Upgrading your Xbox to a 360? Here are the Latest Specs If you’ve got one of the first Microsoft Xbox gaming consoles, it is time to upgrade to the Xbox 360! There are two main packages available when it comes to the Xbox 360, so you will have to do a bit of homework and decide which one is right for you. One of the most important considerations when it comes to choosing your Xbox 360 system is the types of games you want to play. Some of them require extra accessories and so do not. Some are played online. You also have to consider whether you will want to use your Xbox 360 as a DVD player or if you plan to purchase one separately from it. There are also HDTV and broadband considerations as well as wanting backwards compatibility for games. Choosing your Xbox 360 comes down to your core system or a premium system. With the core system, you get the main box with a wired controller while the premium systems has wireless capabilities, a large hard drive (typically twenty gig or more) as well as a memory card. If you are becoming a serious gamer, there is no contest: you have to get the premium system. Many gamers agree: you should really play on an HDTV and go the Xbox Live route. Of course, that means adding broadband Internet access to your home! HDTV adds a vivid element to your gaming experience. The graphics and action on the screen come alive; it’s more “real.” The broadband connection allows you to play online with gamers all over the world. This is especially desirable if you like playing on a team. In order to do this, you would have to purchase an Xbox Live subscription, which includes a lot of perks like downloading free game trials, music videos and even movie trailers. When upgrading to an Xbox 360, you should really consider going wireless – wireless controllers, headsets and other accessories like the Racing Wheel. You get not only a freer range of movement but also the quality will be higher than the wired versions. And if you plan to spend plenty of quality time with your Xbox 360, you might consider purchasing a cooling fan for your system. This will help keep your Xbox 360 from overheating, especially during one of your twenty-hour marathon gaming sessions. Games are another consideration when choosing to upgrade to an Xbox 360. There are a number of them to choose from. Some games are strictly for Xbox Live subscribers and others are compatible for single-players. And depending on your gaming preference, there may be accessories that you would want to purchase to make the game more realistic, like the Racing Wheel mentioned above. If you don’t want to get rid of your Xbox games, you might also be interested in the backwards compatibility feature. What this means is that some of your older Xbox games could be played on the new Xbox 360 system. This does not apply for all the games, so you would have to search the Microsoft Xbox website for a list of compatible titles. Optional accessories include the upcoming HD-DVD player that can hook up to your Xbox 360 through a USB port. Of course, the Xbox 360 can play
DVD movies and offers a quality similar to other DVD players. However, if you have an HDTV, you will want equipment that offers better quality, hence the external HD-DVD player. Keep in mind that this accessory is totally optional. The Xbox 360 is comparable in price to other gaming systems. So price aside, you have to really judge the system on its own merits and what you are looking for in your gaming experience.