Because Microsoft want to invest more in the XBLA content but the people who bought the arcade 360 (which comes without hard drive) dont have anyware to download it to.
" Yeah, but normally it takes a long time for the game to install, and I'm not sure their is any difference in load times or anything like that. "
well if there was no difference in the load times. Why would they even let you install it? "
They let you install every game, regardless of if the load times will actually improve. Most will improve, but then there's the Halo 3's of the world that may actually get worse. Also, reduced disc spinning noise is a good reason for any game.
Actually: 1) The install/load times will depend on the usb drive (or extrenal HDD) that you are using. Some will be just as fast as the standard HDD. 2) You install so the disc doesn't spin constantly (which is good for me since my 360 is on my desk about 2 feet from me rather than across the room). 3) Not ALL 360 games will install - well, maybe, Crackdown used to be in this category, but it can be installed now with a new title update (done so they could put it in Games on Demand, I'd guess).
The PNY 16GB Attache drive I have seems to be (and was tested elsewhere to be) just as fast as the HDD.
There were some tests done when the feature went live and a few drives were found to be faster. They all load about the same since it's somewhat governed by the game and the USB data rate, but installing speed actually differed quite a bit. Some drives took 5 minutes, where others took 20 minutes, making the one you choose important. Install speed might not be that big an issue since you usually let it run while you do something else, but again if your 360 is a relic, you don't like to leave it on any longer than you have to.
That being said, it's really only useful if you don't want to drop money on a big HDD, especially if you're on an old unit that's going to blow up anyway. Like the above person, I've got a launch 360, it's noisy as hell and has a tiny 20gb hdd. I'm not about to drop $120 on a new 250gb hdd for a system that's a ticking time bomb. I need the room to install games though since I have quite a few DLC packs, XBLA games, updates and the NXE taking up my meager 20gb hdd - and I want to limit the amount of wear on my system by not having the drive spinning generating heat, vibrations, and the fact that the drive is old as well.
So I bought 2 16gb usb thumbdrives to allow me to install a few games and have content on my hdd without constantly having to delete and redownload all the time. This is especially useful for games that you play for extended periods, like Mass Effect, RDR, and Fallout, since you can play for hours without that blasted drive spinning like a vacuum cleaner - also making for a more enjoyable game with less noise.
One last point, after the 360 becomes last gen and we're into the next wave of hardware, those USB drives can be used for normal computing needs, whereas a 250gb 360 hdd will be a doorstop.
thanks for your thought duke, i have a 2008 360 but i dont want to buy a hdd because like you said, when it's next generation the hdd wont be worth anything. looking for the cheapest 16gb or 2 8gbs i can find.
Also worth noting, any installed games will be tethered to the Xbox you installed it to. So if you think you can install it to a USB drive, take it to your friends house, and quickly jump into a game on his Xbox, you're going to be disappointed.
" Also worth noting, any installed games will be tethered to the Xbox you installed it to. So if you think you can install it to a USB drive, take it to your friends house, and quickly jump into a game on his Xbox, you're going to be disappointed. "
" Also worth noting, any installed games will be tethered to the Xbox you installed it to. So if you think you can install it to a USB drive, take it to your friends house, and quickly jump into a game on his Xbox, you're going to be disappointed. "
Really? Even if you bring the disc? "
Yup. I have to install a game on both xboxes, then carry my profile on a USB stick. Don't know if being online changes anything, my bedroom 360 is offline.
This is exactly the info I've been looking for, thanks GB boards!
Living in Canada, we don't have a lot of use for xbox storage (unless you want to load your entire collection to the HD) so to save some cash, I'm replacing my recently red ringed 360 with a 4 gig redesigned model and just popping in a 16 gig flash drive or two.
Another question, how do you get the data from a red ringed 360 hd to a new redesigned model? Does the transfer cable interact directly with the hd or do you need two working systems to do this? I suppose I could try toweling it for just enough life to pull my data, but that's a last resort.
" Also worth noting, any installed games will be tethered to the Xbox you installed it to. So if you think you can install it to a USB drive, take it to your friends house, and quickly jump into a game on his Xbox, you're going to be disappointed. "
Really? Even if you bring the disc? "
Yup. I have to install a game on both xboxes, then carry my profile on a USB stick. Don't know if being online changes anything, my bedroom 360 is offline. "
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