Microsoft Announces the all new Xbox 360

[Hedon]

Exactly what Richard just said, it would've been dumb to fragment the market (IMO).

For all wondering: I got mine an hour or so ago, and it looks amazing. It looks far better in person because the chrome finish on the top and bottom doesn't show up as well in pictures. The eject button has a nice little beep when you touch it -- nothing annoying, just a nice little feedback (haven't tried the power button since I just use the controller). It is definitely FAR quieter than the original 360. I mean, you know it's there, but when they say it sounds like a whisper, they mean it.

I ended up not paying a thing for it after the trade-in. I actually even got $5 back as well as two magazine subscriptions because the kid at GameStop made sure to try and get me as much money as possible, and by signing up for a card I got the two magazine subscriptions as well as 10% extra on everything I traded in. The card would've cost $15, instead it paid for itself and gave me $15 to boot. :D

Glad to hear it! Can you comment on the new controller? I understand the black detail has changed a bit?

[Ayepecks]

Glad to hear it! Can you comment on the new controller? I understand the black detail has changed a bit?

The controller is essentially what you see in the pictures. The main difference is the Xbox guide button now has a chrome-like finish, The D-Pad is now also a glossy black, and the part on the bottom of the controller (bottom as in the side opposite the trigger and shoulder buttons) is also glossy black instead of gray. Basically, it's a jet black controller with a touch of chrome (on the guide button). The other buttons remain unchanged.

[halcyoncmdr]

Glad to hear it! Can you comment on the new controller? I understand the black detail has changed a bit?

The new controller is entirely black. It gets rid of the Grey accents the black controllers had previously as well as making the sticks and d-pad black as well. The Xbox Guide button also is a clean shiny silver now as opposed to brushed. All in all it looks very sleek.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Ayepecks, has the d-pad itself changed? i.e will it be useful in fighters now :p

[Ayepecks]

Ayepecks, has the d-pad itself changed? i.e will it be useful in fighters now :p

You know, I literally just held the new controller and my old one in my hand to see, and I'd say it's slightly better. I may be crazy, but it feels like it has more feedback and is slightly stiffer (not as wobbly) than the old one. That may just be because my other controller is old, but it does feel slightly better. Someone else may want to comment on this, because my other controller has to be a few years old.

All-in-all, I'd say it's a marginal improvement if I'm right. I just wouldn't expect it to feel a whole lot better or you'll be disappointed. Can't say how it'll do in fighting games because I don't currently have any in my collection except Small Arms, and that probably wouldn't be the best indicator.

[George P Global Moderator]

Damn you Ayepecks!!!! *shakes fist* I have to wait till mid July!!!!

Good to hear about the noise difference though, that's one thing I wanted hands on info from someone. Now to just wait till they finally get them in over here. :)

[halcyoncmdr]

I love my new 360 S. Definitely a great improvement comapred to the old design. Looks more modern, quieter, wireless built-in, etc.

[Hedon]

The controller is essentially what you see in the pictures. The main difference is the Xbox guide button now has a chrome-like finish, The D-Pad is now also a glossy black, and the part on the bottom of the controller (bottom as in the side opposite the trigger and shoulder buttons) is also glossy black instead of gray. Basically, it's a jet black controller with a touch of chrome (on the guide button). The other buttons remain unchanged.

Thank you! Good to know! Next week can't get here soon enough.

[neoadorable]

thanks for the feedback from those who got the 360 S's and congrats. will be getting two, but want to wait until next month - will have more money then...

i agree with truckWEB btw, this was an opportunity to mess with the internals and add some power...like an episodic update to the console if you will. throw in an extra half gig RAM, overclock the CPU by 30%...make sure the console is DX11 and can output 1080 native...people with non-S 360's could automatically scale to the original 720p, DX9c version of the game. very simple - PCs do this all the time.

oh well, still getting these new machines, but we missed a good opportunity here.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

People have already covered why they'd never do it, even if every gamer would love to see it, it just makes absolutely no sense in the business world. So thank god they didn't.

[neoadorable]

i realize there's a compatibility issue for developers plus the risk of alienating some stakeholders, it would have been a bold move. i'm ok waiting the 2-3 years until we get a new console outright, but in the meantime this kind of update would have been sweet. never mind, we didn't get it, this new shiny machine will do just fine. one for me, one for the nephew! damn july will tough on my credit cards...

[what]

I'm in the console market because I know whatever I buy will last me the full generation. As soon as they start upgrading consoles rather than releasing new ones, I will probably drop out of gaming altogether.

[neoadorable]

don't be so fatalistic, what i had in mind is more like the Mega CD for the Genesis back in the day...an update that still doesn't cancel out the core original version of the game, which can always be enjoyed. yes i know how that one turned out! at any rate, it didn't happen, the market forces i suppose are more in favor of stability. thing is at some point stability becomes stagnation. we're not there yet, thankfully - we will be there for sure this time a couple years from now.

[Hedon]

Upgrading the hardware performance would be the worst thing you could do. The whole point of a console is so that every game works on every console, without any hardware updates, from beginning of the lifecycle to the end. The closed architecture is one of the biggest selling points.

Save all the updates/drivers/patches for hardware differences for the PC market. Consoles need to be KISS.

[Smigit]

i agree with truckWEB btw, this was an opportunity to mess with the internals and add some power...like an episodic update to the console if you will. throw in an extra half gig RAM, overclock the CPU by 30%...make sure the console is DX11 and can output 1080 native...people with non-S 360's could automatically scale to the original 720p, DX9c version of the game. very simple - PCs do this all the time.

Don't really see the point TBH and it would be a pain for devs to take full advantage of the specs if they have to be aware of scaling it ok to the older model consoles. If MS really wanted to do a spec jump I think you may as well just release a whole new console that includes backwards compatibility with the previous one. We're a few years off that but.

As it is I think both MS and Sony will have a hard enough time with the divide they may be creating with their motion controls coming mid generation. Any more changes at once and it could get hard for buyers.

One hardware feature might be Blu Ray purely for movie viewing but I think that won't come until next generation if it hasn't happened already.

[Razorwing]

Well I had my 360 Elite (120GB) running good for 2 years now.. I'm still not sure if I should trade it in. My launch Elite died after a year of use, got a new one via Warrenty. Now the current one's warrenty just finsihed.. so nothing is covered. Gamestop/EB Canada has a promotion that goes until the 31st of July... Trade in my Elite and get $100 off the Slim 360. Should I make the jump or not?? or should I wait untill Kinect comes bundled with the the Slim?

[_neutrino Veteran]

Might be newer and slightly changed hardware however i got rid of my old one due to lack of the games i enjoy. i might pick one up for my nephew but not myself.

[Hedon]

Well I had my 360 Elite (120GB) running good for 2 years now.. I'm still not sure if I should trade it in. My launch Elite died after a year of use, got a new one via Warrenty. Now the current one's warrenty just finsihed.. so nothing is covered. Gamestop/EB Canada has a promotion that goes until the 31st of July... Trade in my Elite and get $100 off the Slim 360. Should I make the jump or not?? or should I wait untill Kinect comes bundled with the the Slim?

The RROD/E74 warranty on the Elites are 3 years. You should be good for another year. If you don't need wifi, 250gb of space, then I would just stick with what you have now. Then again, the value of trade in will diminish as time goes by if you eventually want an Xbox 360 S.

For me, I want to give my son his own Xbox (my current Elite), and I would like the new one...and the 250gb of space will be nice as I like to install as many games as I can.

[Razorwing]

The RROD/E74 warranty on the Elites are 3 years. You should be good for another year. If you don't need wifi, 250gb of space, then I would just stick with what you have now. Then again, the value of trade in will diminish as time goes by if you eventually want an Xbox 360 S.

For me, I want to give my son his own Xbox (my current Elite), and I would like the new one...and the 250gb of space will be nice as I like to install as many games as I can.

Sorry, I mean it's on the 3rd year for this 360. (got it in 2008) I can would like wifi.. it doesn't matter really, obviously having more space would be awesome... and my 360 is still loud.. hmmm..

[Mathachew Veteran]

I think I've decided not to get it. Mine is about 8 months old and I've got over two years left on the warranty and maybe pick up a 120GB drive when they start going for cheap.

[Razorwing]

Just thought of something.. do I need to bring everything that was included with my 360 when I trade it in? i.e controller, hdmi cable..

[sharp65]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to take up the Gamestop trade in offer. I have an original Xbox 360 that I got a few months after launch and has never gotten the RROD of death. It looks like it will be a pretty worthwhile upgrade. I put my name down at the local store since they were all sold out and they said they were getting new units in around July 6th but hoping they would come earlier around July 1st.

Razorwing: It looks like you just need the console, A/V cable and a controller. It doesn't look like you need to bring in the HDMI cable.

[Razorwing]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to take up the Gamestop trade in offer. I have an original Xbox 360 that I got a few months after launch and has never gotten the RROD of death. It looks like it will be a pretty worthwhile upgrade. I put my name down at the local store since they were all sold out and they said they were getting new units in around July 6th but hoping they would come earlier around July 1st.

Razorwing: It looks like you just need the console, A/V cable and a controller. It doesn't look like you need to bring in the HDMI cable.

my friend is telling me I have to bring everything that was included in the box. :blink: you sure?

[Grinch]

my friend is telling me I have to bring everything that was included in the box. :blink: you sure?

You don't have to bring 'everything'. Just all the cords that CAME with it.

So if I were to trade in my Elite, I'd just have to give them the following.

The system,

The A/V cable

The Powerbrick + Outlet cord

1 Wired OR Wireless Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller

[carmatic]

what is this 'microwave Ping! sound' that the drive makes?