List of Xbox 360 retail configurations
The Xbox 360 video game console has appeared in various retail configurations during its life-cycle. At its launch, the Xbox 360 was available in two retail configurations: the morning "Xbox 360" package, priced at US$399.99 or £279.99, and the "Xbox 360 Core," priced at US$299.99 and £209.99. The original shipment of Xbox 360s included a cut-down version of the Media Remote as a promotion. The Elite package was launched later at a retail price of US$479.99. The "Xbox 360 Core" was replaced by the "Xbox 360 Arcade" in October 2007 and a 60 GB version of the Xbox 360 Pro was released on August 1, 2008. The Pro package was discontinued and marked down to US$249.99 on August 28, 2009 to be sold until stock ran out, while the Elite was also marked down in price to US$299.99. In June 2010, Microsoft announced a new, redesigned model and the discontinuation of the Elite and Arcade models.
Models
Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 included all the features of the Xbox 360 Core and included a hybrid composite/component cable with optional optical out instead of the composite A/V cable included with the Core. This model also included a detachable hard disk drive to store downloaded content, provide compatibility with original Xbox games, and store game data. The included hard drive came with game demos, video clips and a free Live Arcade game, Hexic HD. In July 2007, this version of the Xbox 360 began appearing with the Zephyr motherboard which features an HDMI output and an improved GPU heatsink. Although this model did include an HDMI output, it did not come with an HDMI cable. Starting at the end of September 2007, the newest systems were shipped with the new "Falcon" motherboard. This motherboard includes the new 65 nm CPUs, making them quieter and cooler than the older systems. On August 1, 2008, the 20 GB version was discontinued and was replaced by a 60 GB HDD model at the same price. Holiday 2007 consoles were bundled with Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Holiday 2008 consoles were bundled with Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Kung Fu Panda. Price cuts that took effect on September 4, 2008 reduced the price from $349.99 to $299.99. The Xbox 360 configuration, following its discontinuation, retailed for $250 until stocks were exhausted.Xbox 360 Core
The Xbox 360 Core was an entry level Xbox 360 which was later replaced with the "Arcade". Although available at launch in other regions, it was not available in Japan until November 2, 2006. The Core system came bundled with a composite video cable, capable of only SDTV resolutions. The console was however capable of the same HDTV resolutions as the other models when connected to a separately sold component/d-terminal cable. In October 2006, 1080p support was added for all models in a system update, including the "Core" using either the component/d-terminal cable, or the new VGA cable. It also has a white disc tray that matches the console, while it may also utilize a separately sold Xbox 360 hard disk drive. Unlike all other SKUs, it shipped with a wired version of the Xbox 360 controller, instead of the wireless version found in other SKUs.Xbox 360 Arcade
The Xbox 360 Arcade replaced the Xbox 360 Core as the entry-level Xbox 360 on September 20, 2007, while retaining the Core's price of US$279.99. It was publicly revealed by Microsoft's president of Entertainment Devices division Robbie Bach to the Financial Times on October 18, 2007, and officially announced on October 22, 2007, although it was available in stores far earlier. It included a wireless controller, a composite A/V cable, an HDMI output, a 256 MB memory unit and five Xbox Live Arcade titles: Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship Edition, and Uno on a single disc, which also included a "Welcome Video" and several game trailers and demos. Like its predecessor the "Core", it has a white disc tray, and may utilize a separately sold Xbox 360 hard disk drive, which is required for Xbox software backwards compatibility. The main difference between the Arcade and the Core is that the Arcade has an HDMI port, while the Core doesn't. In Fall 2008, with the introduction of the Jasper motherboard revision, the memory unit was removed from the package and replaced with a 256 MB internal memory chip. This was later upgraded to a 512 MB chip in Summer 2009. Holiday 2008 consoles were bundled with Sega Superstars Tennis. With the price cuts on September 4, 2008, the Arcade fell from US$279 to US$199 in the US. In the UK, with the 2009 Elite price drop and discontinuation of the Pro SKU, the Arcade price rose from £129.99 to £159.99. With the announcement of the new 4 GB Xbox 360 model, the Arcade dropped in price to US$149.99 for remaining units until stocks are exhausted.Xbox 360 Elite
The Xbox 360 Elite included a 120 GB hard drive and a matte black finish. The Elite retail package also included a controller and headset that match the system's black finish. All Elites made before September 2009 also came with a component HD A/V cable and an HDMI cable. The initial release price was US$479.99, C$549.99, £299.99, and A$729.95. The Elite was released in North America on April 29, 2007, Europe on August 24, 2007, and Australia on August 30, 2007. These Elites can be identified from earlier versions by a re-designed power connector and a power supply rated to 175 W. In 2009, Elite models using the Jasper motherboard became available. These can also be identified by their power supply, which is rated at 150W and has a 12.1A 12v rail. Holiday 2007 consoles were bundled with Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Holiday 2008 consoles were bundled with Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Kung Fu Panda. Holiday 2009 consoles were bundled with Lego Batman and Pure. The Elite's price tag was cut from $449 to $399 on September 4, 2008. With the announcement of the new 250 GB Xbox 360 model, the Elite dropped in price to US$249.99 for remaining units until stocks were exhausted.Xbox 360 S
Technically designated the Xbox 360 S, commonly known as the Xbox 360 Slim, and marketed simply as the Xbox 360; these Xbox 360 consoles are based on a redesign of the Xbox 360 hardware which was officially announced on June 14, 2010 during a press briefing prior to that year's E3. It was speculated that a complete redesign of the Xbox 360 hardware was being produced after pictures of a possible new motherboard design surfaced on March 17, 2010. Ads later surfaced on June 13, 2010 showing a slimmer Xbox 360 design, which was expected to include a 250 GB hard drive and integrated Wi-Fi functionality.The console's casing is revised in comparison to the previous models, with a glossy black finish and capacitive power and eject buttons. Sounds are played when the power is turned on or off and when the disc tray is opened or closed. The internal hardware was redesigned using a new motherboard codenamed "Valhalla", which integrates the CPU, GPU, and eDRAM into a single package using a 45 nm fabrication process. As the CPU and GPU are integrated into the same die, they may also share the same heatsink and fan, which reduces the console's noise output, and its power consumption by roughly half in comparison to the original Xenon motherboard. The S has two additional rear USB ports, as well as a proprietary port used to connect the Kinect sensor.
The motherboard has an integrated 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi adapter, and a TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio connector. The S no longer includes Memory Unit slots; USB drives can alternatively be used to expand storage. The external hard disk drive connector has also been swapped for an internal bay for use with a proprietary hard drive. The hard drive bay is designed such that a specially formatted 2.5" hard drive may be loaded in. Data can be transferred from a previous console using a USB transfer cable sold separately. If removed from its casing, a hard drive from a previous generation Xbox 360 can be implanted into the drive bay instead of purchasing a hard drive branded for use with the new model.
Unlike previous generations of the console which had names to distinguish different SKUs, the new models' retail units were branded by their internal storage capacity in a similar fashion to the various models of its main competitor the PlayStation 3. When the first new models began to ship, remaining stock of the Elite package dropped in price to US$249.99 or A$349 and the Arcade dropped to US$149.99.
The first Xbox 360 S SKU revealed included a 250 GB hard drive and its casing featured a glossy black finish. It was shipped to US retailers the same day it was announced and went on sale later that week. It was released in Australia on July 1, 2010, in New Zealand on July 8, 2010 and in Europe on July 16, 2010. It retails at US$299.99, £199.99, A$449.00, NZ$499.00 or €249.00, replacing the Xbox 360 Elite at that price point.
A second SKU which included 4 GB of internal flash storage and had a matte black casing was released on August 3, 2010 in the US and August 20, 2010 in Europe. It replaced the Xbox 360 Arcade and is priced at US$199.99, £149.99 or €199.99. Although this model has onboard storage, Xbox Product Director Aaron Greenberg confirmed that it does have a drive bay which Microsoft has "the opportunity to use in the future". On August 20, 2010, Microsoft announced a 250 GB stand-alone hard drive for use with Xbox 360 S models priced at US$129.99.
In August 2011, Microsoft announced they would be streamlining their models by discontinuing the glossy finish and that future 250 GB consoles would use the matte finish found on 4 GB models.