What are the original Xbox hardware revisions?

I am looking into buying a used (original) Xbox. However I am aware that there have been several different hardware versions and am trying to find information on the specific differences and advice on which one to buy.

Conventional logic dictates that the most recent version is the best such as the second version of the Sega Genesis, however that is not always true. For example, many people recommend getting a Sega Dreamcast that was made before October 2000 because the later ones won't read burned discs while providing no worthwhile bug-fixes.

Can anyone help with version information or suggestions for the original Xbox?


A post on xbox-scene listed the following attributes of version 1.6:

  • Loses support for VGA
  • Loses support for 128mb memory
  • no TSOP
  • runs "quieter"
  • Better DVD-ROM drive

version 1.5

  • 256 kb TSOP

version 1.1

  • 1 mb TSOP

version 1.0

  • Separate GPU fan

It depends on what you want to do with it I guess. It looks like the latest version (1.6) is the best, but may not have modding support that you need.

Edit: here is the revision list: http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=367210

I'd go with 1.1 if you can find one, but beggars can't be choosers in the used xbox market.


I used to mod Xbox's several years ago and I remember that from a modding perspective, the lower the version number the easier it was to mod. A 1.1 version was easier to mod than a 1.6.