Pros: Live integration, Live arcade, Slick look and UI, Downloadable everything, little features that improve everything
Cons: Don't bother if you don't have Live, DVD tech, loud, no killer games,not full back-compat
The bottom line: Don't feel that you need to buy this but if you have Live you won't be disappointed.
The Xbox 1 made a splash in the gaming market and proved that Microsoft could become a competitor. With powerful hardware, a hard drive, a robust online gaming network, the easibility to program for, and a few key killer-app games like Halo and Splinter Cell that all carried over to the Xbox 360. Now that we have the Xbox 360 bringing in the next generation Microsoft wants a shot at the leader spot and taking Sony from the throne. With loads of great features, intergrated Xbox Live functions, and games for everyone it seems as if Microsoft has a serious shot at this despite a few down falls.

First off is the hardware. Microsoft loaded this with 3 "cores' or CPUs (IBM) running at 3.2 GHz each. Then an ATI GPU better then anything on the market for now. Then 512 MB of system memory, which may not sound like a lot but it is for gaming since the original xbox only had 64 MB, to optimize it for developers with plenty of space to work with. Unfortunetly its still using DVD technology (with a future HD-DVD add on for movies) with only 9GBs of space on it. Its running at 12X and the device can get loud. Despite only holding 9GBs most games only take up half that space so it should be enough except for massive RPGs maybe. If you get the premium system (which is what you should get) then you pay $400 bucks for the system, a 20GB HDD, a wireless controller, the giant "power brick" (power supply that you could kill someone with), the cables for HD and Standard-Def, headset, and bonus remote for a limited time. The core system comes with a 360, the cables (non-HD), and wired remote for 100 bucks left. If you get the core system you should know your getting ripped off. Overall the system is a sleek "chill" white and "inhale" look. Yet the system's fans are a little load and so is the DVD player. Only when playing a 360 game is it load but when you watch a DVD or play and Xbox 1 game it isn't to loud. The faceplates add to customization but their not worth the 20 bucks in my opinion. Just look for deals like getting a free faceplate when you buy a game like I did.

The accesories that come with the 360 are all nice. The limited bonus remote isn't that big of a deal because theres no 0-9 number pad so you can only really use it for watching DVDs. Its nice to have but not really needed. Now the controller on the other hand is obviously needed. This is sleek and sexy and great to hold on to. This 1-ups the Dualshock 2 controller for the PS2 with the analog sticks in Y and X axises then adding the bumper buttons that feel just right. The trigger buttons feel perfect once again and the Guide button in the center is the key to everything on Xbox Live or just extra features like playing your own music. Theres also a plug for the plug and play charger and the headset which is great so you don't have to be connected to the xbox to use your headset through a USB port. The headset has also switched to an over-the-head style which is very comfortable and well-designed as the system itself.

All the hardware and accesories is great but how is the UI (User Interface)? Its superb and probably the best ever. I've never really sat down and went through the dashboard of a console befire but you have to in this one if you want to discover anything. Unfortunetly theres almost to much stuff so you can't find everything but its still great. Theres 4 "blades", one for games, media, settings, and xbox live. You can customize the backgrounds and themes of these through the settings and the Guide button. The xbox live blade contains a whole bunch of stuff. First you have your "gamer card" which has your gamertag, points, status, zone, picture, etc. The gamer points are unlocked by playing and beating certain things in games. These points allow you to play like you never have before. For example going through Condemned without using a weapon or not shooting in the first minute of Geometry wars. I would never normally play these ways but now that I can gain points I would! Your status is wheater your online or offline or busy and things like that. Then your zone is either family, pro, recreation, or underground depending on what you like to play online. Your gamer rep is also displayed and it determines what other people think about you since you can give feedback to everyone you play to prefer or not prefer to play with them again. You can also choose your gamer picture from a list by downloaded pictures or one that you get preinstalled or on a game. Next on the Live blade is the market place where you can download demos, games, trailers, pictures, and tons more. The bad thing is you can't do anything while downloading things and the demos and take over a half-an-hour to completely download. You also have access to your messages (text or voice) and friends list on the blade. The games blade shows you your downloaded demos and trailes along with all games you played. Theres also the Xbox Live arcade with genres ranging from coin-op classics to sports and action games. These little games cost 5-15 bucks and their definetly worth it. Games like Geometry wars show how much fun these games can be. Plus you can download demos to try out. Much of the classic games like Gaunlet also have added Xbox Live function for multiplayer which can be really fun. Its no wonder why the Live arcade is called the trojan horse for the 360. After the games blade is the media blade and settings blade. In the media blade you have your music that comes preloaded and anything you add. Plus the movies section with some pre loaded content and the picture buttion for pictures you can use for backgrounds. Also the button to connect your PC to your 360. The settings blade has your settings for the screen quality and size, family settings, and other random stuff. Theres just to much to go over.

The Guide button in the controller brings you to so much more to go on. I'll try to go over everything. First you can look at your friends, messages, and recent players. Here you can check their profiles, compare games, invite, open chats, and loads more. You also have the ability to play custom sound tracks and adjusting the sound of it which makes it loads easier then turning off the TV speakers and turning on a stereo. Plus you can listen to the game sound effects still. You also have settings in which you can change the theme (color and stuff) of your dashboard and the little thing that the guide button opens. Theres a lot of options like the Halo theme, Carbon, etc. Also in the Personal Settings is the ability to turn on and off virbation. Theres also the voice thing that lets you turn down the volume or mute it which you can do on the mic anyway. Plus you can change your online status and shut down your console by holding down the button. You can also change your game settings for shooter, racing, and general games by making it always inverted, A to accelerate or the trigger button, and other options as well.

The features make this system so great. Weather its the Guide button or the loads of options and customization on the Dashboard. But the little features accelerate it. For example, I kept my disc tray opened the other day cause I was downloading something. If you close the disc tray it automatically loads the game. So I waited till I downloaed the demo and I was going to get up to close it but wait! All I have to do is click the "Close tray" at the bottom of the screen and a las! it loads up. Also turning on and off the console with the controller by holding down the Guide button are the little tweaks that make it so great. Despite some issues with the noise and only DVD support this is a great system. The backwards compatibility works just fine but its missing some key games. The launch is pretty strong but I would suggest holding off till a price drop unless you NEED a game or the Live features.