Xbox 360 Slim: Is it any good?
Xbox 360 Slim is out, a svelter version of Microsoft's popular gaming console. How does it perform?
One of the less surprising things to come out of the Electronic Entertainment Expo this year was the announcement of a new “slim” model of the Xbox 360.
Microsoft has been planning it for some time, but we weren’t expecting it to launch so quickly, as it’s now available at (most) retail stores.
TechNewsDaily managed to get our hands on one to test it out, and see if it’s any better – or worse – than the current Xbox 360 model.
First off, it’s not entirely slimmer, just smaller. The unit is roughly about an inch and a half smaller in size, with a sleeker clear plastic build for its case.
While we like the shiny black look, it’s susceptible to fingerprints, just like the older model PlayStation 3 consoles.
Fortunately, you can wipe them off and go about your way (although they’ll be back, count on it.)
The power and DVD drive buttons are also touch-sensitive, similar to the PS3. It’s a sweet feature that saves the console from wear-and-tear through repeated button mashing.
Then there’s the power brick, which was one of the bigger issues with the original Xbox 360 model. It’s also shrunken down between one to two inches in size, and weighs a little less than the original brick. Still, size makes a difference in some entertainment centers, so take that for what you will.
The hard drive included with the Xbox 360 Slim is much smaller than in previous models. Rather than an oblong, silver-colored device that snaps onto the top of a console, it’s a tinier, 2.5-inch diskette-style hard drive that’s a little harder to remove. And, yes, once you upgrade to the Xbox 360, you can transfer data from one console to another. You simply need to plunk down $10 for the transfer cable.
Xbox 360 Slim comes with two additional USB ports. The original console has three, so if you’re someone that likes to plug things in (like wired controllers, the Xbox Camera or a stereo headset) you’ll find plenty of room to do that here.
It also works with the new USB hard drives that Microsoft introduced a little while ago, which you’ll need to use since the new model doesn’t come with memory card slots.
Now, let’s discuss one of the bigger problems that has plagued earlier Xbox 360 models – the “red ring of death.”
Source: csmonitor.com
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