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Xbox 360 250GB Console

Based on 648 reviews
Condition: New
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$599.00

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Availability: Only 1 left in stock, order soon!
Fulfilled by Tek Star (SN Recorded)
Arrives Tuesday, Nov 10
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At a glance

Condition
New
Edition
250GB Console
Model
RKH-00001
Storage
250 GB
Weight
1.5 lb
Color
black
Platform
Xbox 360
Warranty
Warranty has expired

Features 4

  • 802.11n Wi-Fi Built-in For A Faster And Easier Connection
  • Internal, Removable 250GB Hard Drive
  • Kinect Ready
  • Xbox 360 Black Wireless Controller and Headset Included

Description

From the Manufacturer Amazon Page td, th { font- family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:small; } .caption { font- family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: -15px; } table.callout { font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1. 3em; } td.vgoverview { height: 125px; background: 9DC4D8 url( page/callout-bg.png) repeat-x; border-left: 1px solid 999999; border-right: 1px solid 999999; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; width: 250px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; } The new Xbox 360. Here today, ready for tomorrow with a brand new, leaner machine in an all new black gloss finish. Wi-Fi is built-in for easier connection to the world of entertainment on Xbox LIVE, where HD movies and TV stream in an instant. Xbox 360 250GB Console View larger. Overview It's ready for the controller-free experiences of Kinect - you don't just play the game, you are the game. And with the huge hard drive you'll have plenty of space to store your favorite games and movies. Xbox 360 is more games, entertainment and fun. 250GB Hard Drive View larger. Features:Xbox 360 has blockbuster games, HD movies and controller-free fun for everyone.Built-in Wi-Fi for easy connection to Xbox LIVE.More storage for games, movies and music with 250GB HD.Super quiet with sleek new design plus matching controller and headset.Ready for the controller-free fun of Kinect.

Specs 15

Platform Xbox 360
Input Device Gamepad
Connectivity Technology Wi-Fi
Memory Storage Capacity 250 GB
Wireless Communication Technology Wi-Fi
Resolution 1080p
Software Update Supported to Date unknown
Color black

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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Tuesday, Nov 10

This item is non-returnable:

Non-returnable. Transportation of this item is subject to hazardous materials regulation

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Top Amazon Reviews

Worth the wait
Edition: 250GB Console
I'm not a hard core gamer. I had an original Xbox shortly after they first came out and ran it ragged for many years and I own a wii. Never had a problem with either. However with the introduction of the first 360s, the RROD problems and the fanboy hysteria that followed, I've had to settle for loving the 360 from afar. Every time I'd ever thought about getting one, I'd read one more of those "don't waste your money, RROD, get a PS3" reviews and change my mind. With the new slim, I just assumed (and hoped blindly) that MS would never risk re-launching the console without all the well-known issues being sorted out once and for all. The "right time" to get a 360 was finally here. So despite all the fanboy rhetoric and Red Dot of Death (RDOD) which continue even now about it, I went ahead and got the 250 GB slim. I've had my new 360 for almost two months now, and I couldn't be more pleased. As another reviewer wrote "this is the system they should've released a long time ago". I really wanted to write a review to add to the discussion, so here goes. * It really is whisper quiet. The difference is night and day between the new slim and older models. * The touch sensitive buttons for power and eject are very cool. For the volume of the noises that both buttons make when "pressed", I do wish there was an option to turn it down or off (a minor annoyance at best). * I was immediately taken by how small the console is. Ventilation is greatly improved, and the big fan does its job to move hot air up and out of the console very efficiently. I agree with other reviewers that it is probably best to use the console in the horizontal position to help make the cooling process more efficient. The "standing" position is probably best for photo shoots only. When you feel the heat that the fan sends out, it seems only logical that the horizontal placement is better. * The built in wireless was very easy to setup and I was able to connect with my wireless G router in minutes - literally. Was a load off my mind to know I wouldn't have to go out and buy a wireless adapter as with the older consoles. * It comes with a controller with batteries and an Xbox live headset. Plus you get a trial Xbox live membership for a month I think. * As a mac user, I don't have much use for the media options which allow you to connect with PCs and stream music, videos etc. * It is Kinect ready. I'm not yet a fan of Kinect or the available titles, so as a feature this was neither here or there to me. * I almost got the 4 GB version but ultimately decided to go with the 250 GB. I subsequently learned that USB storage with the 4 GB version would've worked just as well for my purposes, but that said the 250 GB storage is great and more convenient than USB drives sticking out of the console (even though that works just as well to load games and store game data). * I don't have an issue with the glossy finish as many other people seem to have. If you are someone who is constantly relocating the console or don't dust regularly, then maybe fingerprints and dust might be an issue for you. The matte finish of the 4GB version would've been a nice option, but I understand the need to visually differentiate the two consoles and the finish is logical choice. * The best part of this is that I was able to pick up a bunch of very low-cost, popular used games on amazon which were in "like-new" condition. This is a great way to build your library. So all told the cost of the console plus the games was close to what I had planned on spending on one of the elite bundles from a while back (except I got to choose only good games). So, if like me you've been thinking about getting a 360 for a while and have been putting it off, now is a good time to get one. --------------- * Update: Almost a year later, the console is still working perfectly. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2010 by Pieter Barrow
A very nice update to a very good gaming console
Edition: 250GB Console
First of all, I really like the Xbox. I think it delivers a lot of value across the entertainment spectrum. I purchased the 360 S to replace an Elite that was in my game room (moving the Elite downstairs to replace an Arcade). Unboxing the unit was uneventful: The Xbox itself was packaged very neatly with button-taped wrapping instead of just a plastic bag. A black wireless controller (chromed Xbox orb in the middle), a somewhat smaller power brick, and a standard video cable were also included. I was a little surprised that there was no HDMI cable: It was a nice addition to the old Elite package. For those who enjoy picking up their Xbox and moving it around there is a nice warning label on the front instructing you to remove any discs from the unit before doing so. Honestly, I have never for the life of me understood why people felt the need to move the console around, and then complain about scratched discs. For me, playing Xbox does not include tossing the console around. But, to each his own. Setting up the console was simple, just like every other Xbox. I used the transfer cable to move all the junks from the Elite and it performed fine. Not very exciting. I haven't yet attempted the license transfer: It's not a pressing issue since I'm always signed into Live anyway. The size of the 360 S is a bit smaller than the Elite physically, but it "feels" a lot smaller. I don't know why but it just looks a lot smaller sitting in the same spot as the old Elite than it actually is. Probably a nice visual effect from the new shiny finish and the venting slots and angles. I have it laying down with the new side vent up. You really do feel the heat from this vent that is being dissipated from inside the console. Obviously it would be a bad idea to block it. While I have read that the unit is only a few decibels more quiet than the orginal, I have to say those few are very noticeable in the real world. I popped in Alan Wake and gave that a go and never heard the console at all. Even while not playing it's very quiet. If I get right up to it I can hear some whirring noise but from a distance I hear nothing. I had little issue with the console noise before, so it's all good with the S. The most noticeable thing that is gone is the DVD drive noise. I hated the sound as the laser head searched over and over on the old console. As for lack of Blu-Ray: Why would Microsoft add it now? Any game that would be published on Blu-Ray would not be playable on the existing huge Xbox installed base. That, to me, would be an incredibly stupid move and would anger a lot of existing owners. I have my Netflix going and have recently been renting the HD movies off of the Zune service: I have to say the instant on HD streaming is pretty incredible. The console does have built-in wireless N now. I don't have need for that, so no review on it. The console also adds the optical audio port directly on the console for those who utilize that. The S also has dedicated port for the Kinect, as well as additional USB ports on the back of the unit. My only gripes are the lack of HDMI cable and the wireless controller did not have a rechargeable battery with it. It was a great gaming console before the refresh, even better after. UPDATE: So after playing much more, varied games I can say that I do hear the fan cycle sometimes. I don't find it much louder than the original Xbox. I certainly don't notice any performance changes or any other issues when this happens. After reading some other posts about adding older wireless controllers I thought I would try adding all of mine: No issues. They synced right up after pressing the button. Still pleased with the purchase :) ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2010 by BrianS
The Incredible Xbox 360
Edition: 250GB Console
Ah, my incredible xbox.. I was late getting onboard 'NextGen.' Usually I do that on purpose when a console comes out so they have a couple years to work out the kinks and I end up with a better system for having waited. Well, that's exactly how it worked out in this case. Of course the funds have something to do with it too :P I did the same when the PS2 came out and I loved that thing and instead of going nextgen last year I got another PS2. When the nextgen consoles first came out I was much more drawn to the PS3 and picked up a PSP in anticipation of eventually getting a PS3. I have played on the 360 at friends houses here and there for the past few years and was always really impressed with it, but I just couldn't get over throwing down $300+ for something that was likely to break on me within a year or so of my purchase. So I was holding out for a PS3 (which I'm sure is a great system as well, for the record :) So in April of this year I started looking at FPS games, which I particularly enjoy, and was really intrigued by what the 360 had to offer over the PS3 (mainly just the online experience in general). So I really started thinking about it again and asked all my friends and the 360 just fit what I was looking for in a nextgen console. So now the question was which one to get. Then along came Microsoft at E3 and I had all the answers. I waited 4 days after the announcement and went for it. It was a little crazy on Amazon because the 'availability' status of the console kept changing every few hours or so, but I got mine as promised before the expected delivery date and Amazon did an incredible job at shipping and everything else, as usual. So onto the console itself: It is very stylish and just cool looking. The touch buttons are awesome but you can turn the console on and off via the controller, as goes for the disk tray, so you don't even need to touch the console if you don't want to. I have had no issues with the wireless, and gaming online is as awesome as everyone has made it out to be. I really don't care that I have to pay for xbox live, as it's really not that expensive and definitely worth it. I have also called xbox support a couple of times with just some general questions about warranty and so on and they were very helpful. Granted, I didn't need to reapair anything, but xbox support seems top notch. For those who don't have an HDTV, I bought this monitor at Sams for $180 to go with my new toy: [...] It works incredibly well and looks as good if not better than any HDTV out there. I would highly recommend gaming on a monitor if that suits you, but do your homework about what cables you will need. They can all be found on Amazon. The few Gripes I have about this 360 console are as follows: - In the short time I've had it (one month) it has frozen on me once during gameplay while playing Gears of War. While it was a little annoying, anyone who has gamed on a PC knows that freezing is just a part of life. I'm not really concerned about it at all or think there's a detrimental problem with the system. - It does run pretty hot on the top vent (when sitting horizontally), which concerns me a little. So I set a fan on it to be extra cautious. Problem solved. .. I thought there were more gripes, but no. That's all I can think of. I suppose I can sympathize with the owners of the previous xbox and certainly those who bought the console at launch. I would have been very annoyed had I taken the plunge a month before this console came out like I had planned. It just goes to show that good things come to those who wait. If you've been thinking about getting an xbox 360, do it. You're already here on Amazon reading my review, so you might as well. I highly recommend it; this console is AWESOME! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2010 by DRocK
"Xbox 360 S" review by a "moderate" gamer
Edition: 250GB Console
Background: First and foremost I'd like to give a little info on myself so that whomever stumbles upon this review understands what this review is about and can compare your tastes with mine and come to a conclusion about the review and the Xbox 360 S. I've found that with reviews such as movies the critics and myself don't always see eye to eye so I'll find a reviewer that has my tastes and usually I'll agree with the reviewer. So, I love video games, and I play about 10-20 hours a week sometimes less, sometimes more depending on other obligations (i.e. work, school, family, friends etc). About 18 months ago I took my first step into the "next gen" consoles and was daunted with the task of getting the right system for myself. I ended up getting the PS3 80GB model, and I love it and would recommend it very much so. The reason I chose the PS3 over the Xbox 360 was because of the high failure rate of the Xbox 360, the PS3 had built in wifi, no annual fee to play games online, PS3 has Blu-ray, and exclusive titles on the PS3 interested me more so than the exclusives on the 360. Ultimately in the end what won me over with the PS3 was the Blu-ray and RROD. Now to get a taste of what games I like: Super Street Fighter IV, Killzone 2, God of War, Infamous, Borderlands, Uncharted 2, Batman Arkham Asylum, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Modnation Racers, Demon's Souls, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Review: When Microsoft announced the new Xbox 360 "slim" I was very interested and excited about it. I've read other reviews and "expert" reviews and came to the conclusion that this was the Xbox 360 for me! It's got a great look to it, now has built in wifi, 250GB hard drive, and hopefully lower failure rate than previous versions. I've had the Xbox 360 S for about a week now. It's also Kinect ready but I'm not all that excited about that...we'll have to wait and see if its worthwhile, my guess is probably not. Although the ability to turn on the 360 by a wave or voice command and other simple controls is pretty cool but not necessary. My experience with the 360 so far has been good. It is very quiet and it is fast, it loads a little faster than previous models as witnessed on G4. The graphics are great, although I don't know if they are better than previous models. Compared to the PS3 the graphics are very similar, maybe the 360 has a bit of an edge but nothing that should deter you from either system. Now compared to the Wii, the differences are night and day. I used to own a Wii but it was collecting dust (not many games I played or interested in, but this year looks like they have some great games coming out) so I gave it to my little niece and nephew. It took me a little while to get familiar with the controller and navigating the 360. Personally, I prefer the PS3 controller and XMB. The Live Gold membership is great yeah, it's 50 bucks a year but you can find deals on it, I found it for 35 bucks for the year. I like that you can party chat, something the PSN lacks. I also love the fact that you can play music while playing a game, hence creating your own soundtrack, awesome! I have a Zune and I thought that I would have been able to use my Zune subscription to listen to music but that was not the case it's mainly for music videos, maybe in the future they will integrate that (fingers crossed or have I just not found a way to do so?). I also like the fact that you can connect the 360 over wifi to stream music and movies, although I haven't used that feature yet, I've heard that it's really easy to do so and plan on doing that once I get my server. The downside so far with my 360 is that it did make some really loud weird noises a few nights ago while playing MW2, I had not installed the game to the hard drive yet, and since I'm worried about scratching my games, I will be installing all my games to the hard drive. When I got the 360 I bought Gears of War and Mass Effect, and just got MW2 a couple of days ago. Gears of War looks great and so far plays awesome and I like it very much. Haven't played Mass Effect though, but I think Mass Effect is more my type of game and can't wait to play it and move on to Mass Effect 2 which is supposed to be the best game out so far this year. When comparing MW2 on the PS3 to the 360, the 360 version shines because the controls are tighter on the 360, the party chat is great, and is just a better over all experience on the 360. The 360 as they say is much better for FPS's, however as much as I do like FPS's I do get tired of them and that is the reason why I like the PS3 exclusives more so than the 360 and for titles on both consoles they vary (i.e. Final Fantasy, Bayonetta). My only real gripe with the 360 is why do they still use a proprietary drive? Yes, its removable and it looks like a 2.5 SATA but I'm not 100% sure about that because it's enclosed in a shiny case and I don't want to void my warranty or break the thing trying to open it. If someone knows more about this, please enlighten me. However, I did get the extended warranty with squaretrade for fear of the Red Dot. Hopefully I'll never have to use it. I have a Western Digital 1TB external hard drive hooked up to it and it works great, the 360 reads almost all common files where as the PS3 doesn't, big plus in my book. Conclusion: If I could I'd give the new Xbox 360 S a 4.5 stars out of 5 and I do! Graphics are great, nice sleek design, ease of use and setup, Live is a better experience than PSN however not by much but it's the little things that make it great; built in wifi (although my setup allows a wired connection, which I prefer), bigger hard drive but not sure about expandability via internal. I'm just lucky that I'm able to have both systems because both the PS3 and 360 are great, both have their strengths and weaknesses but it's a great time to be a GAMER! and for all those PS3 and 360 bashers, stop hating and just enjoy. In the Box: 360 S console (250gb HDD, 5 usb 2.0 ports, built in wifi, ethernet port, hdmi av port, s/pdif port, auxilaiary port) 1 all back wireless controller with batteries 1 av cable xbox 360 headset 1 month Live Gold Netflix comparison: The video quality when streaming from Netflix is better on the PS3, however it is a little more convenient with the 360. For some reason the colors on the 360 seem to be white washed. I'd rather stream movies from netflix on the PS3 because the video quality is better. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2010 by PLCK
Barely any heat, barely any sound.
Edition: 250GB Console
Like many people I had a launch 360 quit on me last year and I waited for this to replace it, and I'm glad I did. Now I'm no MS fan, I absolutely hate windows to death and never use it unless I have no other option, I use OSX or Centos or Ubuntu for everything but games that are exclusive to windows. But I really do love my new 360 pros - *After a game is installed it makes little to no noise, "whisper quiet" is an understatement. I can't speak for how noisy it is if a game is not installed, I haven't tried it. It runs so quiet I thought the fan might not be working properly but I've played it for several hours without a brake with no problems. *Does not produce a lot of heat. My IMac makes my room feel like a sauna but the 360 feels like it's running at room temperature everywhere on it but the air vent on the side, and even there it feels only a little warm. *Sexy, the glossy black looks pretty sweet. *Touch buttons are actually pretty nice and work very well. *Large HDD, I like being able to install every game I own without having to manage the memory. *Smaller form factor and feels a lot more sturdy than my old Pro model. *Wireless N. I will never game wirelessly on any system or computer, it's just too unreliable, but for streaming movies this will come in handy as I can bring it into the living room and my family can enjoy some netflix HD movies with no wired internet connection. If given the choice though, I'd rather have $50 off the price and no wireless, oh well though, hopefully I can get my monies worth with movie streaming. Cons - *Hard drive is not easily accessible. Not like it's a big deal but it's located at the bottom of the machine and requires that you tip it over to access. This really isn't a big deal though, and will probably only be an issue for just a couple of people maybe once during their time with the machine. Hard drives are also still not standardized, it would be nice if I could just pop in a regular hard drive like you can with the PS3. *The machine is noticeably smaller in person, but I still feel like it could be smaller, again not a big deal but I feel it could have been made more "slim." *Everything software wise still sucks, accounts were and are a terrible idea, I'd like to have unlockables, achievements and saves transcend accounts. It would have been nice if they could have done a software update to go along with the new console. *No transfer cable. Why you can't just connect two machines with an ethernet cable and transfer stuff is beyond me. *Still can't move it while it's spinning a disk, I realize you can't just throw it around and shake it, but it would be nice if we could gently move it from vertical to horizontal without it scratching disks. *Downloadable full games are soooo expensive. Often times they are more expensive than buying a physical copy of the game, and at best they are the same price. It doesn't make sense. OVERALL The pros make it infinitely better than my original console, and the cons are so minor, they are for the most part a non-issue. I still hate MS software but with this hardware update it seems to be a home run. The thing I wish most though is that we could instal a full OS on there, even if it were Windows 7. It would be freaking sweet to use it to play PC games as well. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2010 by Caleb Kisselburg
Joining the dark side - PC gamer, now Xbox 360 gamer!
Edition: 250GB Console
I have been an avid console and PC gamer for over 2 decades, but I stopped with consoles after PS1/N64. I have been PC-only for the longest time, and I even enjoy building gaming PCs. However, a new friend convinced me to join the dark side, so I bought a Xbox 360S because I have heard numerous accolades for Xbox Live as a multiplayer gaming haven. The Xbox 360S is very easy to install to your home theater equipment. I opted to use my 24" Asus LCD monitor, which is 1080P native and has a HDMI input. The 360S works perfectly with the display, and it feels just like playing a PC game. For audio, I did not want to go the route of a full receiver and 5.1/7.1 system. I opted to go with the Turtle Beach Ear Force X41, which hooks up to the Xbox 360S's built-in optical audio link. There is a minimal number of cables running on the back of the 360S, but the included power brick is literally the size of a brick! Could Microsoft make it even bigger? The 360S runs quietly, and you can barely hear the single venting fan. However, the disc drive is noisy. I highly recommend you "Install" the games onto the HDD or else games like Medal of Honor will cause the disc to spin constantly, creating a buzzing noise as you are trying to concentrate. The wireless controller is standard Xbox 360 controller fare, and for PC gamers that love first person shooters, the joysticks are difficult to get used to but after a solid week of training, practice, and running drills in "The Pit" in CoD MW2, I have gotten more used to it. However, I still feel that a mouse offers slightly better precision. With the Xbox 360 controller, there is less margin of error and more reliance on your hand-eye coordination. The Xbox 360S does run pretty warm. The intake/case temperature would read 75F (ambient) using my IR thermometer, while the exhaust vent fan area read 140F-150F. The power consumption is MINIMAL. With my office on standby mode, the UPS reads 0.027 KW. With the Xbox 360S hardware and monitor running, it is only 0.135 KW. With my gaming PC (AMD Phenom II X3, ATI Radeon HD 4870), it is easily over .250 KW. Overall, I should have started with the Xbox 360 much earlier because the gaming experience is significantly better than on the PC. The thing they really MUST change in the future is allow the user to play the games with a mouse and keyboard, even if it is some type of standardized mouse and keyboard. Pros: Streamlined gaming experience, runs quiet, uses little power, easy to hook up, lots of modern features (no Blu Ray like PS3, but I don't have BD DVDs) Cons: No way to use mouse and keyboard easily for FPS games, noisy DVD drive, no way to run the Xbox Live chat wirelessly and ditch the talk back cable. Overall: 5/5 stars ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2010 by Chaz Turbino
Best Version Thus Far
Edition: 250GB Console
I just purchased this model as an upgrade from my old 60gb "Pro/Premium" version, which also had the external wi-fi dongle add on. What I liked: * Console is MUCH smaller than I thought it would be. It's not Wii sized, obviously, but it's far more aesthetically pleasing than the old models. * Better placement of cooling vents (thus the console runs much cooler than it's predecessors). * Almost SILENT when running * Fun little changes such as touch sensitive buttons that beep and such when you activate them. * Internal wi-fi - FINALLY. It's nice that it's the new N bandwidth as opposed to the G that I had on my old console. * More USB ports, and what appears to possibly be a FireWire port - I wonder what add-ons and upgrades will make use of this (other than Kinect, but that has it's own dedicated port as well). What I Disliked: * Still uses a disc tray - I'd have preferred one of the nicer front loading slots (such as what the PS3 uses) * Same disc format - Why not upgrade to blu ray now that the format war is over? It just seems like a logical next step, and could prevent future annoyances such as the disc swapping and more compressed FMV's that Final Fantasy XIII suffered from. * Does not include HDMI cable - these cost like 6 to 8 bucks, Microsoft, what gives? * Does not include hard drive transfer cable - MS knows most people buying this console are upgraders. Why do I have to spend an extra $20 for a magical super special cable in order to conveniently transfer my old data to the new system? At the very least, remove the arbitrary 16gb cap on flash drive storage guys... * No free game pack-in - almost every iteration of the console has had some kind of pleasant bonus like this, why not the new console? Final Thoughts: It's definitely the best iteration of the console on the market thus far, but when you get right down to it it's still just an Xbox 360. Only upgrade if you really have a need or desire to, but don't expect to be blown away or anything. New adopters should definitely go for this model. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2010 by Chopblock
I have no complaints
Edition: 250GB Console
I am a PS3 owner but by no means a fan boy. The only thing that was keeping me from purchasing a Xbox 360 was the unreliability of the hardware. When this new console was announced I felt it was time to make the purchase. Built in wifi, quieter design, and a redesign that supposedly fixed the previous issues with the red ring of death, were all things that appealed to my sensibilities as a consumer. So far I have not been disappointed. First off I am going to compare the Xbox 360 to the PS3 because it is my frame of reference. Simply put the Xbox is more user friendly. Load times so far on the Xbox have been much shorter than those on the PS3 (this could be because of the games I have been playing, which so far have only been a few on the Xbox, none of which are new releases). You don't have to use a disc to play Netflix, and the Netflix interface on the Xbox is much better than that on the PS3. Not only is it easier to use, but it just looks better. Xbox Live is also much better than the Playstation Network, and even though I had to pay for the premium service the price for a year is reasonable for the way multi player works seamlessly and again it just looks better. Sorry, I like things that are functional and look pretty. It is also reasonably priced I think I paid $37 bucks for 12 months of Xbox Live ($3.08 a month, big deal). I also like the Xbox controller, I find it very comfortable to use, and to me it is more comfortable that the PS3 Controller. As far as graphics go between the PS3 and Xbox the difference is negligible, and I really don't think anyone could tell the difference unless they had the two consoles on two identical TVs side by side. One thing the PS3 does have going for it is that going through the exclusive games for that console compared to the 360, I have much more interest in the PS3 exclusives (which has nothing to do with console performance and really only speaks to my preference of games). Now onto the Xbox 360 itself and the supposed new features. First off, the set up was a breeze, everything so far has worked right out of the box. Built in wireless set up very easily and detected my network right away. Also I have never been disconnected while playing or experienced any lag on screen. It seems to be quiet at least as quiet as the PS3 (I can't compare it to the old model Xbox as I have no frame of reference). You can still hear it sometimes but I think to expect to not hear anything coming from a device that has moving parts is ridiculous. Bottom line is that when I am in game it does not distract me which is the main issue. There is some heat coming off of it, but mine is not so hot where it worries me. I also have not had the issue of the console turning off when it gets too hot as some people have reported, although I think the most I usually play at a time is only a couple of hours compared to some who play for extended periods of time. I also have not had any issue with the system scratching discs. If you don't move the console with a disc in it you won't have a problem. Even if the system will be off, if I move it I will take the disc out as that what it says on the front of the console. I was also surprised at how easy it was to hook up the mic. Voice chat worked very well without having to do anything, I plugged it in and was chatting with my friends playing L4D. There was some feedback at first when using the mic but it went away and I haven't experienced it sense. I am very impressed with what is included in the box for the Xbox, they pretty much give you everything you need minus a game and HDMI cable, but the price of this product at $300 with a larger HDD and built in wireless seemed like a very good deal, and HDMI cables on amazon are cheap, as are many of the older games that I will start out playing. I also hooked up my 5.1 surround sound headset to the optical output and they worked right away without having to change any settings which was very surprising. The one thing I cannot attest to with this hardware is its reliability. People have been saying they have been having issues with the hardware failing, but with any new hardware there will be a few lemons in the bunch. I also have only had the hardware for a week so it is very possible something could go wrong and I will be revising my review. I would recommend buying an extended warranty with this product. Apparently the new Xbox only has a 1 year warranty whereas the older version was covered for 3 years for the issues it has had (RROD). Also this is the first iteration of this product so I feel it is better to be safe than sorry, just in case this hardware has its own issues. Lets face it the Xbox 360 has been around for 5 years now and they were still having issues with the last generation, so do yourself a favor and protect your investment. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2010 by David Nagelhout
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