Under the Hood

Xbox 360, shown with wireless controller, is a sleek, customizable gaming and entertainment system

Xbox 360 is much smaller than its predecessor--it measures approximately 3.3 by 12.2 by 10.2 inches and weighs 7.7 lbs. It's powered by custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU with three symmetrical cores each running at 3.2 GHz. It also carries a custom ATI graphics processor 10 MB of embedded DRAM. This is powerful enough to draw 500 million triangles per second. In other words, it makes for great looking games in standard TV definition, and even better thanks to built-in support for HDTV 1080i televisions. It also supports the widescreen 16:9 format.

The unit has a 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM drive, which plays both the game media and progressive-scan DVD movies right out of the box. For game-save and media storage this console package includes a 120GB hard drive. Along with storing files, the hard drive will make the Xbox 360 backward-compatible with part of the existing Xbox game library.

Control your Gameplay

Xbox 360 uses a refined button layout for its controllers. Back and Start buttons sit at the center of the controller and between them is a new Xbox Guide button, which instantly takes the user to the Xbox 360 user interface. From there, they can check for friends online, access personal digital content like photos and songs, and more. The black and white buttons of the first Xbox controllers have been replaced with new shoulder buttons placed above the left and right triggers. Xbox 360 can accommodate up to four wireless controllers and has three USB 2.0 slots to use for wired controllers or for streaming your digital media from digital cameras, MP3 players, and any Windows XP-based PC. Microsoft has also created a video-conferencing camera, sold separately, that will work with the system.

The Media Experience

All Xbox 360 titles can be played in either standard or high-definition resolution in 16:9 widescreen, with anti-aliasing for smoother graphics. Game designers will be able to take advantage of the system's multi-channel surround sound. The Xbox 360's digital media allows users to supplement any game's music from tracks in their own personal library.

Go Live

A built-in Ethernet port allows users to connect their system to a broadband connection for access to the new Xbox Live Silver. The included service lets anyone create a Gamertag and gamer card to express your online identity, chat live with voice chat, and connect to the Xbox Live Marketplace to buy expansions, maps, and other digital items for your games. The subscription service Xbox Live Gold adds to that online competition, game stats, and video chat/messaging. The separately sold wireless adapter supports the common 802.11a, -b, and -g standards.

What's in the Box?

• Xbox 360 Elite console (black)
• 120GB hard drive
• Wireless Controller (black)
• Xbox Live Headset (black)
• HDMI port
• Composite A/V Cable
• Xbox Live Silver membership
• One-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold