
If so how well does it do it?
Pretty sure the 360 does NOT upscale DVD's. I'm positive it doesn't upscale through component, although HDMI could potentially be different.
Yes, the 360 will upscale DVDs over HDMI and VGA.
What's the point?
But seriously, 70 bucks more and you get a hard drive. I don't know.
Get a hard drive, a headset and component cables but you lose the bundled games and a memory card. Those games are $35 (45 if pac man is not a demo).
Course, the premiums (and elites) are bundled with Forza 2 and Marvel UA. Depends on which games you prefer.
oh wow... that's pretty good i actually might get a 360 then. does the hard drive really have any important use anyways? or its just something you can live without?
If you are going to have LIVE, then you should really get a HD.
hmmm... does it have optical out?
The Xbox 360 *component* cable includes an optical-out jack. The jack is in the cable, which I believe the "Arcade" does not include.
I thought these are full versions of the arcade games mentioned, why does the box say it comes with "Five Trial Games"?
that is on top of the 5 full games you get in the disk. Since the card holds very little, downloading the trial versions of those games would kill most of its space, so they are included as well.
Ah, gotcha. Ok good to know, thanks.
Wow, Emanuel is my hero.
Not a bad deal, but I'd still fork over the extra $70 for a Premium. The HDD itself goes for about that online.
just wondering if you can save games via the usb port in the back with say a usb thumb drive or usb HDD. Ive read that you can hook up HDD's but every article i read makes it rather unclear on whether or not i can save games with it or if its only for playing media on the 360. I have a decent enough pc that i havent had any desire to buy a 360 to play new games, but if i can score one for around 250 i just may reconsider, but not if i have to shell out $$$ for a over priced HDD. come on $180 for a 120gb hard drive??? you can nearly buy a terabyte HDD for that much these day M$.
You cannot save to anything but an Xbox 360 Memory Card or HardDrive.
A terabyte 2.5" harddrive? No..
You could even buy a harddrive off of amazon anyways if you want one so much. It's only 89.99 with free shipping.
Will this piece of junk overheat on me?
Microsoft. Continuing to confuse and dupe mothers into thinking they got their child the correct holiday toy. Making kids "disbelievers" one Xbox at a time.
and you would suggest ..what instead? a ps3?
dad I want to play. shush, I'm watching my blu-ray on it.
;)
Simply wanted to poke at Microsoft's bid at attracting attention to parents at your local game store to inquire what the hell the xbox arcade is.
Kid wants Xbox. Puts it on holiday list.
Then mom takes list to store. Get Xbox. Hmm. Ill take the cheapest one. Plus, wow it comes with 5 games.
(MSFT) Xbox wants parents to think that this is a great deal, when in fact its a repackaged Core.
The point I am trying to make is that it is confusing and complicated to purchase systems w/ multiple configs.
Especially seeing the sticker on the front that precludes a good deal that you are getting five full titles. Seeing pac-man on the cover will definitely draw questions from the prudent customer, wondering....well why spend 349 when I can get this one for 279 and it comes with 5 games. Then asks clerk to help out. Then customer gets confused or buys it thinking its a good deal, takes it home, and kid is disappointed as they probably wanted a more expensive config / hard-drive.
It would be as if Apple put a sticker on the outside of an iPod promoting Brick Breaker and Parachute. Gotta be a better deal. Gotta get one.