Price range: £190.22
What is it: Next-gen videogame console with Internet connection and Media Center Extender functionality
What we think: While it's missing a couple of potentially important features at launch, the Xbox 360 delivers the power and performance of a high-end gaming PC, including impressive digital media and networking features
What you need to know
Reviewed on: 21 November 2005
Tags: ports, upgrade, playlists, software developers, universal remote
We like:
All games in high-definition; excellent user-friendly Dashboard interface; built-in support for wireless controllers; excellent online gaming and communications via Xbox Live; backward compatible with many (but not all) original Xbox titles; doubles as superior digital media hub and Windows Media extender; £280 bundle includes key accessories
We don't like:
First wave of games is somewhat anaemic; noisy exhaust fan; no built-in wireless networking; only three USB ports; no support for next-gen HD movie discs; no DVI or HDMI output; doesn't upscale DVDs to HD resolution; gigantic oversize power supply; price will almost certainly drop
CNET UK judgement:
While it's missing a couple of potentially important features at launch, the Xbox 360 delivers the power and performance of a high-end gaming PC, including impressive digital media and networking features
Full review:
Console and PC gamers have long been divided into two camps. Certainly, there are those of us who play on multiple platforms, but hard-core PC gamers tend to eschew 'mainstream' console games, while committed console gamers can sometimes be heard bashing PC gamers as elitist nerds. While there's nothing wrong with drawing your own distinction, what's clear -- at least for the moment -- is that Microsoft's Xbox 360 makes the line between PC and console gaming a good deal fuzzier. Continue Reading...
Microsoft Xbox 360 History
30 Nov 2009 in Crave
Microsoft reportedly at loggerheads with BBC over iPlayer on Xbox Live
We want iPlayer on our Xbox 360, but apparently there isn't much chance of that unless Microsoft decides to allow it on free 'Silver' Xbox Live subscriptions
24 Nov 2009 in Crave
Is the Xbox 360 getting any more reliable?
Our games console reliability survey threw up some interesting data on whether you can expect consoles bought in 2009 to be any more reliable than those bought in 2005
17 Nov 2009 in Crave
CNET UK's games console reliability survey: 60 per cent of Xbox 360s have broken
We commissioned a survey of UK gamers to find out how reliable the different consoles have been. The results don't reflect well on Microsoft
12 Nov 2009 in Crave
Microsoft kicks 1 million gamers from Xbox Live over piracy claims
As many as 1 million Xbox 360 customers have been banned from Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service as a result of alleged copyright infringement. Oops
15 Oct 2009 in Crave
Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm apps ready for Xbox 360
Microsoft is nearly ready to launch its delayed social-networking apps for the Xbox 360, and gave our sister site Crave US a sneak peek
5 Oct 2009 in Crave
Help us find the most reliable games console and win £200 of gadgets!
Fill out a short survey and tell us whether your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Wii is alive or dead, and you could win £200 worth of gadgets
27 Aug 2009 in Crave
Xbox 360 Arcade price hiked, Elite price cut
From tomorrow, the Xbox without a hard drive or headset will cost almost as much the one that does. And the one that does is being discontinued. But at least the Elite model's cheaper
28 May 2009 in Crave
Sky TV coming to your Xbox 360?
Sky and Microsoft could be joining up to offer live TV and pay-per-view content on the Xbox 360. In other news, 9 million satellite dishes gently weep
26 Feb 2009 in Crave
Coldplay, extra Fable 2 and Universal films on Xbox Live: Area stoner totally psyched
Universal Films has joined Xbox Live with a conspicuous number of stoner comedies, plus there's new game content and Coldplay tracks. You'd have to be stoned not to want to sign up!
10 Feb 2009 in Crave
An Xbox 360 should be seen and not heard
If your Xbox 360 sounds like a jet engine attached to your TV, you might rather like the notion of getting one that is much, much quieter without the need to break out your screwdriver set
9 Oct 2008 in Crave
Hands-on with New Xbox Experience: Welcome to avatar city
Microsoft has named a date for the launch of its revamped Xbox Live service -- 19 November -- and we got our hands on it to see if hardcore fans have anything to worry about
17 Sep 2008 in Crave
Microsoft UK has announced price reductions on all Xbox 360 models -- ranging from £130 to £230, starting this Friday, it's now the cheapest console on the market
15 Jul 2008 in Crave
Xbox 360 updates at E3: Rock, roll and Final Fantasy XIII
It's a good time to own an Xbox 360. As long as yours isn't flashing red lights, you can take advantage of a new dashboard interface, new pretend music games and even play the new Final Fantasy game
8 Apr 2008 in Reviews
Rock Band is how much in the UK?!
Rock Band sells in the US for $170 (£85), but it's going to cost a jaw-dropping £179.98 over here. For you drummers struggling with the maths, that's more than twice the price.
5 Dec 2007 in News
Xbox 360 gets video on demand in Europe
Xbox 360 owners in the UK, Ireland, France and Germany will be able to rent full-length films online from 11 December -- pricing starts at 250 Microsoft points
29 Nov 2007 in Reviews
Mass Effect presses all the old buttons
Maybe Mass Effect isn't the cutting edge of next-gen gaming, but I love it all the same -- it's the same comforting gameplay in a beautiful new universe
19 Nov 2007 in Crave
Xbox 360 update: Movies on demand and Xbox downloads
It's that time of year again, when rumours start to fly about what new functionality the next Xbox 360 dashboard update will bring to your console
26 Sep 2007 in Crave
Photos: Pharrell Williams plays Halo 3 on IMAX at UK launch
The massively hyped first-person shooter launched in London last night at the huge IMAX cinema, with a celebrity deathmatch involving rapper Pharrell, who was comprehensively whupped
24 Aug 2007 in News
Microsoft reels in Xbox 360 defect
Microsoft said on Thursday it will give free retrofits to its Xbox 360 customers after reports of malfunctions in the game console's wireless racing wheel
20 Aug 2007 in News
Microsoft has lowered the retail price of its Xbox 360 console in the UK to £250 and also announced the 'estimated' price of the upcoming Elite edition
10 Aug 2007 in Crave
Crave Podcast 45: Adam Hart-Davis on Romans and ringtones
We caught up with the Tomorrow's World presenter to ask him about modern tech, and what the Romans would have thought of the iPod -- hear his thoughts in the latest Crave Podcast
9 Aug 2007 in News
A Microsoft representative has confirmed that Xbox 360 Premiums featuring HDMI ports are starting to roll out now in US stores, however this is not yet the case in the UK
7 Aug 2007 in News
Microsoft to cut price of Xbox 360 in US
The company has announced it will reduce the price of its main Xbox 360 games console by 13 per cent in the US, following in the steps of Sony's recent PS3 price cut stateside
23 Jul 2007 in News
Microsoft's game division takes $1.89bn hit
The company's game unit has announced a huge operating loss for the year -- largely due to the fact that it has had to extend the Xbox 360 warranty to three years
16 Jul 2007 in News
E3 slogan: 'Everyone's a gamer'
Casual gaming takes centre stage at the annual confabulation -- from Wii yoga to PlayStation karaoke, all ages and demographics are now being targeted
13 Jul 2007 in Reviews
E3 sets up biggest Christmas ever for games
In terms of sheer firepower Microsoft has edged this year's E3, for me anyway, with Halo 3, BioShock and my highlight, the incredible Mass Effect
12 Jul 2007 in News
Microsoft stands firm on Xbox 360 pricing
The company has said the cost of the Xbox 360 will remain the same, despite Sony's recent price cut for its PlayStation 3 games console
11 Jul 2007 in News
Xbox 360 Elite gets European release date
Microsoft has finally revealed when the souped-up console will arrive in Europe, and it's earlier than expected. We even get Xbox Live's Video Marketplace, too
9 Jul 2007 in News
High hopes for cheaper hardware at E3
The videogame industry will gather for its annual expo this week, with expectations that cheaper hardware and new games will fuel the strongest sales in years
6 Jul 2007 in News
Xbox 360 warranty to cost Microsoft $1bn
The software behemoth says it's seeing an "unacceptable number of repairs" to its console -- an internal investigation has found several factors that could lead to hardware failures
2 May 2007 in News
News.blog: Updated Xbox 360 chips slated for autumn
The new 65nm chips reportedly run a lot more efficiently than those found in current Xbox 360s, writes News.com blogger Jeff Bakalar
20 Apr 2007 in Reviews
Gaming showdown: PS3 vs Wii vs Xbox 360 vs PC
The dedicated gamer has some powerful home-entertainment options these days, from the three next-generation consoles to Windows Vista PCs. Here's the skinny on the positives and negatives of each option
11 Apr 2007 in Crave
Xbox 360 update: New features galore
If you are still miffed about buying an Xbox 360 Premium instead of the new Elite, let us cheer you with news of a free update to your trusty console
28 Mar 2007 in Reviews
I'm not that thrilled to learn that mere weeks after my purchase of an Xbox 360 there's going to be a new version featuring HDMI and a 120GB hard drive
26 Mar 2007 in Crave
Black Xbox 360 Elite: Strongly rumoured
Beige Xbox 360 owners will love this: apparently the release of a sexy black number with improved specs is imminent
13 Mar 2007 in Reviews
On Thursday Amazon delivered my shiny new Xbox 360. On Saturday it exploded. On Monday Amazon delivered a new one
15 Feb 2007 in News
'Watchdog' tackles Xbox 360 complaints
The BBC consumer affairs show has looked into a number of complaints about hardware faults on Microsoft's games console
22 Nov 2006 in Crave
The next-gen party has started, the gang's all here (well, in the US anyway). The Xbox 360 turned up early, the big dork. Can it still pull?
12 Oct 2006 in Crave
Xbox 360 HD DVD drive: Hi-def peripheral
Microsoft had a swanky event this morning to generally show off new stuff -- here's what we learned about the console's HD DVD drive
1 Sep 2006 in News
News.blog: Letting your Xbox 360 loose on a blog
360 Voice software allows your Xbox 360 to blog away, even without you telling it what to say, marvels News.com blogger Caroline McCarthy
22 May 2006 in News
News.blog: Sony stole my controller, cries Nintendo
It appears that Nintendo has accused Sony of basing the idea for its motion-sensitive controller for the PlayStation 3 on the Wii, writes News.com blogger Daniel Terdiman
10 Feb 2006 in Digital Living
Ah, the Xbox 360 -- high-definition gaming in all its glory. With loads of great titles and an HD DVD add-on, is this best way to hi-def heaven?
31 Jan 2006 in Crave
Xbox 360 Wireless Adaptor: Life without the grey cables
While Xbox 360 should have been wirelessly enabled out of the box, we took time out to try this £60 peripheral with the much-lauded online service and the brand new Media Center Extender features
30 Dec 2005 in Crave
Perfect Dark Zero & Online Updates: Xbox 360 Roundup
Perfect Dark Zero is the best selling Xbox 360 game so far, but is it the best? We put it through its paces online and checked out the new Xbox Live updates
2 Dec 2005 in Crave
Rory's Christmas Shopping: Poor man's Xbox 360
Everybody's ranting about how great the Xbox 360 is -- but in this blog I'll show you how to build a faster, better gaming PC for less
2 Dec 2005 in Crave
The Xbox 360 launched last night, selling out in hours. Crave has been tinkering with the new console to see what next-gen trinkets it offers, from live online broadcasts of Project Gotham races to first person action in Condemned
1 Dec 2005 in Crave
Only a matter of hours to wait till the Xbox 360 launches -- is this new console worth trampling over your fellow man to get hold of? Crave avoids the crowds with a look at the final console, as well as taking Project Gotham 3 for a spin
25 Nov 2005 in Crave
Cold, crash and flame: the Xbox 360 launches
Microsoft's long-awaited next-gen console went on sale in the US this week, and was greeted with typically American enthusiasm and criticism. Crave has the full story...
Latest user reviews
September 5, 2009
Posted by: xbooox33334
"Don't believe the hype"
October 29, 2008
Posted by: flamethrower54
"Cooler than a polar bear in a refrigerator"
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