Unbelievable Value for money.
My brother just bought this new model and I have to say it is incredible value for money.
To think the wii is £20 more expensive and the fact you get a 60GB hard drive, HDMI connections, unbeatable processing power, a streamlined online service and a massive selection of games....
Seriously, if its a choice between the wii & this...
Gaming Powerhouse
I recently purchased this model of Xbox 360, and in the light of the New Xbox Experience (NXE) that has just been released, I thought I'd do a review. I'm very happy with the Xbox, and I have to say I haven't touched the Wii since I bought it (or for about 4 months previous to buying it). Here's my opinion of the good and bad aspects, and some stuff you may not know you can do with your Xbox!
GOOD:
Graphics:
Excellent. They look superb on my HDTV (even though it's only 22in), and this new model supports HDMI. It's worth noting that it's not compatible with the NXE right now, however. Eurogamer have also comparing cross platform PS3 and Xbox games since the beginning, and the Xbox usually comes out on top due to keeping its frame rates higher.
Gameplay:
Controller is great (bar the dodgy d-pad), and there are lots of excellent exclusives for Xbox 360 (Mass Effect, Gears of War, Viva Piñata, Banjo Kazooie to note a few). Most other games are cross platform too.
Price:
Amazing, cheaper than Wii or PS3. You can't really argue with that, and the value really is incredible. Games can also be picked up at silly prices second hand.
Online:
Online offers a slew of features I'll go over here
- Online play, works great provided your broadband is fast enough.
- Chat, via MSN messenger. Works just like a phone, but free. And you can play games at the same time. And leave annoying voice messages.
- Buy things! this is shoved in your face a little, but you can download excellent games like Braid and Geometry Wars from the Live Arcade.
- Download free demos and videos.
- Party up with your friends and chat/play together.
- Spy on what your friends are up to (as if Facebook wasn't enough) and compare skills with Achievements.
Other Features:
The NXE offers a lot of new stuff, most of which is an oppertunity to Buy! Buy! Buy! stuff from Microsoft, but also some really cool things:
- Play media files and music from portable hard drives. All compatibility issues seem to have been sorted, as mine wouldn't work on a friend's Xbox before and now it does. Also, it'll play .avi files :)
- Customise your Avatar (like a grown up nintendo Mii, but less creepily unchanging) to make yourself look cool. All blokes look a bit girly though.
BAD:
- No internet browser: why, when even PSP and DSi have one?
- Disk tray is loud: although not when playing DVDs. I've found I'm used to this now.
- Consumerist Home screen: Buy things, now! There are about 3 tabs of stuff to buy on the Dashboard now.
- Microsoft points are quite expensive: but then so are Wii points.
- Red Ring of Death: small chance that your console might decide to die at some point. Microsoft insures them for 2 years free of charge.
- Xbox Live is Expensive: £39 - 49.99 a year for Gold (online game playing) membership.
- Lag in online gaming if broadband connections are slow.
- Miss out on other platform exclusives: No amount of Banjo Kazooie will console you if you wish it were Little Big Planet.
All in all, this is the cheapest and probably most fun way to join the next generation of gaming, and to bring all of your friends along. The most pressing problem for me is a lack of good games on a console, or them being very expensive, and the Xbox is concern free in this area. Enjoy!
HD gaming for £160...? You'd be mad not to pick this up...
It's taken me a while to make the jump from my trusty PS2 to the current crop of consoles. For as long as I can remember the XBOX 360 and PS3 priced-out the average gamer - and the cost of software was simply too high.
I had hoped that having won the HD format war, Sony would get it's act together and lower the price of their next gen console. Then came the ludicrous withdrawal of support for PS2 games, more console variations than necessary, and the continued absence of killer games. Worse still, they stuck closely to pricing the PS3 at £300 and over.
I began to seriously look at the XBOX 360, and when the prices tumbled along with the cost of it's software, I decided to take the plunge. Buying this 60GB model was a great decision. Here's why:
- GRAPHICS: The XBOX's graphics are truly awesome. The XBOX is easy to develop for, and most games run at 1080i/1080p, whereas the equivalent PS3 title typically displays at a 720p maximum. For a more powerful machine that's shocking, and the XBOX's superior lighting and pixel shading means that it more than holds its own. Just check out the technology comparisons on sites like www.gamespot.com and you will see that the XBOX typically out-muscles the PS3 in the graphics department. Through the built-in HDMI connection the XBOX's graphics simply leap out of the screen.
- SOFTWARE: The XBOX 360 has a huge games back catalogue, and with retailers dropping the price of the games, now is a great time to pick up superb software at prices cheaper than a new PS2 game. When you can pick up innovative, platform specific classics like Gears of War and Bioshock brand new in a '2 for £30' deal, you instantly realise that you can cheaply and easily build a comprehensive next gen gaming library. Factor in the latest software from EA, Namco, and the acquisition of previously Sony-specific games like Devil May Cry, you have a winning combination.
- RELIABILITY / BUILD QUALITY: The console has been internally redesigned to improve reliability from the ground up. New chipsets are more efficient, and the heatsinks are kept away from the main part of the console helping to control running temperature and minimise failures. The console doesn't emit much more heat than the launch PS2's did. Yes, the fans are still noisy compared to other consoles, but this can be dampened considerably by placing the console horizontally on carpet or another soft surface. The wireless pads work flawlessly and are ergonomically excellent. In fact all of the peripherals feel well designed and sturdy.
- ONLINE: XBOX Live has online gaming and content delivery nailed. Sony's online environment may be more aesthetically pleasing, but Live has pitched the experience to perfection. The only downside is that online connectivity is required to download console updates that enable certain games (FIFA 09, NHL 09 etc). That assumption is annoying, but the speed and ease of connecting to XBOX Live makes running updates a breeze.
- VALUE: You can't fault this. Quality games, major developer support, affordable software and a wealth of downloadable content. Add a comprehensive warranty into the deal and you have a compelling package. This is exceptional value.
PS3 advocates will no doubt point to their console as the one that will mature with age and eventually yield the best gaming experience. But right now the PS3 is an expensive and poorly utilised alternative, with only the integrated Blu-Ray player and marginally superior build quality to recommend it. By the time it is ready to come into it's own, the PS3 will no doubt face competition from the next creations by Microsoft and Nintendo. Sony have scored a bit of an own goal with their system, and in an effort to win the console war Microsoft have taken the upper hand with this little beauty.
If you want an affordable next gen gaming experience, with arguably the best support and visuals currently available, then you would be mad to ignore this. I couldn't let this pass me by, and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
About Xbox 360 Console (60 GB Hard Drive) detail
- Amazon Sales Rank: #543 in Computer & Video Games
- Brand: Microsoft
- Model: B4J-00178
- Released on: 2008-08-15
- Platform: Xbox 360
- Dimensions: 5.53" h x 15.00" w x 15.00" l, 14.84 pounds
