Xbox 360 unveiled to UK journalists
In advance of its December 2 launch in Europe, Microsoft yesterday gave British journalists the first chance to sample the performance of the Xbox 360 games console.
The Times (London) reports, “In terms of technical specifications, Microsoft’s new machine is impressive. At its heart is a liquid-cooled IBM processor, which delivers super-smooth graphics of almost cinema quality.”
The Xbox will ship in two versions, says The Times : The base model will retail at £209.99 (GBP), while £279.99 buys a model with a built-in 20GB hard drive, wireless game controllers and, on limited special offer, a free remote DVD control.
It can also serve as a “digital hub” and features three USB ports, allowing connection to digital devices such as cameras, MP3 players (including Apple’s iPod) and computers using the Microsoft Windows XP or Media Edition operating system.
A Microsoft spokesman acknowledged that demand is likely to exceed supply in the short term and that backward compatibility issues will be clarified nearer to launch.
Engadget’s take : “The graphics and textures of Condemned were amazing, and Need For Speed Most Wanted was one of the most photorealistic games I’ve ever seen. Project Gotham Racing 3 was pretty sweet, too, the level of detail in each city was mind-blowing.”
