Soon, new Xbox 360 Arcade consoles will sport increased memory, thanks to processing demands made on the low-cost systems by the Xbox Live network upgrade.

The upgrade demands at least 256 megabytes of memory. Current Arcade consoles come out of the box with 16 megabytes installed; any more than that requires a removable memory card.

But will this increase in memory prompt Microsoft to bump up the Arcade’s price? Console maker Microsoft enjoyed a mini-boom in Xbox sales this year when Arcade started selling for as little as $199, making it the least-expensive system on the market. The stripped-down Xbox — it lacks a hard drive for file storage, unlike the Elite and Pro systems — may not appeal to serious gamers, but it softens the blow on pocketbooks for budget-conscious types.

Microsoft hasn’t said yet whether Arcade’s days as a $199 bargain are over. Still, hardware upgrades, even small ones, hardly ever come for free; they often provoke logistical and labor obstacles for manufacturers that only money can surmount.

If Arcade remains around $199 even with the upgrade, great, and props should go to Microsoft for trying to keep the price low during this season of consumer belt-tightening. But buyers should not expect to get something for nothing. Somehow, Microsoft will have to find a way to make back the cost of improving your memory.