I had promised a review of the new Xbox 360 when I had it up and running for a couple of weeks, so here it is:
Microsoft claims it is "whisper quiet". That claim is true. You can barely hear it run. The only issue I have is when I play Alan Wake. For some reason, that disc makes a ton of noise when it spins. It's the only one like that.
Data transfer sucks. This is my biggest pet peeve with it. I had previously changed my data over from a 20GB hard drive to a 120GB hard drive and it was easy. The new hard drive came with a data transfer cable that I had kept. I tried to use it but it didn't work because the new hard drive is internal. My 512MB memory card didin't work because they got rid of the ports for it on the new one. I had to buy a flash drive to use to transfer save data. Some of the DLC I just downloaded again. It's a pain in the gluteus maximus, to be sure. If there is an easier way to do it, I don't know about it. If nothing else it forces you to go through your hard drive and clean house of unplayed game data, demos, and videos. I also hear the hard drive is proprietary so you can't just go out and buy a bigger drive and install it yourself. They do cover all their bases, don't they?
The engineers at Microsoft finally figured out that heat rises. The exhaust fan pushes heat out the top (when laid horizontally). Supposedly it runs cooler, but it feels like it runs really hot.
It gets dirty very easy. You can see every spec of dust on it. And the power/disc eject touch buttons are incredibly sensitive. I've accidently ejected discs because I brushed up against it.
The wireless N connection feels just as fast as or faster than my previously wired connection. I had a couple of minor hiccups with connections being dropped (L4D2 on Sunday night) but I know that was on my end and I have to adjust some computer settings. There is a direct correlation between dropping wirelss connections on both my PS3 and my 360 to when my computer decides to go into low energy mode.
Other than that it's still an Xbox 360. All the old controllers and games still work. It's not a game changer by any stretch of the imagination. It just provides the people with what they've been asking for - a more reliable console (time will tell on that one) with a few more features to it. My conclusion: If you've been thinking about upgrading you might find a better way to spend your money - unless your current console is knocking on heaven's door.
When I bought my last 360 I swore it would be the last one I did. I'm tired of buying consoles because they keep breaking down (or buying them so I can have something to play one while one breaks down....or when they get stolen). I going to have to be very desperate to buy another one. I'm hoping they've learned their lessons so they won't have any problems with the next generation of consoles that comes out.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I love the Microsoft marketing department. They brag about selling 25 million consoles or something like that, but how many of those are in service? Maybe 2/3 are currently being used and the other 1/3 are currently 1) being repaired, 2) being held as spare consoles for when the other one is being repaired, 3) been thrown in the electronic waste pile because the warranty is gone and they're not worth repairing, or 4) they're not working and are being scavenged for parts like organ donors so that others may live again.
ReplyDeleteThanks to a comment you had made in an earler blog, you gave me an idea. It will be further discussed in a an upcoming segment.
Yeah, 25 million units sold but only to 5 million people.
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