Console Examination #1 (Xbox 360)- Each Iteration Rated

OXCGN:

"This series of articles will take a look at the lineup for each console, starting with the Xbox 360, and re-review them with the benefit of hindsight to see exactly how necessary and successful each iteration has been in addressing the problems of its forerunners...

It’s getting to be an expectation now. A console will launch and we’ll happily part with our money for the latest and greatest, only to be presented with the new, improved version barely a year later."

[BadCircuit]

The new S console is really cool, wish I had that one. But even the normal 360 was a better look than last gen Xbox, it's just too bad about RROD!!!

Stupid RROD.

[gaminoz]

I just don't get why they didn't include the new controller with the S.

RROD was a big disaster and a message for their next hardware: do it right before releasing it!

I look forward to seeing the reviews of the PS3 models, with the removal of backwards compatibility and then the slim etc.

[Immortal321]

as standard media don't you think?

[REALgamer]

Microsoft has had a rough last few years, with the dual PR disasters of the RRoD and Vista timed together.

Luckily they seem to be back on track with the 360 S, Windows 7 and Windows Phone 7 all a big improvement.

I love my 360 S, but it's kind of funny how both it and the PS3 Slim have almost perfectly square profiles. Both trying to looks as much shorter and thinner as possible, so when you look from the side they now stretch back further. Sneaky!

[gaminoz]

Impressions are everything....lol. It's like those "new cheaper" boxes of grocery items that are actually less weight...with same size packaging.

[Godem]

MS is losing out, and im afriad im slowly turning to the PS3 for more and more games.. im not sure why.. but i've yet to see that God of War 3 or Uncharted 2 'epicness' on the 360... maybe Reach will change that, but I dunno

[WIIIS1]

Seems like you really dunno... any better.

[Jeremy Gerard]

is the Gears of War of PS3, the 360 already has a Gears of War. All the "epicness" started on 360 dude, it is PS3 that is playing catch up.

As for God of War 3, well nice game but also quite overrated, it was God of war 2 with prettier graphics. Far from "epic".

[Pistolero]

great comment...I couldn't have said it better myself.

its funny how people have biases and then they start to confuse those biases for reality.

i could say the same thing...where are the epic games on ps3 like Halo Reach and Gears of War?

i agree with you that god of war 3 is overrated....it's a good game but not as good as some people make it out to be.....it is basically a shinier version of God of War 2...the mechanics hardly changed at all....and i don't even think the narrative was as good as in God of War 2.

[XmnMetal]

Resident Evil 4 started all of the epicness. Clive B was championing that game when it came out and he even said it inspired him when making gears. Resident Evil 4 inspired a lot of games. I can say that Halo Reach is halo with prettier graphics. The 360 is the one playing catch up, what does 360 have? Halo and Gears thats all worth mentioning.

[gamer2010]

If you are talking about triple-A games then you should know that the 360 has 30 games rated above 90 on metacritic. The PS3 has 23 games rated above 90 on metacritic.

[MetalGearBear]

RROD was almost burned on my house.

[Jeremy Gerard]

YLOD almost blew up my boat, see I can tell stupid lies too.

[Pistolero]

YLOD started a fire at my last family reunion and killed 3/4ths of my family.

[mindedone]

and then YLOD showed me the video.

[likedamaster]

Mindedone wins this round. LOL.

[jdigitalseven]

Sony has always released a slim version of their gaming system. MS must have been taking notes, they need to stop charging for online gameplay now (increasing it in Nov is ridiculous). You shouldnt have to pay a fee to buy online games and use free services like twitter and facebook.

[Cueil]

Nintendo is the one who started the slim idea with both the NES and SNES

[Hallmark Moment]

SONEEEEEEE is dah lord

[gaminoz]

Here's a question, I'm interested in hearing from you techies:

Is newer console hardware always an improvement?

I heard the PS2 (that's 2 people not 3) Slim had laser and heat issues?

[Cueil]

but it couldn't play certain games.. it was marginal enough to not be a real problem but the laser and heat issues were always something of an issue for the PS2 I watched one catch of fire while my friend was playing Blood Omen thought that was an extreme case and I've seen melted Xbox1 cases from heat issues... it's generally a manufacturing error

[XboxOZ360]

Bubbles for both of you for seeing past the blinkers that 'some' ppl have re their platform of choice.

Little is known about the fact that they tested the first iteration of the xbox 360 from freezing temps right up to temps over 100 deg for almost 2-3 days in a sealed room.

Naturally they could not do that with every unit, as I'm sure Sony could not do it with all the iterations of the PS2.

The original xbox 360 was equipted with a proper water-cooled heatsink, but to keep the cost below the "magic sales figure" that had to go at the very last minute, despite objections from the design team.

So when they were returned for repairs, they refitted the water-cooling system, which is why you could see the copper piping back in the casing when they were returned from the repair shops.

The PS2 did something similar when it was in production, and many seem to fail just on orjust after the 12 mth warranty period, which was a known fault due to the removal of a better quality drive in favour of a cheaper one to keep production costs down.

So it matters not which platform, but more to the fact that no matter which one it is, there WILL always be issues, no matter how advanced the iterations become.

Technology IS fallible - that's a given in any time frame.

[Socrates]

I am sure they always intend to improve the design, but of course they could make mistakes just as when they first launch a console. The PS2 Slim did seem to be prone to the issues you mentioned.

[XboxOZ360]

Truth be known, which many 'fanboys' do not want to admit (on ALL sides) is that all platforms have their issues, some more major than others.

The article its self is NOT about which one is best, or about the games on the platform, but a decent article on the various iterations of the Xbox 360 from the Core model through to the latest X360 'S'.

The PS had several iterations, let alone changes of style, as does the Nintendo throughout its range. The sites next article feature will be on either the Nintendo or Playstation's PS3, showing their various iterations, their high points, and low.

If some ppl bother to read, they might just learn something about the hobby they so viciously support . . . in the end, it's ideally about the FUN you have with whatever platform, or platforms you choose to support.

No model, no matter what brand WILL have issues, as no matter how hard a company tries, they can NOT mimic the impossible number of incidences that the consumer will put a product through.

It's the same in games simply because of the fact they are interactive, and we all do things differently, thus causing different combinations of effects on a unit/game.

Remember, the article is NOT discussing which game is best on which platform, simply giving you some information on the range of iterations of the 360.