Xbox 360 Slim: better specs, same price

Rob Updegrove 15 Jun, 2010 at 12:35am ET Article published in Gaming

Today Microsoft announced the availability of the new Xbox 360 Slim. In typical Microsoft fashion, the announcement came a day before E3 officially opens. Despite our non-attendance and our lack of free game systems, I looked at the specs of the system and—without a doubt—the new 360 contains almost everything Microsoft needs to keep the 360 modern.

The new 360 is perfect for my media cabinet.

Almost.

The 360’s woefully lacking hard drive has been upped to 250GB. WiFi has been added. The system is in a stylish new, media cabinet-friendly case. The only feature the system lacks is a Blu-ray drive, which would be implausible for anyone to reasonably expect Microsoft to include. And also: A composite A/V cable? Really? Good thing we want to “maximize picture quality on a standard-definition television.”

That doesn’t mean I don’t want one.

The complete specs from the Xbox website:

Xbox 360 250GB Hard Drive: The internal 250GB hard drive allows you to save your games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos, and other con tent available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
Built in Wi-Fi: The new Xbox 360 is the only console with 802.11n Wi-Fi built in for a faster and easier connection to Xbox LIVE. Download or stream HD movies, TV episodes, and games from Xbox LIVE Marketplace in 1080p and 5.1 surround sound from anywhere in the house. Compatible with b/g/n networks.
Project Natal ready: Coming this holiday, Project Natal will make YOU the controller. With a dedicated, specialized port, the Xbox 360 250GB is built to connect seamlessly with the Project Natal sensor— and have you up off the couch and into the world of Project Natal in no time.
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller: This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller features the Xbox Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries.
Xbox 360 Headset: Strategize or trade taunts while playing games, and chat with your friends on Xbox LIVE.
Xbox 360 Composite A/V cable: Maximize your Xbox 360 picture quality on standard-definition televisions using this S-Video connection for a noticeable image improvement over traditional composite connecters.
Xbox LIVE: Xbox LIVE brings a whole world of entertainment possibility right to your Xbox 360. Play with friends online, and watch streaming movies and TV from Zune and Netflix, all in crystal-clear HD. You’ll find loads of your favorite music from Last.fm and the ability to connect with friends on Facebook and Twitter right on the best screen in the house.

Comments

15 Jun 2010 ~ 1:14am spenceman i had multiple orgasms when i found out im going to have one when i get home
thanks e3 and dad for getting that unobtainium ticket
15 Jun 2010 ~ 1:51am patrickcabenjamin I should probably start saving for one of these. My current old 360 barely fits in my room.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 2:19am Copyright WOW this is going to be the next big thing... I mean small thing, if you know what I mean.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 3:04am Sledgehammer70 So does Natal work with the old Xbox?
15 Jun 2010 ~ 3:06am pseudonym

Sledgehammer70 wrote:

So does Natal work with the old Xbox?

Yes, but instead of a single plug with the new XBox it requires a separate power supply and a plug into a USB port.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 4:48am Gamerzz HDMI?? or are we to take it for granted that it is included ?
15 Jun 2010 ~ 8:12am mertesn An HDMI port is available, but a cable is not included.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 8:30am _k you know still uses HDMI...people without display ports mmmwwwaahahahha....wait thats me NNNNOOOO
15 Jun 2010 ~ 9:03am Rob Looks fab, sounds fab, but I have been stopped in my tracks for buying one !! Where's the blu ray drive ? I've had xbox's since their first release, but am being swayed towards PS3 ! Sorry Microsoft, you have failed with a next gen machine with no blu ray drive. Maybe next time.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 1:00pm Gibson Will my current xbox 360 controller (from the arcade bundle) work with the new slim 360? will my currnet head set (not the wireless) also work with my 360?
15 Jun 2010 ~ 1:38pm Cyclonite Yes and yes. They didn't change anything about those devices.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 2:07pm Bill thinksmartgames.com This'll be a fine addition to my pile of dead 360s once my 4th (and what I'd promised would be my last) inevitably RRDs, stops reading discs, or just spontaneously combusts.
15 Jun 2010 ~ 2:36pm Cyclonite Cliff?
15 Jun 2010 ~ 7:07pm calum does antone know what surround sound the new xbox 360 suports?
16 Jun 2010 ~ 2:31pm Noah I got one big question: Is there any CPU/GPU performance increase?
16 Jun 2010 ~ 2:59pm primesuspect No, of course not.
17 Jun 2010 ~ 1:59pm Dear Gibson Dear Gibson, I don't think that the arcade (white) controller will work on the (black) new xbox. If you try an arcade, pro or core on an elite, it won't work, or vice-versa. This is just my opinion.
17 Jun 2010 ~ 2:02pm primesuspect Yes, it absolutely will work.
17 Jun 2010 ~ 2:26pm mertesn

primesuspect wrote:

Yes, it absolutely will work.

Yes it will work, but your display will have a zebra stripe effect. It's a known bug in the system that MS so far has been unable to fix.
24 Jun 2010 ~ 12:28pm Dan_555 Is the av cable in this xbox the same or different to the old xbox. As i want to plug mine into a monitor but cant seem to find a different (newer) type of wire??
24 Jun 2010 ~ 2:31pm Cyclonite Amazon

Search around. You can find them cheaper.
24 Jun 2010 ~ 2:46pm Dan_555 yes, thats where im going to but mine at the moment but i wont to see if there's a newer version??? or is it the same?
24 Jun 2010 ~ 2:51pm Cyclonite The XBox side of the connector is the same.

Check out the images in this article: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/15/new-xbox-360-guide-microsofts-slim-console-explained/

Also, this line: "...but your old component A/V connector will work just fine if you have one of those kicking around..."

This implies the old connectors still work.
24 Jun 2010 ~ 2:57pm Dan_555 TY SOOO MUCH!! thats exactally what i wanted to see !!
27 Jun 2010 ~ 5:13pm Dan_555 does anyone know the actual size of the new xbox such as height and width
19 Jul 2010 ~ 9:01pm notorious N It said that the new slim is 25% smalle then the last xbox 360
4 Aug 2010 ~ 4:54pm br no blu-ray?? next time.
3 Jan 2011 ~ 12:31pm kevsbox 360 Other than the physical alterations, i.e. size, noise, colour etc etc.

What are the changes to spec? or is this basically the existing xbox, but it a new shell?

It seems slightly strange which there wouldn't be a change, and it would also be a costly swap to change to something, which in all fairness, is the same as i already have... but in a different colour...???
3 Jan 2011 ~ 12:36pm Thrax What's changed:
Smaller CPU
Smaller motherboard
Onboard wireless
Onboard Kinect connector
Enclosure size/shape

All other specs have remained the same.