I've been installing a few of my 360 games to the hard drive and I've heard it usually doesn't impact the games in a negative way. In fact, it tends to make them load faster. Hence, that's why it's an option.

Do you like installing your 360 and PS3 discs to the hard drive?

I've forgotten howbit worked back then, wasn't it mandatory? I remember having to wait 40 minutes at the end of every chapter in MGS4.

@OP Life's to short to be playing on older generations. Would be nice to experience them again but I'd rather spend my time closer to current gaming. 

Having owned an Xbox 360 with a failed lens, I've since gotten into the habit of installing my games, but I never used to do that before.

I did (and still do) for 360, since that thing sounds like a vacuum cleaner about to explode. On the PS3, however, it was quiet enough for me, so I just played them off the disc.

Xbox 360 is so damn noisy without installing them; was such a relief when they added the install feature.

Just PS3 because I have to. 360 I just play off the disc. Not sure what 360's people use as my slim is quiet.

This is certainly an interesting question in 2024. Anyway, I only have a PS3, which I still use actively, and I install whatever the game requires me to install. Usually there's simply no choice. If there is choice, however, I might as well install, since it probably helps with loading times.

Don't actually remember having to install that many games on PS3.

Depends on the game. PS3 of course your forced into it.

But 360 I do depending. Some that I can't as the data isn't there or the laser can't pick it up I just play them off the disk there is no choice but those it can complete and they are noticeably noisy I install them.

Like Baja is loud but I can't install it.

Frontline Fuel of War was more ideal to install then play off the disk.

Others like Forza Motorsport 2 to 4 I went eh I'll install them like I did the additional content disk just to have it all on the system why not.

It varies from game to game for me. If I notice it's noisy I will more so but I still play with music from a phone or something else if not got headphones into an AUX to the TV to hear dialogue/game music if I really care but if I don't care it's music/YT videos from my phone instead.

I use a Xbox 360 Elite with 250GB (hard drive died, used a USB for a bit and used a 120GB ever since, no issues with it other than the disk tray but I leave a disk in and it works fine enough still) about halfway through 360?PS3/Wii gen I think with the HDMI but no wifi so it's the one you'd still need a dongle for. I am happy with it offline anyway as singleplayer games so don't have to care, have ethernet cable hooked it up sometimes for dashboard updates and to prep so can play any game but that's about it.

Also got a MW3 Slim just randomly one day this yeah about what 2-3 months ago now and had a Xbox 360 E since Xbox One.

I primarily use the Elite and now using the E for back compat games or to not have the Elite on the floor/moved into the TV stand among the PS3 Slim/PS4 Base Model/Xbox One X so Elite, PS2 Phat, Wii with GameCube support sort of went anywhere to slot in, sometimes on or in the TV stand, sometimes floor, Switch dock behind the TV.

Where's the option, I don't remember. The couple PS3 games I played this summer didn't require any install, never even thought about installing them. I actually forgot that option was there. (Is it there?)

My 360s died years ago, no memory of (voluntarily) installing games there either. But I probably did when the option was there as the 16x DVD drive sounded like the thing was about to take off. I definitely remember that.

I do remember games having a (small) mandatory install and then ran from both HDD and disc.