Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite 120 GB Matte Black Console (PAL)

This edition of the console is a standard XBOX 360 Elite but with a 250GB Hard Drive instead of the 120GB on a normal Elite console. I went straight for the XBOX 360 elite because of the improved chipset after seeing so many broken white 360's on ebay for spares and repair.

I unpacked it all and set it up - its very easy to do but you will need to connect it to the internet to let it update itself to the latest software (you dont have to but its best to). Even though the Elite package is the best you can buy I was slightly annoyed that you have to buy extras such as a wireless adapter (and these are not cheap either) and a second controller for two player. You can connect to the internet wired if you like by using the included network cable. If you want to play against other people online you then have to buy a xbox live gold membership - more money!! I suggest looking on eBay for xbox live scratch cards as I found you can buy a months membership cheaper on ebay than most shops.

Even though the Elite is the new, more reliable chipset they are still prone to overheating which then causes the motherboard to warp and this is what causes the 360's to crash and get errors (known as the red ring of death or RROD for short). To stop this happening I bought a clip on external fan unit which is advised to protect your investment. Its a shame Microsoft havent improved the cooling system if heat is such a problem and built in wireless would be a massive bonus (like other consoles now have). I didnt find the fans / console noisey like some people have mentioned but i guess that depends on how close you are to it, ambient noise and size of the room etc..

You can play most original old xbox games on the 360 - there is no need to buy one of the "xbox 360 update disks" advertised on ebay, these dont do anything important. If it needs to the 360 will download an update / patch automatically the first time you play an original old xbox game. Playing old xbox games is a bonus if you dont want to fork out full price for a 360 game. You cant play the original xbox games over xbox live on te 360 - only local play.

A good point of the 360 is most of the games are full 1080p HD (or at least 720) so you get a nice crisp gaming experience. A good quality HDMI cable is included and you also get component leads should you want to use those. Colin McCrae Dirt is an amazing HD racing game. Overall an OK console but the constant spending on extras and XBOX Live membership is annoying and you cant help like you are being fleeced for every penny.

To save money on the wireless adapter dont buy a £50-£60 official xbox adapter buy a wireless bridge (about £25) this gives you a wireless access point to which you can connect any wired device so just buy the bridge and connect the xbox to it with the included cable and you are done.

I hope you will vote "YES" for my honest review.

The xbox 360 slim is a nice console which has been reduced in size alot from the old model. It is much more quite and has built in wifi so it can be placed anywhere in the home.
Compared to its main rival the Playstation 3 it is much lower in price by about £50-60 cheaper. It includes features such as Sky, Sky Sports, Sky movies, Twitter and facebook.(All sky items have to be paid for)
The negative side to the xbox is that of xbox live gold subscription where you can play online and access online content which is approximately £40 a year.
An average rating has been given to this product by microsoft as the Sony PS3 has free online gaming, has a built in Blu-ray player which will avoid running expenses.
All in all the PS3 is more expensive but a better asset to have for long term use.

In my opinion it is the second best gaming console in the world, PS3 only slightly better with BLU-RAY playback. The 360 has better games like HALO (not on PS3) etc. The graphics are brilliant even on SD tv. It is quiet compared to consoles like PS3 Original and Nintendo Gamecube. The only thing I am not happy about is the fact MICROSOFT didn't include a BLU-RAY drive like SONY. Overall a brilliant console and would recommend to all my friends!

The elite X-box is a great console and just as good as a PS2. I bought it off ebay,as i used to have one but unfortunately it stopped working. There are a huge variety of games available to buy new or 2nd hand for this console available at great prices on-line and also in gaming shops. The graphics of the games are brilliant for the hard drive it entails.

I would recommend the x-box elite console to all**

i bought this because it is a collectors item and i think it looks very cool,to buy it brand new in the shops is 250 pounds and to get it with half the stuff but for 130 pounds i think is a very good deal, i like all the decorations and i like the layout i think it kicks ass compared to the 2005 20GB xbox 360 and even better its a jasper model so its guarunteed not to get the dooming red ring of death like before its happened to me and instead of getting it fixed i put it in the bin! so overall really pleased and happy that it turned up so fast :)