Horhay's Full Review: Microsoft Memory Unit for Xbox
Early adopters of the Xbox 360 Core system had to settle with a measly 64 MB memory unit in order to save their game data and Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) titles. After changes were made to XBLA size limits, Microsoft decided to release a 512 MB memory unit in order to accommodate newer titles and future updates to the system. Even though Xbox 360 does offer USB ports, flash drives cannot be used to save games. Gamers must use Microsoft's pricey, proprietary memory units.
The memory unit comes with small plastic carrying case. There's even a hole in the case so you can attach it to your keychain. The model I bought also included a free game, Geometry Wars, which retails for $5. I've also seen units that include the game Worms. However, these games cannot be transferred over to a hard drive.
Installing the memory unit simply involves plugging it into one of the two available slots in the Xbox 360. Once at the system settings, you have the option of renaming the memory unit. Another thing to note is that you won't get the full 512 MB for storage. Instead, you're stuck at 474 MB, and the remaining space is reserved for system use. The memory unit can store themes, gamer pics, game content, saves, gamer profiles, and videos from the Live Marketplace.
Although I own a 20 GB hard drive for the system, I decided to buy the memory card for backup purposes. I've gone through three Xbox 360 systems already and decided as an extra measure I'd have the memory unit by my side. It's also helpful for games that have limited save slots. Most games have the option to change storage devices when you save, so the memory unit gives me extra breathing room. But the memory unit becomes extremely useful when you want to use you gamer profile on another person's system. You just plug it in and you're logged into your account. There's no need to go through Microsoft's annoying account recovery process.
My biggest complaint about the memory unit is its price. I mean $30 for 512 MB? That's ridiculous. If you look around, you might find it a bit cheaper, but many retailers are still selling it at that price. So unless you're super paranoid about losing your game saves (like me) and frequently use your gamertag on other people's systems, I don't see this as a good investment for most Xbox 360 owners.
Take your games everywhere you go with eight times the space of the original Xbox 360 Memory Unit. With 512 MB of memory and a keychain carrying case,...More at Microsoft Store
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