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It's easy to see why some have called the Xbox Microsoft's "Trojan Horse." Looking at the specifications alone, the video game system could be confused with a PC. The Xbox features an Intel Pentium III 733MHz processor, a special Nvidia NV2A graphics core based on the GeForce 3 engine, an 8GB hard drive, high-speed networking, HDTV display support, DVD playback capabilities, and a Microsoft operating system. However, instead of sitting on the desktop, the Xbox will be more at home in your living room.
The front of the eight-pound unit features four controller ports, a slide-out disc tray, a disc-eject button, and a power button. You'll find a power connector, an AV port, and a network port in the rear of the unit. The standard Xbox A/V cable uses composite audio and video cables, but you can purchase additional A/V adapters to provide RF, S-Video, component video, and digital optical output.
The Xbox works with HDTVs as well as standard 4:3 TVs. If you have an HD-ready television or monitor, the Xbox can output 480p, 720p, or 1,080i signals in either normal or widescreen (16:9) aspect ratios depending on game support. Most games only output up to 480p, but you'll find that images are still quite sharp. In addition to the impressive video display capabilities, the Xbox also supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. Even though the Xbox has a built-in DVD-ROM, you'll need to purchase an Xbox DVD Movie Playback Kit to unlock the movie playback functionality. Unfortunately, while the system does support progressive scan output for games, the Xbox does not offer progressive scan DVD movie output.
If you have a broadband connection, you can use the systems built-in Ethernet adapter for online multiplayer gaming. You will also need to purchase Microsoft's Xbox Live Starter Kit (available with 12-month or 3-month subscription plans). The Xbox Live system allows you to play against other people, and it offers community functions including friends lists and the ability to send and receive game invitations. You can even talk in-game with other players using the Xbox Live Communicator headset. Currently, over 100 Xbox game titles offer Xbox Live support, and there are more to come.
The Xbox console also comes with a built-in 8GB hard drive, so you don't have to deal with memory cards in order to save games as with the PlayStation 2 and GameCube, but you can still purchase an Xbox memory card in case you want to transfer saved games over to a friend's house. The hard drive also improves game load times, because the system can cache data for quick access rather than reading information from the disc each time a load is necessary.
At $149, the Xbox sells for the same price as the PlayStation 2 and costs about $50 more than the GameCube. While the PS2 currently has a sizable library of great games, including exclusives such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, most top games are being released on the Xbox simultaneously, and the console has its own excellent Xbox-only titles such as Halo 2 and Fable. The Xbox offers superior graphics and possibly the best online functionality. It's the obvious choice for those who want the game system with the best audio and video performance and have the 5.1 surround-sound package and HDTV to enjoy it. Report this review >>
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