So I'm thinking of getting an XBox 360. But do I buy the Arcade or the Pro?

The Arcade is much cheaper but does not include an HDD. I can buy that separately but I'd have to go without initially. The Pro comes with an HDD but also comes with games I don't necessarily want to play, and is more expensive.

What is the opinion(s) of my fellow Escapists?

no nowadays you NEED A HARDDRIVE, if your strapped for cash buy a used one from gamestop, 20 gb's for 60 bucks.

If you're going to get the hard drive eventually, you're better off buying the Pro in the long run. It comes with the drive and with the wireless controller (instead of the wired one in the Arcade bundle) and it also comes with the HD-compatible component cables (that'll work with SD and HD sets, whereas the Arcade's cabling just supports SD) in the box.

Besides, if you're going to subscribe to Xbox Live you'll need the hard drive just to sign up.

-- Steve

Anton P. Nym:
If you're going to get the hard drive eventually, you're better off buying the Pro in the long run. It comes with the drive and with the wireless controller (instead of the wired one in the Arcade bundle) and it also comes with the HD-compatible component cables (that'll work with SD and HD sets, whereas the Arcade's cabling just supports SD) in the box.

Besides, if you're going to subscribe to Xbox Live you'll need the hard drive just to sign up.

-- Steve

Yeah pretty much this.

The pro is the way to go (Rhyming not intended). Even if you don't want the games that come with it, take 'em to a pawn shop or Gamestop (Game specific pawn shop) and get some money back! Done and done.

Anton P. Nym:
If you're going to get the hard drive eventually, you're better off buying the Pro in the long run. It comes with the drive and with the wireless controller (instead of the wired one in the Arcade bundle) and it also comes with the HD-compatible component cables (that'll work with SD and HD sets, whereas the Arcade's cabling just supports SD) in the box.

Besides, if you're going to subscribe to Xbox Live you'll need the hard drive just to sign up.

-- Steve

Seconded. My buddy bought the arcade and regretted going through the hassle of getting the other hard drive (cuz he was strapped for cash) and hated the wired controller...

Anton P. Nym:
It comes with the drive and with the wireless controller (instead of the wired one in the Arcade bundle) ...

The current Arcade bundle actually does come with a wireless controller now. The main difference now is the component/optical cables and the hard drive.

I'd still suggest the Pro simply to have the hard drive though - they really shouldn't ever have been optional.

Virgil:

Anton P. Nym:
It comes with the drive and with the wireless controller (instead of the wired one in the Arcade bundle) ...

The current Arcade bundle actually does come with a wireless controller now. The main difference now is the component/optical cables and the hard drive.

Hunh. I didn't notice the change... is that recent, or have I been "old-cooting" my advice for a while? ("I remember when you had to actually get up out of yer chair to turn on the console...")

-- Steve

Now I would honestly suggest spending a bit more and getting the Elite. Hard drive space is useful now that you can install games to the drive well worth having the extra space and buying the elite works out much cheaper than buying any other edition and then getting the 120gb drive and HDMI cable etc.

Makes sense to buy the elite. And they aren't that much more now.

Anton P. Nym:

Hunh. I didn't notice the change... is that recent, or have I been "old-cooting" my advice for a while? ("I remember when you had to actually get up out of yer chair to turn on the console...")

-- Steve

That made me laugh.

And I too will jump on this band waggon. The Pro is almost a must. I'm not sure but I think that it has a 120GB HDD. Is this right? If it is a bigger HDD, it could be very helpful with the new feature of downloading games to your hard drive. I have very easily filled my 20GB drive with game updates, map packs and one downloaded game.

I would suggest the Pro mainly for the hard drive. You'll need it if you ever want to do anything online (ex. Downloads, DLC, etc.). I just recently bought an Arcade but only because my Pro crapped out on me just past the warranty date and the Hard Drive was still good so all I had to do was install the old hard drive onto the Arcade.

Anton P. Nym:
Hunh. I didn't notice the change... is that recent, or have I been "old-cooting" my advice for a while?

I think it happened with the newest bundles - about the same time they upgraded the Pro to include the 60gb hard drive. I just got an Arcade unit a few weeks ago, and it included a wireless controller.

wgreer25:
The Pro is almost a must. I'm not sure but I think that it has a 120GB HDD. Is this right?

The Pro unit includes a 60gb drive now instead of the 20gb. The Elite has the 120gb. Even with Rock Band, the destroyer of HDD capacity, I'm not even close to using 60gb yet.