# 250GB vs. 4GB XBox 360



## Sasqui (Nov 12, 2010)

So what do you get and what can you do with the additional 246GB HDD space on an XBox 360 4GB vs. 250GB?  (other than the obvious $100 difference)

I've never even played on an XBox, so I haven't a clue.


----------



## MoonPig (Nov 12, 2010)

AFAIK, it's so you can save media and games to the hard-drive.

Apparently the games boot faster if installed to the HDD, not exactly worth the extra $100, imo.


----------



## Sasqui (Nov 12, 2010)

MoonPig said:


> AFAIK, it's so you can save media and games to the hard-drive.
> 
> Apparently the games boot faster if installed to the HDD, not exactly worth the extra $100, imo.



What kind of media?  If I do a Netflix subscription, does it buffer on the HDD, or can I save it???

Can you really install the games to the HDD?  I presume if so, you still need the disc to play.


----------



## Sasqui (Nov 12, 2010)

Double post, but I found this:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100806204203AAA6dyg

"...Honestly I know it seems like it would be a good idea to save a little money now and just get the 4gb but its not. The flash drives you list are $40-$50 each. So that's means you could only buy 2 16gb for $100, while you could just go ahead and get 250gb now for $100 extra. And the xbox will only support 32gb of external memory so if you wanted more than that you would be out of luck. I thought I would never use the space on my hard drive but I have used about 100gb so far. Once you start installing games to the hard drive(which takes usually 4gb-8gb of space each), downloading DLC, adding music, movies, etc. that space will go faster than you think. And often games has several discs requiring you to install one of them with the info that couldn't fit on the other. Forza 3 for example has 2 discs and to get the info to play you have to install the second to the hard drive which takes 3gb or so, if all you had was 4gb than you probably wouldn't have enough space for even that. Remember that system info and xbox live use some of your 4gb so its not really even a 4gb probably more like 2 which is enough for game saves and that's about it. Just save yourself the trouble and extra cost later and get the bigger hard drive now."


----------



## human_error (Nov 12, 2010)

I needed the 250gb - you can install games on the HDD so that the disk never spins up making noise (although on the new machines it's quiet anyway - it just makes it even quieter). DLC, XBLA games, buying or renting movies from zune marketplace allows you to save to HDD if your connection isn't fast enough to stream.

Other features such as recording multiplayer matches in halo: reach automatically use the HDD and creating custom maps in editors and everything all needs space - 4gb is fine if you just want to play games off a disk and save the saves on the machine - anything more and a bigger HDD is a must imo.


----------



## Sasqui (Nov 12, 2010)

human_error said:


> I needed the 250gb - you can install games on the HDD so that the disk never spins up making noise (although on the new machines it's quiet anyway - it just makes it even quieter). DLC, XBLA games, buying or renting movies from zune marketplace allows you to save to HDD if your connection isn't fast enough to stream.
> 
> Other features such as recording multiplayer matches in halo: reach automatically use the HDD and creating custom maps in editors and everything all needs space - 4gb is fine if you just want to play games off a disk and save the saves on the machine - anything more and a bigger HDD is a must imo.



Thanks... was also thinking the Live! features (like downloading a game) would require far much more than 4GB.

Wonder if anyone has hacked a 4GB Xbox slim to a bigger HDD?


----------



## bswavey (Nov 12, 2010)

Sasqui said:


> Thanks... was also thinking the Live! features (like downloading a game) would require far much more than 4GB.
> 
> Wonder if anyone has hacked a 4GB Xbox slim to a bigger HDD?



yeah, i took my 250GB (which is just a $36.00 Western Digital 250GB drive hacked with the necessary file structure) out of my previous gen 360's enclosure and put it into the hdd bay on my new 4GB Slim.  You can order the black case (that holds the 2.5 drive) from Deal Extreme for 9.95 shipped.


----------



## NdMk2o1o (Nov 12, 2010)

bswavey said:


> yeah, i took my 250GB (which is just a $36.00 Western Digital 250GB drive hacked with the necessary file structure) out of my previous gen 360's enclosure and put it into the hdd bay on my new 4GB Slim.  You can order the black case (that holds the 2.5 drive) from Deal Extreme for 9.95 shipped.



Great, will do this, my mrs is getting me a 4gb concole for Christmas I think.


----------



## Sasqui (Nov 12, 2010)

bswavey said:


> yeah, i took my 250GB (which is just a $36.00 Western Digital 250GB drive hacked with the necessary file structure) out of my previous gen 360's enclosure and put it into the hdd bay on my new 4GB Slim.  You can order the black case (that holds the 2.5 drive) from Deal Extreme for 9.95 shipped.



Dare I ask where you find info on setting up the HDD with the correct "structure"?


----------



## freaksavior (Nov 12, 2010)

Sasqui said:


> Dare I ask where you find info on setting up the HDD with the correct "structure"?



http://tinyurl.com/29rabzw


----------



## Sasqui (Nov 13, 2010)

freaksavior said:


> http://tinyurl.com/29rabzw



Problem is I don't have an existing 360 HD.  The only articles I could see there are for "swapping"

Scenario:  Purchase a HDD from Newegg.  Format/add needed structure, upgrade 4GB slim to 250GB... or beyond.


----------



## choppy (Nov 13, 2010)

i knows theres an existing issue , where with 4gb xboxes you cant play firefight on halo Reach , you need a proper hard drive. 

im not sure if it affects other games.


----------



## bswavey (Nov 13, 2010)

Sasqui said:


> Problem is I don't have an existing 360 HD.  The only articles I could see there are for "swapping"
> 
> Scenario:  Purchase a HDD from Newegg.  Format/add needed structure, upgrade 4GB slim to 250GB... or beyond.



Your scenario would be correct.....


----------



## bswavey (Nov 13, 2010)

http://digiex.net/guides-reviews/co...b-sata-drive-work-xbox-360-xbox-360-slim.html


----------



## Completely Bonkers (Dec 28, 2010)

Thanks for that link.  I just picked up an eggbox kinect for eggmas and only 4GB was available even though I had the extra EUR 50 for the 250GB version. So with the how-to I can now upgrade to the bigger drive. Thanks.


----------

