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Eurogamer tests gains from NXE's hard disc installation

Microsoft's upcoming feature to allow titles to be run from HDD provides demonstrable improvements

Eurogamer has released test results for the New Xbox Experience's ability to install and run games from the hard drive, which according to Microsoft will allow titles to run more smoothly and reduce loading times.

Playing through a selection of key titles for the platform, including BioShock, Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV and Gears of War 2 among others, Eurogamer found generally increased performance and faster loading times.

"For a dashboard upgrade supposedly aimed at attracting the 'casual' audience, New Xbox Experience actually has a lot of love for the core 360 enthusiast gamer," wrote Richard Leadbetter.

"The real question for 360 owners is: just how much of an impact does the optional install make? With so many games streaming data from the DVD on the fly, do we actually see any improvements to gameplay as well as loading times? Do all games benefit with shorter loading times?"

The biggest improvements were found to come from Valve's Orange Box, which in some instances saw loading times halved, while Bungie's Halo 3 bucked the trend of all the tested games by actually taking longer to load from the HDD than DVD.

The full report can be read here.