Microsoft Xbox 360 Pro user reviews (20GB)

2.0 stars

"I'm not impressed. Save your money and wait for the PS3, or just mod an original Xbox" on November 23, 2005 by b0nes

Pros: Same features as a modded xbox, but with a sreamlined interface.

Cons: A modded Xbox is over $250 cheaper, does more. Launch titles are not impressive.

Summary: First off I am not a Sony Fanboy, or a fanboy of any system. I have played and owned them all, from my first computer, a TRS-80 with a cassete data drive, all the way up to my current Xbox. I was one of the lucky ones to score a Xbox 360 from Pepsi/Mountain Dew, and it still is sealed in the box. A friend of mine bought an Xbox of Ebay for $950(!), and after playing with it for about 4 hours today I think anyone who buys one right now is getting ripped off.

Graphics. Microsoft and ATI claim that the chip inside is a current generation above the x850XT, and after playing a few games the generation gap doesn't seem that large. I own a PC with an ATI Radeon x800XL, and the graphics in the XBOX don't seem too much better. Just think original Xbox with sharper graphics. Actually if you spent a few more $$ you could get a pretty decent gaming machine. Radeon x800xl $275, ASUS mobo $150, Athlon64 3000 $120, 20GB HD $30, basic case, KB $30, 1gb ram $100 Total = around $700, plus upgradeable graphics/hd. Makes more sense then spending $700+ right now for those fantastic money saving "bundles". I played Peter Jacksons King Kong at Target, I saw slowdown and a few graphical glitches.

Media Center features. Looks like Bill was watching the Xbox modders, because everything the 360 can do now those of us with modded xboxes have been doing for many months. On the 360 you can use it as a Media Center Extender, you can listen to music ripped ionto the HD, watch movies off your PC, ect. Well for about $25 you can find people that will soft mod your xbox and have all these features for a lot less. Enter Xbox Media Center, a free program for modded xboxes that can do everything the 360 can do and more. The only advantage of doing it on the 360 is that it is legal...ahem or it has Bill's seal of approval. Again contrast in price: Xbox 360 = 399 (if you can get one now at that price) vs Used Xbox for $50-75, soft mod it yourself for free or pay someone to do it ($25-$50). Also don't forget you can rip audio AND movies on to the HD, get drives as big as 400gb, run emulators for NES/SNES/SMS/N64, and there is a lot more I am sure I am missing.

Connectivity. I do like the built in wireless, you just plug it in and it works. Shame on Microsoft for not having AT LEAST DVI. HDMI output would of been nice, but composite doesn't cut it. They also should of chosen one of the 2 competing HiDef DVD formats, HD-DVD or Blueray.

In a nutshell, if you have the money to burn, go for it, but you are not really getting a total package. i think you are getting a lot of power for $400, but I don't really see a compelling reason to switch from a regular Xbox, or even a modded xbox, which can do so much more for less. launch titles are so-so, just rehashes of original Xbox games with more reflections and sharper graphics. Myself, I will wait till a few days for Christmas, and mabye I can get a house in exchange for my 360.