Launched into British stores on Friday, the re-designed slimline Xbox 360 S has been a hit with gamers according to industry newspaper, MCV. The console, which has a retail price of £199.99 comes with a smaller casing, a 250GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi and a specific Kinect port, which allows you to hook up the motion controller without needing another power plug. (You'll be able to use Kinect with your older-style Xbox 360, but it'll need to be plugged into the mains separately.)
Several sites are reporting shortages of the machine across the country. One independent retailer told Electronic Theatre that it had, "greatly underestimated demand."
I now have the new console set up at home. The new angular design, complete with its striking fold down the centre, is in stark contrast to the curvy original, while the move to a gloss black finish puts Microsoft on an opposing aesthetic journey to Sony; the PS3 Slim features the same sort of matt black plastic as the old Xbox 360 Elite. Did I really just use the phrase 'aesthetic journey'?
I quite like the metallic-coloured strips around the edge of the machine - very iPhone. I also like the on/off button which is now touch-controlled and emits a pleasing little beep when you hit it. I've placed the new console on a shelf above my original-sized debug Xbox and it makes that thing look rather gigantic and ungainly.
As for any sound the machine makes when powered-up, it lives up to Microsoft's 'whisper quiet' boast. Some have found the power block to be just as noisy as its predecessor, but I've got mine up to my ear as I write this and it's absolutely fine. Also, it's not giving me a hot ear, so that's an important box ticked. The Wi-Fi access is super quick to sort out, and for concerned parents, there's an offer to explain video game age ratings amid the initial set-up procedure. I passed on that as my four-year-old son was keen to get on and play Red Dead Redemption. I'm kidding, of course.
So anyway, did any Gamesblog readers take the plunge? Thoughts?
