What Is the Difference Between the XBox 360 Console & the XBox 360 Arcade?
Microsoft's Xbox 360 console comes in two basic flavors: Elite and Arcade. While the basic hardware is the same, there are key differences that set these two versions apart and ultimately appeal to two different types of gamers.
Other People Are Reading
-
Price
-
The biggest difference between the two consoles is their price. The Elite comes in at $299, positioning itself as a competitor against Sony's Playstation 3. The Arcade comes in at price point of $199. This lower price is perfect for gamers on a budget and positions the console alongside Nintendo's lower priced Wii.
Storage
-
The Elite version comes with a 120 GB hard drive, which is more than enough space to hold a good portion of the wealth of content available on Xbox Live. The Arcade, on the other hand, comes standard with a 256 MB memory card, which is enough space to carry game saves, but will fill up fast with pictures, videos and games. However, the Arcade can be upgraded with the purchase of a hard drive.
-
Included Accesories
-
Both systems come with a wireless controller and both come with composite AV cables. The Elite version comes standard with a wired headset used for communication with friends over Xbox Live. It also comes with an Ethernet cable, which allows the Xbox to connect to Xbox Live. The Arcade version does not come with the headset or the Ethernet cable, but both can be purchased as an extra at any time.
Colors and Bundles
-
A black Xbox 360 Elite The Elite version comes in an all-black finish with a matching black controller. The Arcade comes in standard white. A limited-edition Modern Warfare 2 Elite is available that comes with 2 black controllers, a 250 GB hard drive, and is bundled with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. There are no Arcade bundles.
Backwards Compatibility
-
The Elite version is backward compatible with over 400 original Xbox titles. Since backward compatibility is only possible with the use of a hard drive, the Arcade version is not backward compatible unless a hard drive is added.
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Justin Baeder Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Michel Ngilen
