By Joshua Ferris

The Xbox 360 Kinect comes as a standalone device and in bundles. The trouble is when you’re trying to choose a bundle it can be confusing as to which of the two bundles is right for you. To help you choose, here are a few differences between the two Kinect bundles:

Storage Space – The 250GB Xbox 360 Kinect bundle comes with substantially more space. Whether extra storage space is important to you depends on how you plan to use your Xbox. To start, if you’re going to buy movies, tv shows or music videos from the different Xbox Live marketplaces, you’ll absolutely want (and most likely need) the space.

There is also a games on demand section where you can download entire games like Grand Theft Auto 4 and Fuzion Frenzy to your hard drive. Full game downloads can often run around 2GB or more so if you think there is even a possibility that you’ll do this, go with the 250GB.

Style – More of a subjective thing, styling is slightly different between the two Kinect bundles. The 4GB bundle comes in the same sleek design as the larger drive Xbox 360 but it’s in a matte black finish. Compare that to the 250GB version which comes in a glossy, piano black-like finish and you’ll notice a difference. As mentioned, styling is purely subjective so whether it changes your purchase decision is up to you.

Owners report that the glossy Xbox looks more upscale but it’s worth noting that it also picks up fingerprints very easily making it a housekeeper’s nemesis in short order.

Kinect Port – If you have an original Xbox 360 (large hard drive is based on the left or top of the console, depending on how it’s positioned) you’ll need to plug your Kinect sensor into a wall to power it in addition to plugging it into a USB drive on the system itself. The new Kinect bundles, both 4GB and 250GB versions, have a Kinect port which means rather than having to plug your sensor into a wall outlet and a USB port, you can simply connect it to the exclusive port on the back of your console and it’ll both power and connect your sensor to the system.

Built-in WiFi – Something also worth noting about both bundles is the built-in wifi that comes with each Xbox 360. In previous generations you needed to add a wifi device to the back of the system in order to pick up wireless internet networks around the house. In the Kinect bundles that device is built into the Xbox itself so connecting is really as simple as punching in your wireless network password and signing on.

Regardless of which bundle you feel fits your lifestyle better, you still get the Kinect sensor and Kinect Adventures. The sensor comes in the same piano black finish as the 250GB model even if you purchase the 4GB bundle. On launch day there will be accessories available for both arrangements so you can make sure it fits in well with your current home theater setup.

About the Author: Josh Ferris is an Xbox enthusiast having tested games for Microsoft developers and moderating forums prior to the Xbox launch. You can learn more about Xbox 360 Kinect bundles and compare Kinect prices by visiting BuytheKinect.com.

Source: isnare.com

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