Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #105 in Video Games
• Brand: Microsoft
• Model: XGX-00055
• Released on: 2009-04-03
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Dimensions: 7.40" h x 11.40" w x 12.60" l, 13.20 pounds

Features

• A central hub in Xbox 360 for all your music, photos, video, TV, DVDs, CDs, digital pictures Media Center PC content and more.
• Everything that players need to get their game on with Xbox 360 including: a Xbox 360 Arcade console, a Xbox 360 wireless controller, 256MB of storage and Xbox 360 Composite A/V cable.
• Free Silver subscription to Xbox LIVE, Xbox 360's online gaming and digital entertainment portal.
• A one-month free trial subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold, where players can revel in the Xbox 360 community, download games and video, engage in online multiplayer gaming 24-hours a day, and much more.
• The ability to stream Netflix video on demand right from your Xbox 360 in seconds (requires a LIVE Gold subscription and a Netflix unlimited account).

Customer Reviews

Helpful review
By the title, I mean no offense to other reviewers, but when I was looking to purchase a new console, there was several questions not answered in the reviews. So, hopefully this can help someone, maybe a parent looking to buy for their child, a new console.

You can glance at my reviews and see that I'm completely lost in the last generation. I've held onto my PS2 like it was my security blanket. I'm not completely impressed with the current generation consoles trying to sell me on things that have no interest to me. I don't care about a DVD player of any kind. Blu-Ray, HD, phooey, I'm here for the games. Don't care about the online games. I go back to the Sega Dreamcast era of online console gaming. I remember the countless hours spent on dial-up access playing Phantasy Star Online. Of course, we dealt with the Gameshark modders that made weapons ten times better than any of us had found in the game, players who PK'd each other and stole your rare items. So, I have no interest, now in my 30s, to re-visit that frustration again.

I do however like the idea of downloadable content, especially the expansion pack type downloads, like with Grand Theft Auto IV. But, that's not of my concern for now. Once I saw the price drop below 200, I figured it was time to grab one of these and try it out for myself. The Red of Ring of Death isn't so much a concern to me either. I went through 6 Sega Dreamcasts and 4 PS2s. It isn't like this is the first console to have some problems.

Ok, I ordered this, this past week. The console I received has the Jasper in it. For those not in the know, not that I am really, it is just a codename for the chipset. Jasper currently is the newest one and is supposed to be more efficient and less likely to have technical problems.

I was happy to see that Microsoft includes a wireless controller with this budget model. I don't care about buying batteries. I was already doing that for the PS2 third party Logitech controller. No big deal. They do have a battery pack that can be charged that I will look into in a month or so, but just pop 2 AA batteries (2 Energizers included) in and start playing.

My biggest question was about the hard drive/memory cards. I actually went to a local well-known video game store that has the word stop in it. The guy absolutely baffled me. He was too busy trying to explain to me that the 360 has x amount of failure rate and blah-blah-blah. You must be kidding me? I tried an electronics store, but the lady working pretty much told me that she knew very little about the 360, but could sell me an HDTV to hook it up to.

I finally just bought the console without any understanding of the hard drive/memory card. So, now, I'm going to put it plain English, because I know there is some parent out there that is pulling their hair out trying to wade through the PS3/360 arguments to find out about the hard drive.

This model of the 360 on this very page has 512 internal memory in it. If you're familiar with the last generation Xbox. This one is similar to it in terms of memory being built in. If not, all it means is that there is pretty much a memory card installed in this console. You don't get all 512 MB though, memory may not be serving me perfectly here, but it was in the 320 MB free range. I guess they've installed something on the rest of it.

To give you an idea of how much memory that is, I only bought one game for now, GTA IV. It has taken up 1 MB. I'm sure other games are much higher, believe someone said the Forza racing game is around 40 MB. But, that is still not knocking a dent in 320. Mainly what I'm saying, I'll get a hard drive eventually, but you don't have to have one to get started. Also, when you do go to look for a HDD, check out that well-known auction site. I've seen them selling for 60 for 120 GB. But no, you don't have to have one to get started.

If your intentions are to play online, then it would be recommended to get a hard drive ASAP. I usually play 1-2 games at a time. No rush to beat them, and enjoy them fully, so a hard drive is only needed in my case to get the downloadable content.

The power cord with this particular model uses only 150 watts, which I believe is 30-50 watts less than past versions of the 360. It comes with the basic A/V cables too. No HDMI, but if you're like me, you're not playing games on a HDTV, so who cares about the HDMI?

If you get the feeling that I feel pushed into this current generation of games, you're right! I can only play God of War so many times. And not to worry immature ones, I have one of those slim PS3s pre-ordered, so this is hardly a biased review.

My thoughts so far on this console. I was shocked at how good the graphics are. I really didn't think there was a big difference between last generation and the current generation, but I can see now that there is. One of my neighbors brought over the NCAA 10, and the difference between it and my PS2 NCAA 10 is like night and day. I'm one of the strange ones that prefers the 360 controller. I have big hands, it fits well, and I like the layout of their analog controllers better than the Sony controllers, though I guess is isn't a big difference. The controller is nice though. Hardly no noise level and no heating up. So, so far, the Jasper must be doing its job. Overall, I'm very pleased with it and at least feel positive about this generation of consoles, as can be seen by pre-ordering the PS3 slim.

I just wish Sony and Microsoft would stop worrying about everything beyond games. We've got a Blu-Ray DVD player, three computers that are used on the internet. Just focus on those games! Hopefully this review will help those like me that can't wade through the arguments, and helps someone out there.

It is Jasper, hope it works.
::EDIT; Even though this is still recorded for me as the version I purchased, and it has the "Newest" sticker, the descriptor no longer includes the 512MB line on it. I don't know if this means Amazon is recycling the older units in now for this order set, if they are doing that then that means my review cannot be relied upon and you may end up with a older chip. If they stick that 512MB label back on though then you are good to go.::

***

I am not going to go into the merits of a 360 ownership on this review. Rather this is geared for the gamer who has a orphaned HDD at home looking for a new 360 to be connected to, but they are afraid until they know they are going to get a Jasper.

After my fourth 360 died, this time out of warranty, I promised myself that I would never buy another one again while glaring hatefully at the number of games coming out in the next few months.

Friends had mentioned the mythical Jasper chip to me but due to the sentiment being that you are pretty much having a crap shoot on whether you would get one or not, no matter what SKU you ordered, I sat quietly and pined for a new form of entertainment.

Then I saw this product and knew everything would be safe for me to purchase it. Despite what some others are saying the 360 Arcade 512 MB version is always going to be a Jasper. Previous models had a smaller internal memory and you are stuck hoping that the model in the box was made after the Jasper date. With a 512 MB you are always getting a Jasper as that is what they are built with, there is no backlog.

One note , something that caused me to cry out in my office in fear as I opened the brown Amazon shipping box, is that the actual 360 packaging still says 256 MB on it. I am pretty sure I need to invoice them for a gray hair on that one.

Sure enough the inside held a lovely 512 MB unit. After a few days it seems to be working fine, of course my last one worked fine until a month out of warranty so who knows.

I am sticking with 4 stars on my review though as even though I love my 360 and the entertainment it has brought me, and even though all 5 consoles combined are still cheaper than any gaming PC I would of built, this is still my FIFTH 360.

I honestly question my sanity in buying this one and can't help but have a small twinge of fear every time I go to power it on that it will glare back at me with a red eye.

The sixth time is a charm...right?
This review is in reference to the 512 MB Jasper chipset Arcade XBox 360..

This is a very good strategy for Microsoft to push the newer Jasper chipset through the "Arcade" pipeline...first. It makes sense that MS would make a barebones version available to those who are currently experiencing the RRoD and do not want to ship off their console to McAllen, TX to only end up receiving someone elses refurbished headache.

Why not offer the the new chipset for for lowest price point SKU? Most everyone had bought either the Pro or Elite versions and already have component cables and headset. The only thing needed would be a reliable console.

MS is simply pushing the older chipsets (Xenon, Zephyr and Falcon) through the Pro and Elite SKU's to clear those inventories before releasing the more efficient Jasper in the more expensive versions.

Just look at it as a way for MS to throttle you in a new way with their poor design and manufacturing processes. If this doesn't work, you can always wait for future chipset Valhalla/Opus.

By the way...whoever thought the Jasper would allow the 360 to run quieter was just fooling themself (and us). The only way that can happen is to install and play the game from the HDD. That is highly unlikely if you have a large library of games that you play frequently and you have limited space on the HDD. Here's to hoping the rumors are true of a 1TB HDD to store all of your media.