Xbox 360 Arcade Storage: No Built-In Hard Drive (Only 256/512 MB Flash)

The Xbox 360 Arcade has 0 GB hard drive. It shipped with **256 MB (early) or 512 MB (later) of internal flash memory** — only for:

It cannot:

Expanding Storage

Option	Capacity	Pros	Cons
Official Microsoft HDD (Fat: 20/60/120/250GB; Slim: 250/320/500GB)	Up to 500GB	Enables BC, installs, full DLC, reliable	Proprietary, used market only, $$$
USB Flash Drive (FAT32, ≤32GB formatted by 360)	Up to 32GB (2×16GB max)	Cheap, plug-and-play, stores saves/DLC	No BC, no game installs, slow, 32GB cap
USB HDD (FAT32, ≤2TB, formatted by 360)	Up to 2TB	Massive space for DLC, videos, music	No BC, no game installs, external power needed
Memory Unit (MU) — Legacy	64MB-512MB	Tiny, portable	Obsolete, tiny capacity

For BC (Halo 1/2, etc.): You **must** have an **official Microsoft HDD** attached. USB doesn't work.
For modern use: A **32GB USB flash drive** (SanDisk, Kingston) formatted by the 360 handles saves + most DLC cheaply.
Identify your model: Fat (white, chrome tray) vs Slim (black, glossy/matte). HDD compatibility differs.

Bottom line: Arcade = 512 MB flash. Add official HDD for full features. USB for saves only.

Xbox 360