Key Difference: Xbox is a sixth generation video game console device and made its debut in 2001 in North America. Xbox360 debuted in the year 2005 as the successor to Xbox and it falls in the category of seventh generation. Both are products of Microsoft. The key difference between them is the addition of advanced features in the Xbox360 as compared to Xbox. Xbox was released to compete with Sony’s Playstation 2, Ninetendo’s GameCube etc. and Xbox360 was launched to compete with Sony’s Playstation 3 and similar devices. Both have seen the ups and down of the gaming industry and Microsoft with its experience has recently unleashed Xbox1 that is being described as “all in one entertainment system”.

Xbox is a sixth generation video game console device and made its debut in 2001 in North America. Xbox360 debuted in the year 2005 as the successor to Xbox and it falls in the category of seventh generation. Both are products of Microsoft. The key difference between them is the addition of advanced features in the Xbox360 as compared to Xbox. Xbox was released to compete with Sony’s Playstation 2, Ninetendo’s GameCube etc. and Xbox360 was launched to compete with Sony’s Playstation 3 and similar devices.

Xbox live service with Xbox enabled users to play games online with a broadband connection whereas Xbox live service allows users to compete online, watch T.V. shows, music and movies and apart from similar services it also enables access to various third party media streaming applications. Xbox live required a subscription for Xbox whereas in Xbox360 this service comes integrated. Xbox360 uses a custom, version of IBM’s Power PC chip whereas original Xbox used Intel chips. Thus, Xbox360 has a greater speed compared to Xbox.

Xbox360 contains 512 MB Ram just eight times more than the memory in original Xbox.  Xbox360 is equipped with wireless controllers; whereas this facility was not available in original Xbox. Xbox360 also provides controller free gaming (Kinect) which means full body play.  Unlike Xbox, Xbox360 includes an Ethernet networking port and has two USB ports on the front and one on the back in order to connect to devices like iPod, a Sony PSP or any other compatible digital device. Microsoft Xbox uses 233 MHz nVidia NV2A  and Microsoft Xbox360 uses 500 MHz ATI Xenos for the graphics. Microsoft with its little experience in the field of gaming industry released its Xbox, at that time very few expected it to be a successful gaming console but later with the launch of Halo: combat evolved- a game it picked up the sales very fast. Later it utilized the experience gained form its experience with Xbox and launched Xbox360. Xbox360 had also seen much advancement and seems to be evolving with time. Xbox360 Core lacked a hard drive and was not at all compatible with titles from Xbox. Xbox360 20 GB Pro paved path for playing games in High definition but a problem called as red ring of death finally crashed the console. Later Xbox360 Arcade was launched with 256 MB internal memory and later upgraded to 512 MB. Then Xbox360 Elite was released with 120 GB hard drive succeeded by Xbox360 Super Elite equipped with 250 GB hard drive. Finally Xbox slim was introduced having built-in WIFI.

Image Courtesy: Xbox.com