Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Nicholas does, as he puts his Xbox through weight watchers.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Nicholas D. If you’ve played with the new Xbox 360 console, or just want to ask Nicholas more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Xbox 360 S
Following the trend in videogame consoles, Microsoft unleash their ‘slim’ version of Xbox 360.
Loved
Design: As Microsoft haven’t officially named it the Slim, maybe the ‘S’ stands for something else… Sexy? Yep, that sounds about right. The new Xbox 360 has been redesigned from the ground up. It is 17% smaller than the original 360, half a kilogram lighter and amazingly glossy. As usual with a redesign, Microsoft have taken a look at the flaws of the original and made sure the new 360 dispenses heat efficiently. It also boasts five USB ports, and the new Kinect port.
“Whisper quiet”: Although the console still makes a bit of noise if playing uninstalled games, the Slim is actually dead quiet if you are playing an installed game or just browsing menus. I sometimes forget it’s on, it’s that quiet.
Wireless: This is possibly the best addition of the console. The Slim comes with a built-in Wi-Fi that supports up to 802.11n. Handy for those who were unable to connect via ethernet cable or did not want to fork out ~$140 for the adapter. The speed and quality have been very reliable on online games thus far.
No more RRoD: It may be a bit early to claim this console is flawless in hardware design but, the Xbox 360 S comes free of RRoD – literally. The power button no longer has red LEDs in the ring of light. That’s not to say you won’t know if you get an error, though. Now you will be welcomed with a REoD (Red Eye of Death)! However, don’t expect this to become as famous as RRoD as the console will shut down to prevent hardware failures.
Hated
Fingerprints: Although appealing to the eye, the piano black finish is an absolute fingerprint and dust magnet. So if you are thinking about picking up this fancy machine, be sure to pick up a microfibre cloth as well!
No HD out-of-the-box: Everything is in high definition nowadays, even mobile phones have 720p HD capabilities. Oddly enough, the Xbox S only comes with a standard definition AV cable. So once again, if you are intending on purchasing the ‘Slim’, be sure to get an HDMI cable as well.
HDD: This isn’t something that bothers me too much, but I know it has had a negative response on some gamers. The HDD is still proprietary and is completely redesigned specially for the 360 S. For those looking to transfer content from their old 360s, you won’t be able to use your HDD on the Slim, but there are other methods.
Powerbrick: Yes, it’s here to stay. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The redesigned powerbrick is also slim and uses less power than the original. It’s not so much a brick anymore, but definitely a block.
In closing, the 360 S is a great console with some truly awesome features. But if you are happy with the original and already have the wireless adapter and a spacious HDD, there is little reason to upgrade.
Reviewed by: Nicholas D
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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