
Microsoft Software - Microsoft Software
Xbox 360
Release date: 2007-04-17
Video Game




The only saving graces for this and other M$ Xbox 360 storage options are:
- It lets you save Xbox Live Marketplace content and Game Saves
- If you plan on using the Netflix movie service with your Xbox 360, you'll need this device to store the movies and television shows. The typical 20GB drive may store one season's worth of standard definition TV shows at the very most.
Otherwise, it really isn't worth the money considering how little storage you get for the price. It and other M$ branded storage products are the ONLY solutions to save Xbox Live content and Game Saves. Other options require either violating a warranty due to hacking the drive and storing its content onto your PC, or having your Xbox 360 banned from Xbox Live for tampering/hacking. For the same price, you could get double, triple, or even quadruple the storage capacity via USB-based storage drives. Other consoles such as the PS3 and Wii allow you to use various other non-proprietary, industry-standards-based storage options, such as USB drives and SD memory cards to store game saves and other downloadable content. No reason M$ can't do the same.
If you're a die-hard Xbox Live junkie that downloads a lot of demos, movies, Xbox Live Arcade games, perhaps might even dabble with the XNA game creation feature, etc., then you already have this drive and accepted the fact that M$ has won and taken your money. If you're much more casual, perhaps only storing game saves and a movie or two, then buy the 20GB model and save yourself the money for now.
Normally if you buy a 120gb BRAND-NEW, you wont have to worry about this issue, but IF you buy a USED hard drive from one of the other vendors on this site you NEED to make sure what type of hard drive your getting.
There are two types; the black one that comes with the elite 360 and the chrome/silver one that is sold independently.
The Silver one should come with the data migration kit that allows you to transfer all your memory from your 20gb hard drive to your new one. MAKE SURE THAT THE VENDOR INCLUDES THIS CABLE or you will be up a very deep creek without a BOAT.
You can only get a Black hard drive used if someone were to sell their hard drive from the elite 360 (a rare occurrence, but it happened to me). This hard drive wont come with a data migration cable at all UNLESS the previous owner received one from Microsoft. ONCE AGAIN, MAKE SURE THAT THE HARD DRIVE YOU BUY HAS A CABLE WITH IT or you will be unable to transfer your data from old hard drive to new.
Microsoft can offer to send you a free migration kit, but that's ONLY IF YOU FILL OUT A FORM AND SUPPLY THE SERIAL NUMBERS OF YOUR OLD 360 AND THE NEW ELITE 360 YOU JUST BOUGHT. Bought a used hard drive and not a elite 360? Plum out of luck, cause you can't get one from Microsoft unless you supply that information. You could buy one off eBay, but they usually go for upwards $10-$15 IF YOUR LUCKY, $20-$40 IF YOU'RE NOT.
Right now I'm looking for a Data Migration Cable because i didn't have the knowledge I'm giving you all right now. Either buy the 120gb Hard drive NEW and guarantee you'll get the cable with your purchase, OR GET IN TOUCH WITH THE USED HARD DRIVE SELLER AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A CABLE TO SEND WITH THE HARD DRIVE THEY'RE SELLING. DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID.
I initially became interested in hard drive expansion because I keep running out of space. I had downloaded all the Dead Space animated comics (pretty cool btw) but each of them are pretty hefty in size. I have a couple Xbox Originals stored on there and some demos of upcoming games I want to play etc. I figured I could grab some extra storage for around $75. I thought "Hey, it's just a proprietary drop-in hard drive. It can't be that expensive..."
Holy crap this is outrageous! Let me put this into perspective: For a mere $120 more you can buy a completely new xbox 360 pro. Granted it'll have 100g less storage capacity, but I find it hard to believe that this little hard drive costs over half as much as it does for an entire 360 system with controller. Seriously, I'll save the money and just delete stuff and redownload it when I want to play/watch it.