[RS @ Oct 14th 2007 8:05PM]

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!

[Fenway Beer Man @ Oct 14th 2007 8:11PM]

ummm... it's $70 CHEAPER?

[kev @ Oct 14th 2007 9:26PM]

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.

[Michael @ Oct 14th 2007 8:30PM]

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?

[Sneakz @ Oct 14th 2007 8:39PM]

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.

[Grant @ Oct 14th 2007 8:39PM]

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

[k-g @ Oct 14th 2007 9:06PM]

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.

[Super_Trey_Bros @ Oct 15th 2007 10:01AM]

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.