Review: 'Xbox 360 S'

The latest Xbox, dissected.

How do you rebuild a battered reputation? At E3 2010, Microsoft answered by unveiling their brand-new, chic and retooled Xbox 360 model for immediate sale, springing into motion a carefully-laid plan to re-energise the franchise and to clear their name in time for the upcoming holiday season. However, can a leopard really change it’s spots? Considering the black-mark against the machine concerning reliability and value, you’d be largely forgiven for asking the very same question of the big M and this newest console. Should you shell out your hard-earned cash on it considering the 360’s less than savoury track-record, and is it even worth a look if you’ve already got one of the older models at home? Here’s the low-down on Microsoft’s latest to help you decide.

The Tech

Ok, so while the base-specs of this slimmer model may be the same as any other 360 currently out there and on the market (with no improved graphics engines, processors or coveted Blu-Ray player to speak of, I’m afraid), Microsoft have added a lot to make this package relatively worthwhile for both newcomers and old-hands alike. To begin with, the much-needed wireless-networking adaptor (previously sold separately and setting you back anywhere between £44.99 to £59.99 for the privilege of connecting wirelessly to the internet) finally comes as standard within the console itself after years of demand from consumers and an age of trailing behind the competition who could boast this feature from launch. Next, a larger, sleeker and inbuilt hard-drive for saving downloads, game files, movies and music - weighing in at a hefty 250GBs, no less - is also included inside the box. Furthermore, this new console even sports ‘whisper-quiet’ running as well, meaning that you won’t have to put up with the frustrating jet-engine accompaniment of the original models either.

In short, Microsoft have been crowd-pleasing.

But that’s not all; subsequent improvements make this 360 more tooled up than a hefty Swiss-army knife as amendments include the more aesthetic pleasure of a smaller and slighter machine (this new console is a couple of inches shorter and about a pound lighter than the gutsy original), comfortable, touch-sensitive buttons that are exceptionally responsive and satisfying to use, an optical audio-out for better sound quality, your standard HDMI/AV/COMPOSITE slots for connecting to a TV set, an Ethernet port in case you don’t fancy the included wireless, a petite, buoyant and sleek power brick that will take up much less space, five USB docks for all the game-related paraphernalia you’re sure to amass over time (two more than with previous hardware, if you’re interested), and a specific port for Microsoft’s Kinect so that you don’t have to mess on with any of the extra plugs and wires that would be necessary for the motion controller on any other Xbox 360. Hell, even if it does lack the old-school memory-card slots (seeing as that system is now largely defunct due to the recent ability to USB information over to another machine), this console certainly can’t be said to skimp on the trimmings.

Naturally and as you would expect there have been a couple of misfires here and there (such as the questionable silken finish that sadly picks up far too many fingerprints and the dubious longevity of a fabric tab used to remove the hard-drive), but the overall effect is still a vast improvement over previous consoles.

The Performance

After a few days of use it’s already clear that this is the infinitely superior Xbox due to a swift Wi-Fi connection (supposedly the fastest on the market), quieter, low-key running, larger memory and improved features, but what about the reliability of the console? So far it would appear that there have been very few problems at all worldwide (it’s already a month old in the US), and as a result initial fears of overheating seem to be completely unfounded. Although time will be the best judge of this new console’s success, the re-imagined chip-set included in the package and a larger fan within the machine would appear to be doing their job admirably.

Unfortunately, matters aren’t quite so promising when we arrive upon the subject of a very old fashioned disc-tray; still doggedly slogging on with a slide-out system, it’s inclusion is an amazing oversight on Microsoft’s part considering the previous and irritating - if rare - problem concerning the same initial design, where a disc would be so badly scratched that it would be rendered unplayable if the console was moved during use. Would it not have made more sense to include an inbuilt tray such as the one displayed on the Wii or Playstation 3? Aside from the easily ruined shell of the chassis itself (being a glossy magnet for smudges and scratches as it is), this is my greatest problem with the hardware.

The Bottom Line

If you’re new to the market then this hugely improved Xbox 360 is definitely the one to choose from Microsoft’s extensive line-up; not only will it save you a bundle of cash on the likes of vital extras such as wireless network adaptors, the indication that it will keep on running for far longer than previous models is a definite selling point as well as the fact that it is all ready for Kinect when it eventually launches this November, along with being fully 3D capable. If you already have an Xbox Elite or Super Elite, then you may want to hold fire until the question surrounding reliability is removed before you invest, but if you're after a hugely accessible console with many of the same features of it’s rivals without the excessive and bloated price tags that accompany them, then this latest Xbox 360 is most definitely for you.

Rating: 85%
(Brilliant)