XBOX 360 Slim Review

Follow up to my XBOX 720 post

So the "The New Xbox 360" has been out for couple months now, I thought I would give a review of it and do a short follow up to my Xbox 720 post.

I will be reviewing the 250GB version.(the only different from the other version is the size of the hard drive)

Design - The smaller design is one of my favorite changes to the system, it now fits in my entertainment stand without laying it on its side. I'm not a fan of the glossy finish, it's a finger print magnet and I notice on mine it seems to scratch easy. The hard drive is no longer on the outside, it now is inside of the console on the bottom side. Unfortunately you can't replace the hard drive like the Playstation 3

Touch Sensitive Buttons - Now instead of press buttons, all you have to do is swipe your finger across it to active. I'm split on this feature, on one hand it is nice to swipe your finger and your done but on the other hand it's little too easy to accidentally press the buttons, if your where adjusting the system. 
Disc Reading Volume - I very happy to report the disc drive is quieter that the older version, but I wouldn't label "Whisper Quiet" like Microsoft would have you believe, unless the game is install on the hard drive. 
Built In Wireless - One of the things that I wanted from the next Xbox that has made it into this current system. It is nice to be able to connect to the internet without cables. On a side note since I wrote my Xbox 720 article I have figure out how to connect to the school internet without going thought Cisco Clean Access. 
Red Ring of Death - This time around the 360 can't red ring, since Microsoft didn't include the red LEDs! Since the new system have been out I haven't  heard any reports about the system failing, unlike the previous version.

So all in all the new Xbox 360 brought some much needed improvements. If you looking to buy Xbox 360 or trade in your old version for the new version, you will not be disappointed.


"The New Xbox 360" receives  8.5/10

XBOX 720

What I would like to see for the next XBOX system

1. Blu-Ray Player (I know this should go without saying, I remember when the format war was going on Microsoft said if HD-DVD lost that they would come out with a Blu-Ray add-on. The war ended in early 2008, now it April 2010 and no Blu-Ray add-on.)
2. PS3 style of replacing the hard drive (No one whats to play $130 for 250gb hard drive that they can get for about $45 on newegg that about $85 difference in price)
3. The ability to store media on to the hard drive
4. Continued with the ability to use third party USB flash drive to save data (I like this feature, the ability to store DLC, Demos, and save game on USB drive. The only thing I would like to see is the ability to use a flash drive bigger then 16gb.)
5. Quieter disc player (My 360 sounds like coffee pot making coffee when its reading from the disc player.)
6. Built in wireless card (Get with the times Microsoft every thing now has a build in wireless card in it.)
7. Internet browser (I live at a college dorm that require me to log in before you can use the internet. Which would make a hundred dollar wireless card pointless because I have to use my laptop to stream the internet to be able to connect to xbox live. If it had an internet browser I could log in and play wireless.)
8. Free online play (Most gamers would say that xbox live is the best online system out there, making it free would make it even better. For $50 a year I could buy new video game for that price. Plus the Wii and Playstation 3 have free online play.)
9. No Red Ring or 3/4 Ring of Death (don't rush the 720 out to market before the other systems to make profit, Take your time with it Microsoft!)

Now I know some of these thing you can do with the PlayStation 3 already and Microsoft would be smart to include these features in there next system. Lets just hope that Microsoft doesn't name it XBOX 720!