If you have the drive space, you may want to consider installing Halo: Reach to your Xbox 360, as loading some game types can go nearly two to three times as quickly.
The time savings are a matter of seconds, not minutes. But this comparison, by Examiner.com, shows the opening mission loading in 8.1 seconds vs 21.4 seconds, installed vs disc; Firefight loading in 21.6 seconds vs 45.1 seconds – the biggest time savings; and a custom game loading in 9.7 seconds, as opposed to 28.7 seconds.
Another reason? Maybe it helps you avoid those nasty disc-read errors. I dunno.
The installation takes 6.6GB, consistent with most game installs. The test was conducted on an Xbox 360 Elite. It did not specify if it was the new Slim configuration.
Halo: Reach Load Comparison, Installed vs Not Installed [Examiner.com]
Weresmurf
Monday, September 20, 2010 at 6:40 AMHonestly on my slim, the load times seemed around midway between both numbers in almost every case. The reason I finally installed after 3 days? The music cut out during a cutscene. Annoying :/
MrTaco
Monday, September 20, 2010 at 11:05 AMThis is one of the things that puts me off getting a “HD” console. Loading times measurable in double digits?? Let alone as much as 45 seconds… geez.
Denaz
Monday, September 20, 2010 at 1:45 PMI always install, would be stupid not to with a 120gb hard drive. Load times have been great for me, and the whole game runs smoothly. Bit of a frame rate drop when there is a lot going on, but other then that i’ve got no complaints :)
Jonathan
Monday, September 20, 2010 at 2:39 PMHalo games stream. Play the game in one sitting and there’s no loading time!! (Don’t skip cutsenes)
Fern
Monday, September 20, 2010 at 6:03 PMI was wondering and waiting for some sorta article about this. Purely because of the ODST/Halo 3 issue where installing actually sped up the loading times.
I wasn’t sure if this would be the case, even though it was a new engine and all. I did notice sometimes it does take long, but like Jonathan said, and i don’t know if he is correct but I have noticed playing it continually it doesn’t load that slow after the first load – but playing between breaks and you will notice.
Ahhh well worth the wait.