After being responsible for the world’s most popular operating system for computers, it really isn’t a wonder why Microsoft came up with the Xbox video game console. Packed with impressive features and released to the gaming world in 2002, the Xbox stood as Microsoft’s first entry into the console market, successfully competing against Sony’s PlayStation 2.

In 2005, Microsoft came out with the second Xbox incarnation, in the form of the Xbox 360, hailed to be part of the seventh generation of gaming consoles, whose roster would include the Nintendo Wii and the Sony PlayStation 3.

The Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 came to be through a joint development effort between Microsoft, IBM, ATI and SIS, resulting to a video game console which doesn’t only allow for video game playing, but also features the Xbox Live, allowing users to compete with other Xbox 360, online. It also allows for the download of movies, TV shows and movie trailers as well.

As a system powered by a CPU, the Xbox 360 has a 3.2 GHz PPC Tri-Core Xenon processor, with a GPU powered by a 500 MHz ATI Xenos system. It supports DVD, DVD-DL and CD formats, and could be setup with an HD DVD reading system, as an add-on feature. The Xbox 360 could be fitted with 64, 256 or 512 MB memory cards, and could be fitted with either a 20 or 120 gigabyte hard disk drive. A maximum of four controllers could be setup with the Xbox, either wirelessly, wired or a combination of wired and wireless. The Xbox also comes with an IR port, three USB 2.0 ports, and a 100 Mbit Ethernet port.

As a video game console, the Xbox 360 is indeed one which comes with impressive features, with awesome graphics and sound quality. It comes in four versions, with each step-up version having better features over its lower version class. There is the Xbox 360 Core, the Xbox 360 Arcade, the Xbox, and the Xbox 360 Elite.

The Xbox 360 Core is considered to be the “entry level” Xbox 360, and is technically no longer being sold, as it is being replaced by the Xbox 360 Arcade. Basically the Xbox 360 Core came as either with 20 gigs or a 120 gigabyte hard drive, and is capable of SDTV resolutions.

The Xbox 360 Arcade, the Xbox 360 variation to take the place of the Xbox 360 Core, comes with a wireless controller, as well as a 256 MB memory unit. As a device, it is came with HDMI 1.2 output features, and a composite AV cable. It also came with five Arcade titles, as well as a “Welcome Video”, along with game trailers and demos.

The Xbox 360 would be another version often labelled as the Xbox 360 Pro or Premium. It comes with a detachable 20 gig hard drive, and comes with a hybrid composite and component cable. The Xbox 360 Elite would be the fourth and most expensive of Xbox 360’s, as it features a 120 gigabyte hard disk, and is defined with a black matte finish. Aside from the discontinued Xbox 360 Core, all Xbox 360 versions come with bundled games, allowing users to have their choice of games the moment they get their video game consoles.

As a multimedia device, the Xbox 360 supports the WMV video format, as well as HD, or high definition WMV videos. It also plays MPEG-4 and H.264 format videos. The device could also play audio files, as well as perform photo slideshows to which users could easily view, with no problems. Background audio could be set as background playback music, making the whole slideshow experience one that is simply fun.

All in all, with the Xbox 360, users don’t just have a video game console, but one which has that 360 degree coverage area where multimedia needs are concerned.