Took a photo comparing the prototype console and the reatil M1 and M2 consoles side by side. one very noticeable difference would be how shiny and smooth the protype plastic shell compared to the retail console which are matt finish. Also the prototype has zero molded lettering on the plastic shell unlike the retail shell. Finally nor sure about the very first retail M1 but the power cord connector on the prototype is different from M1 console - it's Cross modified console as part of CartDev Rev.B as I don't have unmodified grey M1 console to compare againt. Note the power cord pins on the prototype is much higher compared to M1. Enjoy
The power connector was standard for the early HST-3200 Saturn. Your Cross Products unit is a later one that was based on a HST-3210, which is why it has the power connector in a different place, like the HST-3220 white Saturn. From what I can see, the rest of the details of the plastics look identical to the HST-3200, too - you can see the fan slots that the HST-3200 had (although it never actually had a fan...) and the vent slots that were deleted in the later models. The shiny surface finish is standard for first-off plastics - the surface texture is about the last thing you do on a mold, because once it's applied it makes any other changes more complicated - so those parts were likely produced for fit and assembly testing before the minor external cosmetics (such as the text) had been decided.
so this could be one of early plastic mould testing? they did run test trial to see everything fit together nicely before finish tooling with the extra like lettering and etc. Seems they used fasirly cheap plastic though as compared to retail on the feel of plastic is much different.
Normally what happens is that the basic shape of the product is decided and then the engineering people add things like holes for connectors, PCB bosses, holes and studs for screws, etc. The initial mold is built based on this - you then shoot some test plastics and put everything together. If it's mechanically OK, then you start doing the detailing on the mold, and finally you texture it - but the test plastics are still perfectly functional and will be used for internal testing (that keeps getting final plastics out of the critical path, and gives the ID people more time to play with the design). My guess is that it's exactly the same type of plastic as was used for the production units, just without any surface texture - it would be extremely unusual to use anything different since one of the purposes of the test plastics is to make sure that the shrinkage allowance on the mold is correct, and you have to use the final material for that.
Thanks for the insight. somehow when I feel it next to the retail M1 it's definitely different. the thickness is more thinner and somewhat flimsier- the backport cover is quite thin and rigid unlike the retail version. Even the CD cover is slightly thinner and when opened it will flip right off unlike the retail version is is bit more controlled...
In that case, it might be the very first test shots - when you make a mold you generally make it to shoot the plastics at the minimum thickness you think you might be able to get away with and then make it thicker as needed (since it's a lot easier to remove metal from the mold than add it). You don't want to make the plastics any thicker than necessary, since it both requires more material and more cooling time, which slows the process down. Another thing to check it comparing the rib pattern on the plastics with the retail one - that's something else that's often tweaked if you find there is a specific area that needs more rigidity.
