XBox 360 Memory Card Vs. Hard Drive

Availablilty

• While the Xbox 360 hard drive comes with every Xbox 360 console (except for the now discontinued Core System), the memory card is sold separately. As of 2010, the memory card sells for around $30.

Size

• The memory card is much smaller than the hard drive. The memory card is only slightly larger than those for other game systems, such as the GameCube or Playstation 2, so it can easily fit into small compartments.

Portability and Compatibility

• Because of its smaller size, the memory card can be taken to another Xbox and transfer game data onto a hard drive. Additionally, more than one memory card can be connected to an Xbox, unlike the hard drive.

Relevance

• Updates to the Xbox 360 firmware in 2010 allow game data to be transferred to any USB devices. This renders the Xbox 360 memory card much less useful.

Conclusion

• Since the Xbox 360 typically includes a hard drive, the only question is whether to buy a 360 memory card. The answer is no if you already own a USB flash drive.