Different Types of Xbox 360

The Microsoft Xbox 360 console is the successor to the original Xbox, and the types of Xbox 360 consoles have taken video games and the gaming experience to a whole new level. The high level of graphics and the many interactive features of the console have made it a well-known name in the market of video game consoles all around the world. Direct competitors of the Xbox 360 include the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii.

More than 45 million units of the Xbox 360 have been sold since its first launch in May 2005 as a successor to the Microsoft Xbox. The reason for this popularity are the vast number of video game titles that are available for the platform, and also the ability to download game demos, music videos, movie trailers and other content from the online store. The single biggest advantage of the Xbox 360 over its rivals though, is the Xbox Live feature.

Through Xbox Live you can create an online avatar of yourself and play a wide variety of multiplayer games online. You can play these games against players from any corner of the world, and the exclusivity and the integration of this feature is the one quality that stands out over all its peers.

Types of Xbox 360 Consoles

Every year at the E3 presentation (Electronic Entertainment Expo) Microsoft releases some new update or development regarding this video game console. At this years conference, held in June, the new Xbox 360 S was released. Today this is the only model of the console that is in production, and all earlier models have been stopped. This model is slimmer than the previous models as also makes lesser noise, which was a major complaint that users of the older models had.

When we start exploring different types of Xbox 360 consoles, we find that a few models have come and gone as time has passed by. With that in mind, let's look at some of the previous models that have graced our lives in the past.

The Xbox 360 Core
This was an entry-level video game console, and it was also known as the Xbox 360 Arcade. This was the original Xbox 360 that was touted as the successor to the Xbox, and it certainly took the world by storm. It allowed the gamer to get 1080i HDTV output when coupled with an external HDMI cable. Pretty soon 1080p resolution was also supported, and the console is recognizable due to the wired controller and an external hard drive for the Xbox 360 that it came bundled with.

The Xbox 360 Pro
Also known as the Xbox 360 Premium, this console came with a lot of changes and new features in 2007. The biggest upgrade over earlier types of Xbox 360 was the hard drive, which was now expanded to 60GB, over the previous 20GB. Other improvements were the wireless controllers, the wired headsets and the hybrid video cable included in the box. The processor also saw an upgrade from the 'Zephyr' to the 'Falcon'. You must know that the Pro version was also sold in 2005 along with the Core version, but soon all other models were discontinued and only the Pro was left with its 60GB hard drive upgrade.

The Xbox 360 Elite
The Elite model was also released in 2007, and it came in a matte black finish, compared to the matte white finish of the earlier models. The hard drive was upgraded again and it now came with 120GB space. This was further extended in 2009 to 250GB, and this version came to be known as the Xbox 360 Super Elite. Another major change was in the power supply to the console, which enabled it to cool down faster. The Super Elite model came in the previously seen matte white finish, and a lot of limited edition types of Xbox 360 consoles bundled with some notable Xbox 360 games were released in the year 2009.

The Xbox 360 Arcade
The Arcade was released in 2007, and it was merely a continuation of the entry-level Xbox 360 Core. The difference was that there was no external hard drive, and only an internal flash memory was included, along with the now famous wireless controllers. The reason for this was that the console was much cheaper than the other models which came with additional storage space, and thus the games could only be used for playing Xbox Live Arcade games. This model is produced even today under the name Xbox 360 S Arcade, and it comes with 4GB internal flash memory.

The Xbox 360 S
The latest version comes with a matte black finish, and a much slimmer design than before. The memory available is 250GB, though you can get the 4GB Arcade version for a much lower price. Integrated Wi-Fi connectivity is another added feature, and this just makes online gaming all the more fun. Other changes like additional USB ports, integrated hard disk, one cooling fan (compared to two in the earlier models), touch sensitive buttons and compatibility with Microsoft Kinect (the new motion sensing platform) are some features that this the best amongst all the Xbox 360 types released so far.

All these types of Xbox 360 consoles have an interesting story behind them, and each subsequent model brought something new to the market, in the form of hardware and video games titles. The Xbox 360 is synonymous with high-end gaming today, and it is easily one of the most recognizable brands in this extremely lucrative and steadily growing market segment.