Oct 17, 2006 11:55 PM
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(Updated Oct 18, 2006 12:08 AM)
Like a child on Christmas morning, I greeted the arrival of Xbox 360 in myhome as a magical and unforgettable moment. Xbox 360 (or its sickly cousin, theXbox 360 Core System) arrives in a surprisingly small box that is also surprisingly heavy. Inside the Xbox 360 box, you get a carefully wrapped console, all decked out in beautiful white and gray, and with an already attached 20 GB hard drive (the Core System does not include this drive).There's also a thin pouch with some documentation (a two volume users manualthat covers setup, installation, configuration, and the warranty; and a quicksetup sheet. Also included is a single wireless controller with 2 AA batteries,a small Media remote control (that shouldn't be confused with the UniversalRemote Control, which is available separately), a headset, a component HD AVcable, an Ethernet cable, and the PSU and associated cabling.
As you probably know by now, Xbox 360 isn't just about games. Unlike the original Xbox, which was all about brute horsepower, Microsoft has designedXbox 360 to be a more desirable acquisition for women, children, and non-gamers. From a hardware standpoint, that means the Xbox 360 is better looking than its predecessor, but making Xbox 360 more acceptable to a wider range of users goes beyond more looks. From a functional standpoint, Xbox 360 also provides a number of interesting (and integrated) features that transcend gaming. Many of these features are related to digital media. For example, any Xbox 360 can play audio CDs and DVD movies out of the box. With a (wired or wirelessly) networked Xbox 360, you can connect to the digital photos and music stored on your Windows XP personal computer, and to your videos and recorded TVshows if you have a Media Center PC running XP Media Center Edition 2005 withUpdate Rollup 2. You can also connect a variety of digital devices, including digital cameras, portable hard drives, USB key chains, and other portable storage devices, and MP3 players (including the iPod) to Xbox 360 and access content from those devices. This is beneficial for a number of reasons, but remember that Xbox 360 is typically connected to your best TV and best stereo system, so it becomes an obvious hub for enjoying digital media content.
With one stunning exception, the Xbox 360 hardware is top-notch. From its industry-leading triple-core PowerPC processor, running at an astonishing 3.2GHz per core, to its HD-capable ATI video hardware, to its support for multichannel surround sound, the Xbox 360 meets or beats the specifications of next generation game consoles from Sony and Nintendo that may or may not ship as far away as next year. While the Xbox 360 hardware specifications are impressive, there are a few gaps. Most curiously, Xbox 360 ships with a 12X dual layer DVD drive, which offers a scant 8.5 GB of storage space, maximum, pergaming title. This is a problem because the DVD format is virtually obsolete technology. By comparison, the PlayStation 3 will ship with a DVD-compatible Blu-Ray drive that is capable of at least 25 GB of storage space (for a single layer disc; a dual layer Blu-Ray device can handle a whopping 50 GB). And though Xbox 360 includes three standard USB ports for device connectivity (two on the front and one on the back), it does not include a multi-format memory card reader, which would have been a nice (and inexpensive) touch. Also, it can support only four wireless controllers, while the PlayStation 2 will allegedly handle up to seven. If you dedicate each of the USB ports on the Xbox 360 towired controllers, you will have a maximum of seven controllers (four wireless,three wired), an unusual number. If you look at the Xbox 360 in its more typical horizontal mode, you'll see a number of features on its front bezel. First, on the top left, is the optical drive. Below this, from left to right,are the IR interface, two slots for 64 Memory Unit (MU) cards, and a small Connect button, which is used to link wireless controllers to the console. In the center right of the console is the power button, which is surrounded bya circular ring of light that is broken up into four sections, or quadrants.The lights on this circle are used in a variety of ways during usage. When you power on the machine, the entire circle is lit up, and when you eject a disk,the circle of light flash. If no controller is connected, the four lights will periodically flash. And during game play, the lights can react in different ways, depending on the title. To the right of the power button is a latch under which two USB ports hide. These ports can be used for connecting wiredcontrollers or digital devices such as digital cameras and iPods. Moving to the back of the Xbox 360, there are fewer connectors. On the back left is the large power supply connector. On the far right is the humongous AVconnector, an Ethernet jack, a single USB port, and two indented areas to which you can affix the optional wireless adapter.
On the left side of the Xbox 360 (the side that will be on top when the unit is placed vertically) is the 20 GB external hard drive, a curious looking clip-on affair that is easily removed if need be. The hard drive is responsible for a good bit of the Xbox 360's noise output. Like its predecessor, Xbox 360 runs loud, with a very noticeable fan noise. It's no louder than the original Xbox,I guess, and not much louder than the PlayStation 2 (which, curiously, is hard drive-less). The button layout on the Xbox360 controller is similar to that on the S controller but is improved in my opinion. The two control hats, d-pad, and colored A, B, X, and Y buttons areall present and in similar locations. But everything else has changed. Now, a new Xbox Guide button sits in the middle top of the controller, replacing the round (and non functional) Xbox logo on the S controller. Unlike its predecessor, the Xbox Guide buttons performs a number of useful functions. For example, it can be used to turn on the Xbox 360, and perform various Xbox 360 UI functions, even while in games. Its most interesting feature, however,provides feedback in the form of a ring of colored lights that is divided intofour sections, or quadrants. These quadrants light up at various times. For example, in a four-player multiplayer game, each quadrant can represent an individual player, and the respective quadrant will light up when you receive amessage from a player.
Overall this is a great gaming console to own. Also every month there are newgame titles being released. I will do a separate review for the Xbox 360 games.If you are a gaming freak, I suggest you go ahead and blow the cash. I can betyou will not repent.
