Looking for a way to play your original Xbox console on a modern screen using HDMI? You might want to stop what you’re doing and check out the EON XBHD. Not only is it now $50 cheaper, but the company has seemingly fixed my biggest gripe with the adapter and whipped up a new transparent Halo Spartan Edition.
Over at Amazon right now, the EON XBHD HDMI adapter is down from $189.99 to $149.99, thanks to a 21% discount. In addition to the price announcement, the company also revealed the aforementioned Halo Spartan Edition version that’s designed to match the translucent green console and arrived back in 2003. I could grumble about how I was hoping for one that’d match the crystal Xbox I’ve held onto, but it’s nice to see some authentic colorways appear regardless.
If you caught my EON XBHD review, you’ll know that the Xbox HDMI adapter suffered from brightness issues. While it wasn’t apparent in every game, something funky was going on in terms of luminosity, with a lot of detail being crushed in horror romps like Doom 3. However, the retro accessory makers have actually fixed the issue via a firmware update, and new versions should now display darker details properly. That’s a huge win, as it means that it’s now both cheaper and comes with fewer caveats.
Should you buy the EON XBHD?
There are quite a few ways to play OG Xbox games on modern hardware, but if you’re to pretend it’s 2003 and play Halo multiplayer with your old squad, this adapter will deliver. Not only does it serve as an easy way to hook up to modern gaming TVs using HDMI, but you’ll also be able to link directly to three other consoles via LAN. There are even two video-out ports around the back, just in case you want to hook up another gaming monitor. Did somebody say retro LAN party? I’ll bring the cheap French beers.
Admittedly, the EON XBHD is expensive, and prior to the recent firmware fix, I’d have struggled to recommend it. However, for under $150, I reckon it’s now worth the investment if you’re serious about the original Xbox and need a fuss-free way to play the classics on your shiny new screen. Sure, you could use an Xbox Series X and backwards compatibility if you’ve got one, but you’d be surprised how many games won’t run on the modern pillar (seriously, even original Halo won’t work on the dingus).
I'll hopefully be able to get my hands on a fixed version and share the results soon, so watch this space.
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