Microsoft Xbox 360 250gb August 2010

The latest iteration of Microsoft’s popular Xbox 360 has given the console something of a facelift, with a new design quite different to previous models. However, it’s the features beneath the surface that make it the best Xbox 360 to date.

New design

The design of the new Xbox 360 is one of the first things you notice, as it’s now slimmer and smaller than the old version. It’s also a glossy black, which looks appealing, but does have the unfortunate side effect of attracting dust and finger prints.

The power and eject buttons are now touch sensitive, and the memory card slots have gone completely, to be replaced by two additional USB ports. The USB ports allow you to save content to any memory stick up to 16GB, so the missing memory card slots aren’t really an issue.

Even the power supply has had an overhaul, and is now just over half the size of the original.

See our review of the original Xbox 360.

See our video review of the new Xbox 360:

Features out of the box

The new model comes with an integrated 250GB hard drive, which is good value considering a hard drive of the same size for the old Xbox 360 would set you back around £50. It’s worth noting that the hard drive for the new version cannot be used on the older version - and vice versa. It’s also a propriety hard drive, meaning that unlike with the Playstation 3, you can’t simply upgrade to a bigger version from a different manufacturer.

The 360 also comes with built in wi-fi, a first for the console. While rivals Sony and Nintendo have included wi-fi as standard in their consoles, previous versions of the Xbox 360 required the additional purchase of a wi-fi adapter. As these cost around £40, having this feature built in is likely to appeal to first-time buyers.

Check out our Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3 reviews.

Kinect Ready

On the back of the console there is a new port, in anticipation of the Microsoft Kinect motion-sensing controller, which is due out in November. One of the benefits the latest Xbox 360 is that, unlike older consoles, it can power the Kinect without the need of an additional power supply.

The Kinect will be priced at around £130, and will also be available as part of a bundle with the new console.

Worth buying?

It’s not hard to see why the latest version of the console might appeal to first-time buyers, with its built-in wi-fi and large hard drive. Existing owners may be tempted by the console’s slim design, quieter operation and Kinect port, but chances are they will already have a hard drive and wi-fi adapter, rendering the benefits less appealing.

The 250GB version of the new console is priced at around £200. There is also a 4GB version available, which does not include the hard drive, priced at £150.