miladesn said:
they've removed the external HDD port, so you can't use current HDDs anymore. yes it uses SATA but as you said without the custom port current HDDs are useless.
We have no concrete information yet on whether the external port has been removed, do we? (Not to be an ass, but maybe I missed something, so I am just making sure).
Either way, from possible scenarios here:
1) No external HDD - You can still buy an old HDD (they are 2,5" already, and I doubt a slim 360 would go below that in size for a HDD) rip it out of its casing and put it into the new System. Inside the HDD Housing (the old one) is just a 2,5" SATA HDD, nothing else.
2) External HDD but changed shape of Casing - You can still (if its a financially viable solution, read: cheaper) get one of the older ones, take it out from there, and replace it in its current case.
The Security system on a retail machine only prevents you from using 3rd Party HDD's due to the lack of keys. However, any 360 HDD will still work then.
Either way, if I had to speculate, I would say it keeps the external/detachable HDD design, with the connector, but the casing will be different to house it. Thus making older models unusable on newer systems from the average joe.
Why? Because for microsoft, its a financial advantage to ask those pesky 10$ more per HDD (not like they aren't expensive enough already) while using less plastic (so its even cheaper to them).
Either way it pans out to be true, internal or external - older Harddisks will work with fiddling; however the dream of "I can buy any harddisk and plug it in ala Sony-style" will not come to fruition (even if we move to regular SATA) - not now, not in a re-design either.
Microsoft makes too much money to start sharing the wealth with the likes of Seagate etc.
