2001 · Microsoft · US · console
Microsoft Xbox
Microsoft's debut console — a PC in a black box, and the launchpad for Halo.
Mixed Fiddly ▶ Watch on YouTube ↗
Image: Evan-Amos · Public domain
Microsoft's 2001 entry into consoles, essentially a PC in a black box, with a built-in hard drive and, decisively, the Xbox Live service that would make online console play ordinary rather than a novelty.
Halo: Combat Evolved launched alongside it and remade the console shooter; Halo 2 then made Xbox Live essential.
Under the hood
- CPU
- Intel Pentium III (Coppermine-based) @ 733 MHz
- Sound chip
- NVIDIA SoundStorm (MCPX) — real-time Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding, 256 audio channels
- Graphics
- NVIDIA NV2A GPU with hardware transform & lighting and pixel shaders; output up to 1080i — the first console with HD output as a standard feature
- Memory
- 64 MB unified DDR SDRAM
- Media
- DVD-ROM discs; built-in 8–10 GB hard drive (eliminated memory cards, cached game data, enabled custom soundtracks)
Hardware revisions
| Model | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Version 1.0Original Xbox, board A38727-009 | Jan 2001 - Oct 2002 | Identify via the board part number stamped on the PCB; factory code 03 (Hungary) always indicates v1.0.; Known issue: Leaky clock capacitor, common to all pre-1.6 boards |
| Version 1.2Original Xbox, board A38727-012 ('Xblade') | Dec 2002 - Mar 2003 | New PCB; 2-row 20-pin PSU connector replaces the earlier 1-row connector; Known issue: Clock-capacitor leak risk continues |
| Version 1.3Original Xbox, board A38727-012 | Mar - Aug 2003 | Visually near-identical to v1.2; LFRAME trace disconnected from LPC pin 3, which hindered early modchips; Known issue: Clock-capacitor leak risk continues |
| Version 1.6Original Xbox, board X01063-121 ('Tuscany') | Mar/Jun 2004 onward | TSOP BIOS chip removed entirely — BIOS/SMC moved onto a custom 'Xyclops' chip; Known issue: Clock caps are less prone to leaking, but if they do fail the console won't boot at all (earlier boards still boot with a failed cap) |
| Version 1.6bOriginal Xbox, board X01063-121 | Sept 2004 - Aug 2005 | Identical PCB to v1.6 but with Hynix-brand RAM chips instead of Samsung, different RAM timings; Known issue: Same 480p Xcalibur-encoder bug and no-boot-on-capacitor-failure risk as v1.6 |
What it cost
only about 5% of a month’s pay in 2004 · about $247 today
| US launch list price ($299 with internal 8GB HDD & Ethernet) |
$299 (2001)
only about 11% of a month’s pay · about $530 in today's money |
|---|---|
| Mid-generation price ($149) | $149 (2004) |
| Units sold | 24,000,000 24 million units sold. |
What it's worth now
Accessible $40–80 working, $120–200 boxed
On v1.0–1.5 boards the clock capacitor leaks acid and can destroy the motherboard — removing or replacing it is essential maintenance before judging any unit.
A guide to collectibility, not a valuation — real prices depend on condition, completeness and demand.
Why it mattered
The original Xbox announced Microsoft as a permanent force in consoles, and its Xbox Live service turned online play from a novelty into the default — the change that reshaped the whole industry.
Emulating it today
| Emulators | xemu |
|---|---|
| Setup effort | Fiddly (8 on this site's scale) |
| Controls | A standard modern controller covers the ordinary controls, though unusual accessories may need custom mapping. |
| Runs on a handheld | No — it needs a real machine |
The emulator names above are starting points, not a promise that every title or accessory behaves identically. Computer platforms usually add model selection, disk handling and keyboard setup even when CPU emulation itself is mature.
Xbox MCPX Boot ROM & Flash BIOS (mcpx_1.0.bin, Complex_4627.bin)
Original Xbox emulation in xemu strictly requires two firmware dumps from a physical Xbox console: the 512-byte MCPX boot ROM (which handles secret initial hardware setup) and a 1 MB Flash BIOS image (such as Complex 4627 or retail 3944 BIOS), plus a virtual hard disk image. Without both files, xemu will not start.
How many files you need: 2. Two files: mcpx_1.0.bin (512-byte boot ROM) and xbox_bios.bin (1024 KB Flash BIOS).
Where it stands legally: The MCPX boot ROM and Flash BIOS are proprietary software copyrighted by Microsoft Corporation and must be dumped from a modified physical Xbox.
Firmware details checked 2026-08. Emulator requirements change — see xemu Official Setup Guide for the current list.
Where the software is
Preservation catalogues describe verified dumps; they do not grant permission to download commercial software. A curated, correctly matched set is easier to use than an undifferentiated archive.
Copyright: Commercial software remains copyrighted unless its owner explicitly released or relicensed it. Homebrew, public-domain programs and current reissues should be treated separately from abandoned commercial titles.
This site names preservation projects and explains what they are. It does not link to ROM downloads.
Where to start
- Halo: Combat Evolved 2001 first-person shooter
The launch game that made the console, and rewrote the console shooter.
- Halo 2 2004 first-person shooter
Xbox Live's killer app, and the reason online console play went mainstream.
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2003 RPG
- Ninja Gaiden Black 2005 action
- Fable 2004 action RPG
- Jet Set Radio Future 2002 action
- Panzer Dragoon Orta 2003 rail shooter
The verdict
Essential for Halo and a strong exclusive library; a maturing emulation target now.
Its size and PC-like design make it a heavier emulation lift than the consoles of its generation.
- Worth it if
- Players curious about microsoft consoles and willing to learn how the original machine worked.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants a large, instantly accessible library and no model, firmware or control decisions.
Scored 3/5 for fun today and 3/5 for historical importance. Those two scores decide the label at the top — a machine can matter enormously and still be no fun.
Read more & watch
This page is 75% complete against the facts we try to record for every system. Gaps are shown as gaps.