PDA

View Full Version : XBox upgradability...



OC Noob
09-04-2003, 01:49 AM
Do you guys think the XBox has any possibility of upgradability?

I did a search and came up with nothing.

Since MS eats it on ever XBox sale it would be to their benifit to swap a vid card and the processor out instead of selling a new unit.

I would think an XBox will play XBox2 games with degraded gfx due to it being a computer, they really shouldn't even need to tweak the code much to do it right? Or does the XBox process things completely different...like the GC and PS2?

If it can play XBox2 games some people might go for a cheap upgrade of the XBox to get gfx somewhere in between XBox2 and XBox 1 games I would think.

It would probably need to be designed to be upgradable, but sticking a sweet new gfx card and a faster CPU will certainly make a difference. Especially, if the onboard ram was dedicated to the system and the upgraded card had its own ram.

I know the mobo technology isn't great, but stick a 9800 pro in an nForce1 mobo and you'll still get a damned good upgrade compared to a gf3 even if the ram/mobo is a huge bottleneck.

Has there been any official statements released from MS about possible XBox upgrades?


Thanks for any help.


ps these forums are great, you can actually discuss XBox stuff without GC/PS2 fanboys coming in and ruining the topics!

Variation-XBA
09-04-2003, 03:35 AM
Theres no need to upgrade...very few, if any at this time even use it to its full capasity (though doom3/HL2/Fable etc should push it).

Mines fine as is... adding whatever else wont make the games better.... Its NOT a computer...

wbio
09-04-2003, 06:20 AM
you can't upgrade it. Many people have tried, and it doesn't work.

800 posts w00t w00t

Shadow20002
09-04-2003, 07:52 AM
Console will never upgrade, trust me. If this gonna happen, then why there are consoles in the world ? Should be only PC instead of.

OC Noob
09-04-2003, 11:20 AM
Originally posted by Variation
Theres no need to upgrade...very few, if any at this time even use it to its full capasity (though doom3/HL2/Fable etc should push it).

Mines fine as is... adding whatever else wont make the games better.... Its NOT a computer...

I agree, I really didn't mean now. I meant in the future when the next gen consoles come out. And it is more computer then it is console.


Originally posted by wbio
you can't upgrade it. Many people have tried, and it doesn't work.

800 posts w00t w00t

Thats interesting, thanks for the info. Its proprietary so I'm thinking any upgradable parts would have to come from MS.


Originally posted by Shadow20002
Console will never upgrade, trust me. If this gonna happen, then why there are consoles in the world ? Should be only PC instead of.

Its not enough to say, because you can upgrade computers you can't upgrade consoles. That would ignore ever good point consoles have going for them. Price being the biggest. Even if consoles were upgradable they would still have a market due to pricing alone.


Its not like a PS were the whole system is so completely different from anything else that upgrading is un-thinkable. There are a lot of people out there that build computers and could easily crack open an XBox and swap out components. The only three problems that I see with doing it.

1) The current non-upgragdable parts may be too obsolite.

2) Voiding warrenties and people breaking equiptment.

3) The most difficult to overcome, Implementation of a profitable program or even a program that pays for (or atleast breaks even) the developement, production and installation of parts.

Maybe its more costly to do then it is to make a new system, but they are still losing money on every unit so I don't see why it would hurt for them to explore the option.




Thanks for the replies guys and feel free to elaborate on what you've said or add something new to the discusion.

Duke
09-04-2003, 11:25 AM
One of the reasons I bought an xbox was for online play.

The idea of everyone playing on an equal system really appealed to me.

IMO being able to upgrade a console would ruin this. While I'm sure there would be a market (albeit a small one) I'm perfectly happy to save my duckets till the next one comes out.

BigJosh359
09-04-2003, 01:12 PM
The Phantom, if it ever comes out of development, is suppose to be upgradeable.

wbio
09-04-2003, 03:11 PM
I think the vid card is built into the Xbox mobo too, but I'm not sure. And like Chaotic said, I really like everyone playing on equal machines

Variation-XBA
09-04-2003, 07:04 PM
Originally posted by Josh-XBA
The Phantom, if it ever comes out of development, is suppose to be upgradeable.

http://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/blackeye/lol.gifhttp://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/blackeye/lol.gifhttp://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/blackeye/lol.gif

BigJosh359
09-04-2003, 07:12 PM
Originally posted by Variation


http://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/blackeye/lol.gifhttp://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/blackeye/lol.gifhttp://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/blackeye/lol.gif


:huh:

Reclaimer
09-04-2003, 07:22 PM
I bought the xbox because I didnt' want to buy a new computer essentially every time a good game came out. You can do outstanding things with the xbox. Remember, it's still relatively young, and has plenty of life left in it. Halo2/HL2/Doom3 will show the world what the xbox can really do. And you don't have to upgrade it to do it. It was just a matter of time of just letting developers really examine what the xbox can do. I'm not too worried about the Xbox2. I think it will add more to the home functionality of the unit, making it the all in one entertainment package more than anything.

The future looks bright......

Variation-XBA
09-04-2003, 11:16 PM
Originally posted by Josh-XBA



:huh:

Phantom is a joke... hope it bombs, from the interviews Ive read :P

BigJosh359
09-05-2003, 12:10 AM
Why do you think its a bomb, please be intelligent about it and give some damn good reasons. Alot of people thought the Xbox would bomb.

Shadow20002
09-05-2003, 08:46 AM
Yeah, Phantom will be a good choice cause you can upgrade it when you need but it will be the first console to do it and you need $$$, a lot of them.

OC Noob
09-05-2003, 09:27 AM
Originally posted by wbio
I think the vid card is built into the Xbox mobo too, but I'm not sure. And like Chaotic said, I really like everyone playing on equal machines


Can anyone confirms this? I know the mobo that its based off of had a very crappy GF2 built into it, I just assumed it wasn't built in tho because its Gf3/4 hybrid right?

Sharred mem is a good indicator of a built in card, but I hope not. Even the best built in card for computers is awful.


Playing on equal machines is a good point and I certainly wouldn't want it to turn into a 6 month upgrade cycle like computers, but...

If it was a one time upgrade, take it to a CompUSA, leave it over night, pay $100, pick it up and you have and XBox 2 as far as gaming performance (or close to it) is concered would that be attractive to you then or would you prefer to buy and XBox for $300, maybe wait a year or so till its $200 again?

Thanks again guys.


I'll have to do a search on the Phantom. Its not Vaporware is it?


EDIT: Looks a lot like vaporware and if it isn't its got A LOT going against it. Sounds like a great idea and if done right it could be really cool, but a lot of big companies have failed where this company that isn't even registered intends to go.

wbio
09-05-2003, 06:23 PM
just asked about the vid card at another forum, everything except the dvd drive and HDD are built in **EDITED**

No links to modding sites please.