We've just got our greasy hands on and all over the new Xbox 360 250GB, poking its buttons and pressing our ears to its shiny outer shell to see if it really is as whisper quiet as MS is making out.
As we rip the new console out of the box shiny case is striking - it's more compact than the original of course and noticeably lighter but its the sheen of that plastic that really stands out. We feared that the lighter weight and shiny finish risked giving it a slightly cheaper feel but that's not the case. This is one sexy console.
The prominent grills on the side of the case give you a clear look at the fan system and cooling heatsink metal that sits under the shiny plastic, which is an odd design choice for a games console, which are usually very closed-in boxes that offer you little to no view of their inner machinery. It gives the machine a look comparable to high-end gaming PCs with those big clear side-panels that show off their powerful guts rather than then hide them away.
It's a pretty console - very pretty. A subtly futuristic aggressive appearance without being cheesy like an AlienWare PC. Our only complain would be the fingerprints - the glossy finish, like the Black Wii and first PS3, will be covered in your gamer grease within minutes.
Flip it around and on the back you see the usual selection of ports - USB, HDMI, power and the Xbox's proprietary component video out (you can see the full specs of the console here so we won't waste time going through them again). Optical support is now built in, and there's the extra addition of a special port for the Kinect which will supply the device with its power, while old Xbox owners will need to plug Kinect into a wall outlet.
The power supply is much nicer than the bricks we've all had to hide behind our TVs for the past four years, its size sliced down to a fraction of the previous model's, lighter and smoothly clipping into the back of the console with none of forced clunkiness of the original.
It's ironic that, just as Sony chooses to rid PS3 of its (slick, we thought) touch-sensitive buttons for regular push-in ones, Microsoft has taken the new Xbox in the opposite direction.
With no disc in the tray this console is absolutely silent - the single larger fan that replaces the multiple fans of the old noisy console clearly doing the trick in the decibel-trimming department.
Where the old Xbox disc tray was slow to respond on opening and had that unnerving 'ker-chunk' sound as it came to a close, the new disc tray does its job quietly and smoothly, which adds to the more polished, finished feel of the new console.
Comments
75 comments so far...
SoulChimera on 15 Jun '10 said:
That's good, I didn't think you could use a USB stick to transfer your data.
boskersrevenge on 15 Jun '10 said:
I really don't get why current 360 owners are wetting themselves over this. If this isn't a terrific example of the Emperors New Clothes, then I don't know what is.
At the same time, bitching about Natal (screw Kinect)... something that's half the price and different to what they own.
Can someone please explain this to me?
I can understand upgrading from a s**tbox, but as I remember it, we've been upgrading since the Elite so I would wager most xbox owners have a decent HDD and a quieter machine right now.
Troo Gamer on 15 Jun '10 said:
Gaining Wi-Fi adds a feature it should of had in the first place.
Black Mantis on 15 Jun '10 said:
You're lumping all 360 owners together though. I haven't upgraded my 360, just the HDD and my unit doesn't have a HDMI slot. Depending on when my brother takes my 360 off my hands, I'll most likely get Kinect first.
pmantis on 15 Jun '10 said:
ergh, this 360 is one sexy motherf**ker. I'd say it's the rick james of xbox's. So damn smooth!
steve_2003 on 15 Jun '10 said:
Every electrical device gets updated over time and it's nice to see Microsoft improving it's 360. The only drawback some people had to picking up a Xbox 360 previously were the reliability and sound issues. It seems that both of these issues have been resolved, now everyone can enjoy Halo, Fable, Gears of War etc.
Welcome to the 360, see you on Live!
boskersrevenge on 15 Jun '10 said:
Yes I am.
DaRockwilder1 on 15 Jun '10 said:
As my Elite is shagged I can’t wait to get my hands on one.
The glossy design although a pain to keep clean, like the original PS3 makes it look gorgeous (hate the new PS3 design).
I’ll also buy the Kinect along with the PS Move as I like to waste money on new gaming tech, although both selection of games do look cack at the moment.
steve_2003 on 15 Jun '10 said:
Great new 3 minute video over on IGN showing the slim in detail.
Here:- http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/dor/articles/ ... 61410.html
benzino06 on 15 Jun '10 said:
With only 400MB left on my 20GB HDD, I gotta admit, im tempted, very tempted
saintbone on 15 Jun '10 said:
Shouldn't the 360 have been like this in the beginning! Built in wifi, optical, usb, removable hard drive! At the very least the elite should have been this model. Very clever though as everyone will continue to purchase yet another 360.
shellster2 on 15 Jun '10 said:
i've already got 2 360's but i still want this one. has anyone mentioned how shiny it is?
rivariad on 15 Jun '10 said:
stupid hardware-crippled microsoft, it took 4 years to develop a workin console, just cuz to be released first, they screwed millions of people brutally.
VOR on 15 Jun '10 said:
It's a strange design choice, it's a bit 50's, like it was designed back then of what a future toaster would look like. I like it but feel it does not suit their new market positioning (like the article says it looks like a hi-end gaming PC, and after watching E3, they want the casual market in a huge way).
Did anyone else notice the size of Kinect? it was huge, it looked about the size of a old VHS tape. Certainly cant put that on top of my telly, more like the other way round. Also it needs it's own power source when used with the old Xbox, seems to me it's another rushed to market, off the shelve, unrefined piece of rubbish.
gogo65uk on 15 Jun '10 said:
I'm still waiting a few months to see if this xbox lasts
but as I turned my back on the arcade/elite xbox's a few months ago I may get one of these in time for gears 3
steve_2003 on 15 Jun '10 said:
It worked for Sony, most of my PS3 owning mates rushed out to get a shiny new slim model when it was released.
darren_mccoy on 15 Jun '10 said:
You would think people would wait at least a year to make sure the RROD or something worse isn't still present. Suckers
Obscure_Metaphor on 15 Jun '10 said:
I was hoping for blu ray, so i could justify buying this as the box under my tv downstairs. its a shame, because now ill either be buying a standalone or a ps3... i would have really liked to buy one of these!
Sleepaphobic on 15 Jun '10 said:
Why is there still a tray? The gloss looks really nice and so do the vents but the shape is still too damn generic imo but it's MS what can we expect? Really cool that the digital out is integrated now and wifi I guess for the people that actually use it.
ranaraptor on 15 Jun '10 said:
Yep, MS should have delivered this incarnation in 2005 when it launched.
Instead, they launched a buggy, flawed version, thewn it onto the market, then launched their warranty scheme 'cause of their f*ck up.
Conkers on 15 Jun '10 said:
Why does everyone go on about a disc tray like it’s such a bad thing? Why is a slot load so much better? It’s merely an implement for bringing the optical media to the laser isn’t it? I’ve got a slot load on my laptop and it makes more noise than a disc tray taking it in and out, that’s the only discernable difference I can tell!
Adam81uk on 15 Jun '10 said:
Says alot about your mates then really, too much time and money, should get more interesting ones,lol
themozabeast on 15 Jun '10 said:
before E3, didn't microsoft talk about updating the actual hardware to keep up with the ps3's greater power?
im just wondering if the internal guts have been upgraded with the new box
thelazyone on 15 Jun '10 said:
Dear CVG,
could you please post pictures of the 360 slim and the original standing side by side please.
Thank you
donnie2207 on 15 Jun '10 said:
I was lookin to get a PS3 Slim this July to replace my Xbox 350 Elite - I can't stand not been able to save music (mp3's) and films (avi's) from my comp. onto the Xbox, its stupid not been able to!!
I know the PS3 can do it, so now the sexy new Xbox Slim is coming out, i'm hopin that you'll be able to save stuff to the hard drive - what you think? not gona happen?
MrPirtniw on 15 Jun '10 said:
That's a very cool looking console- I'd upgrade but I can't really justify it as my 360 still works just fine... and the Wacom graphics tablet I bought was a wee bit expensive too...
Sleepaphobic on 15 Jun '10 said:
Nope, I'm guessing there's just die shrinks. Upgrading would be retarded and segment everyone. It is a PC but it isn't a PC at the same time, you can't change visual settings so all new hardware will be able to do it increase framerates and since most games run at ok fps then what's the point? Also the price would most likely go up. I do hope a new console is announced soon though coz the current console hardware is getting really old.
Well you're trying to go all sleek and everything but you keep a tray? They tend to always have that annoying lag time when opening it and there's unnecessary movement when you want to put a disc in an empty tray. Hey that's just how I feel and I guess it won't bother most people out there but then again why not get rid of the tray? Also in my experience (have no idea why) discs in the old tray style scratch way more easily.
Pokeymike on 15 Jun '10 said:
I've seen comments on other boards and this one saying people should wait to see if the RROD is still an issue - but as far as I am aware it hasn't been an issue for new consoles since mid 2008 when the Jasper chipset was launched. Unfortunately the issue hasn't totally gone away as Microsoft repair older ones and these fail again.
And people shouldn't worry about heat - if it's a 45nm combined chip then it should run pretty cool.
Seabread on 15 Jun '10 said:
Seriously? Old? The Xbox360 came out less than 5 years ago. They're looking at a minimum 10 year life cycle, Sony said they were looking at 15-20 years for PS3, and with additions like Kinect and Move these are expected to increase the lifespan of the current generation of consoles.
Despite recently investing in a 250GB HDD I'll most likely be getting one of these new Xboxes. Looks gorgeous and upgraded hardware sells it for me.
Sleepaphobic on 15 Jun '10 said:
I was praying to the gaming gods that this 10 year cycle is similar to the ps2 cycle which lasted 10 years but its successor was released well before that. 5 years may as well be a decade or more when it comes to tech man and after seeing the awesome kinect we should be begging for a new system ASAP coz it's not going to do anything but annoy us.
Seriously I would even welcome with open arms an oc'd chip, a new gpu with support for a newer api like dx11 and more memory. it's nothing like a brand new system so r&d shouldnt cost too much right? it will also give more power to devs and stop holding back game design for a couple of years at least (hopefully).
rogueybear on 15 Jun '10 said:
my review: should have been on the xbox since the release day
A3RO_DYNAMIK on 15 Jun '10 said:
Doe's anyone know if you can use the infra red media remote with this or do do you have to use controller free Kinect for this now?
PS3_fannyboy on 15 Jun '10 said:
I like the idea of the see-through chassis - it will allow me to watch the RROD happening from a more technical perspective!
pp82 on 15 Jun '10 said:
You have to remember that the 360 is Microsoft's second console that they have made they have always been a software company, unlike Nintendo and especially Sony who has been making all kinds of hardware for years.
So they have far much better knowledge on the design and manufacturing process .
The_KFD_Case on 15 Jun '10 said:
This seems to me to be what the Xbox 360 should have been like upon launch. No matter - I am pleased with my Pro Xbox 360 and since it hasn't given me any problems whatsoever I won't be changing to the Xbox 360 slim. I applaud MS for finally releasing an apparently solid-up-to-date console (never mind in comparison to PCs), yet for me it comes too late in the game.
As for a completely silent experience, they'd have to use solid state drives with no moving mechanical parts and that would only work if the software could be run entirely form the SSD without a disc present.
The_KFD_Case on 15 Jun '10 said:
Surely you can troll better than that?
harky on 16 Jun '10 said:
I'm a bit disappointed with the built in wi-fi. I have no need of it personally as I'm sure others don't, and to have to pay extra for something unnecessary is a bit grating.
Having said that I will be getting this model if my current pro (20gb) version ever fails on me (again...)
sean93 on 16 Jun '10 said:
"So identical is it to the original Xbox dashboard that it even recognises the now built-in Wi-Fi card as an Xbox 360 Wireless Adaptor, asking if we'd like to search for networks as we skim through the setup screens."
so it says that it recognizes the built in WI-FI as a wireless adapter just like when you plugged in the wireless adapter for the old 360. if they cant be bothered to reprogram the original settings what else have they not been bothered about. saving them selves more money to steal off of people with they're outrageous xbox live fee compared to ps3 as its free.
however im still interested but ps3 still holds the crown for me as its free online cant be compared to.
Spooky122 on 18 Jun '10 said:
This gives me more pleasure than those booth babes!
hi0marc on 19 Jun '10 said:
No matter how sexy the console is i'd bet my bottom dollar that the inlaws would complain if it was poking out too much from behind the corner of the TV...
Jace Bror on 19 Jun '10 said:
What about the fact that it doesn't come with Blu-ray? Is it maybe because Sony has the right locked in. I will what for mine to die.
bazzatuk on 20 Jun '10 said:
If your console is only a year old then it will be a Jasper. I have had a launch console which failed once.
There is a as much chance as a Jasper failing as a PS3 getting the YLOD. So you should be pretty safe.
pRM8 on 22 Jun '10 said:
Question: Can the HDD be swappable/upgraded without having to buy a MS branded drive?
I've not read all the comments so if my question has been answered I apologize.
gizmo666 on 22 Jun '10 said:
Some real tw~ts exist out there. Micro-soft did not "Screw" anyone any more than any developmental company screws anyone else. What was new and inspiring 4 years ago was just that - flaws and all. Face the fact fanboys (Left,right and centre) if it's still here then it's in the history books for the right reasons... This is nothing more than an evolution of an original concept and I'm loving every second of the concept. Never thought I'd say this but "Yeah Micro -mother f@CKing-soft" because gaming is so much more exciting when there's a crowd and they're up for sticking it out come rain or shine.
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pooch on 30 Jun '10 said:
M$ r a load of s**t. the new xbox is just a copy of the ps3 slim.sony rules M$ suck. uncharted 2 is legend and halo and gears of war are s**t.
ctjags on 6 Jul '10 said:
I am so sick of Sony fan boys making up lies. Coming from a former member of SCA gamer advisory panel I know what I am talking about. Yea it does not have Blue-Ray. But if you only knew how many friends i have that bought a PS3 and regret doing so. The games with the exception of a few are crap. Their online service is buggy and glitchy as all hell. So easy to hack into service and cheat. Yes you pay for xbox live but I love that feature. Hardly any little kiddies messing up your games and cussing. But if you ever experience it Microsoft put in a mute option. Plus there frequently working to improve there great service. I love hearing about the xbox 360 RRD yet nothing about how the PS breaks and constant disc read errors. I had 9 yes 9 PS2 all different models and constant errors. If it wasn't for them breaking it was unable to read disc over and over again. So in summery. This new xbox 360 is a bargain of a deal with or without the trade in outlets. So many new ports and wifi integration. Of course cant put vertical but ask any game store attendant that knows what there doing. If you put any console vertical it will scratch the disc. So why they make them stands never know. So game easy and without a doubt pick up this great new xbox 360 slim system.
oskman888 on 9 Jul '10 said:
hey just to let anyone know sell your old xbox after buying because you can use your old HD cord for this one but not the power cord. the transfer from the cord is not relatively long and it can be used again so give it to a friend or sell it for an extra buck.
Nomad089 on 15 Jul '10 said:
Oh how i pity you
Nomad089 on 15 Jul '10 said:
Oh i pity you so much
Nomad089 on 15 Jul '10 said:
I agree with every last word of that
ted1138 on 15 Jul '10 said:
Fear of the new is my guess, Luddite would be an understatement sometimes...
cian84 on 15 Jul '10 said:
I've had one since last Saturday and I'm loving it. It's as quiet as my PS3 slim and it has loads of room to install all my games for quicker loading times etc. The built in wireless was great for me too because I could get extra value from trading in my wireless adaptor. It looks so much classier too. Recommended.
jonbwfc on 15 Jul '10 said:
you "know what you're talking about" but you can't even spell Blu-ray the way it's supposed to be?
allygray69 on 15 Jul '10 said:
and "summery" lol, its summary!
thedriffter50 on 15 Jul '10 said:
'' Speaking to Microsoft reps at the unboxing event, we were told repeatedly that the firm believes this is the best console it's ever made. ''
Yeah right lol...Xbox has honestly got to be the worst console ever. Micro$oft are getting too big for their own good.
Oh and the 360 fanboys are seriously the worst kind. Always saying '' herp derp ps3 owners said this '' or '' ps3 owners did that herp derp '' seriously if there ever is a fanboy that is worser then a arrogant 360 fanboy I haven't found them yet.
Metagen on 15 Jul '10 said:
I honestly don't think you know what you're talking about. My PS2 has worked perfectly since I bought it years ago, (the only problem I encountered was scratched discs)and I have quite a few friends still with their original or second ps2 so you must have been either seriously unlucky or just plain careless or you're just talking out your ass. I'm assuming it's the latter as you said all the games on the PS3 are crap aside from a few
That may be your honest opinion, and it is just an opinion, however I really doubt you've played them all.
I've also never had a problem with the online service and my backwards-compatible PS3 has been standing vertically since day 1 and my discs are in perfect condition. So I'm pretty sure you're the fanboy spreading lies
They're both good consoles dude, get over it.
OT: I'm considering getting this new slim myself, either that or a new gaming rig.
gideonseer on 15 Jul '10 said:
I'm not a fanboy of any console, but each experience is different. I had only one PS2 for years, still have it, played regularly and no problems. I have PS3 and Xbox360, well, just sold Xbox360 as needed the money, but will get the XboxSlim when I can afford it again. So for now my only console other than handheld is the PS3. It has loads of great games, as its my sole console just now I'm very happy with it and don't feel any lack without the Xbox just now. The only problems I've had with actual games involve similar glitches to the games on Xbox, okay, except PS3 Fallout 3 which was admittedly appalling for bugs. They are both great consoles and I can use the PS3 for HD films. Oh, CVG, if you are reviewing the Xbox Slim, why no trial of the inbuilt Wi-Fi? I'd have thought that was a core part of the new design?
dangermou5e on 15 Jul '10 said:
Have you not seen focker and SVD then?
Insidious on 16 Jul '10 said:
'' Speaking to Microsoft reps at the unboxing event, we were told repeatedly that the firm believes this is the best console it's ever made. ''
Yeah right lol...Xbox has honestly got to be the worst console ever. Micro$oft are getting too big for their own good.
L2read, Drifter. L2read.
And to call Xbox the worst console ever is one of the most naive things I've ever read from you, and that is saying quite a lot. I, and many others here (including many of the Sony-exclusive fanboys) could name SEVERAL consoles of the past that we would prefer an Xbox to.
@dangermou5e: Drifter himself is far worse than that pair; at least they are literate and attempt rational argument, no matter how one-sided they can be. Furthermore, outside of first-party articles, that pair often make sense. Worst Sony fanboy I've seen in a while is probably Bipod, tbh.
DanielRussell4 on 16 Jul '10 said:
So much dirty bias I might just permanently migrate to eurogamer...
Jimmy Luxury on 16 Jul '10 said:
Once you go black, you never go back.
Jimmy Luxury on 16 Jul '10 said:
If MS or some other retailer offered a competitive buyback scheme, I may think about this. It would match my shiny PS3, be a damn sight quieter and I could have HDMI and optical without having to buy their special cable. I'd buy it for £100 if they bought back my old, still-in-warranty one.
DeusXM on 16 Jul '10 said:
Best thing about the Slim?
It means you can score a great condition second-hand Elite on eBay for peanuts. I'm more interested in playing games than whether my console 'goes' with my TV, and scoring a Jasper Elite for £75 seems a much smarter investment than this.
Gemini319 on 16 Jul '10 said:
Yup, and the PS3 slim is just another name for Master System 2 you snotnosed brat. Now do everybody a favor please. Roll over and ...
mattant79 on 16 Jul '10 said:
"M$ r a load of s**t. the new xbox is just a copy of the ps3 slim.sony rules M$ suck. uncharted 2 is legend and halo and gears of war are s**t."
Urr OK pooch, Thanks for that fantatsic advice, Now jog on you little troll.
damoxuk on 16 Jul '10 said:
I'ved had a PS3 for over 2 years and love it.
But now I'ved just bought a 360 slim and ordered a load of old 360 exclusives online for low dough.
But even before getting this new 360 I never understood the stick by 1 console mentality what people have. (Actually I lie it's because mommy only bought little jimmy 1 xonsole and won;t get another so he has to "hate" the other console even though he doesn't know why - am I right or am I right?).
Now off to finish Heavy Rain then firing up the 360 for some Forza 3...
obscured021 on 16 Jul '10 said:
if u have a working 360 you would be dumb to buy the new version, its not an upgrade its the same hardware in a new box with better cooling, my elite is still going strong same with my orignal ps3
dog_man_STAR on 16 Jul '10 said:
lol at any fanboy in general.
Microsoft fanboy 2 years ago - "blu-ray sucks, blu-ray is garbage, that s**t never gonna take off"
Microsoft fanboy now - "hey MS wheres the blu-ray, i want blu-ray in my new xbox slim, oh and i'm also glad i now have intergrated wi-fi although i used to tell sony fanboys it was'nt important. Glossy black finish for the ps3, urgh what are they thinking, glossy black finish on the new xbox slim, now thats 1 sexy looking bitch of a console. Hey Mr Gates, can i use my expensive, tacked on HD DVD drive on my shiny, glossy new xbox sl...oh wait, nevermind. Well Mr Gates consider my a n u s well and truly buttered once more."
b3mad on 17 Jul '10 said:
Hi guys, just to dispell fanboy rumours, ive had a PS3 for almost 4years and its an awesome piece of kit, ive always been multi format, favoured xbox to PS2, favoured Dreamcast to Xbox and from the beginning favoured PS3 to Xbox360.The cheap look and RROD really put me off as a hardcore gamer.....until now. The new 360 looks gorgeous and im starting to consider one. Like always, im gonna sit back and see how it pans out before i commit but heres hoping they've got it right this time.
The other thing that gets my back up is both camps ranting about the other not having any games, such uneducated waffle, bar a handful of exclusives on both consoles we all get the same sequals, yearlies and rehashes. Chill out people and just enjoy the games whichever camp you fall in.
martinawatson on 20 Jul '10 said:
Your all bent
minimalistic on 22 Jul '10 said:
So it's silent, but only when you're not playing games? Ps3s is. Is play&charge kit included? Ps3 have. Still no future proof drive, ps3 have one. If this is a 9/10 console, ps3 must be a 10/10.
masamuni on 24 Jul '10 said:
YUCK !
my ps3 owns this s**te!
Zepf on 28 Aug '10 said:
Anyone else had problems with disc vibration on 250gb xbox?
I bought 1 and was really surprised how quiet it was(I had an old elite that sounded like a jet engine)
I installed 2 games and halfway through installing the 2nd one, it just started making this vibration and it does it all the time now(when playing games from the disc.)
claworthy1986 on 5 Apr '11 said:
Hi i want to buy a 4 gb xbox will i be able to go online. your do do i need a 250 gb xbox