The controller was an issue when the Xbox first launched, but Microsoft listened to complaints and redesigned the controller. The result is the Controller S and it is not only a huge improvement over the original design but it is one of the best controllers on the market. Once you use one for an hour or so and get used to it you won’t want to use anything else. It is absolutely the best controller for racing games and shooting games and it handles every other genre of games very well.
DVD Playback
Another aspect of the Xbox that deserves more credit than it gets is the DVD player. You have to spend an extra $30 to get a DVD playback kit, but the Xbox DVD player does an outstanding job. There are a lot of budget DVD players out now, but none of them pack the features of the Xbox. In fact, I would go so far to say that the Xbox DVD player is better than just about any other unit you could get for under $100, and with the Xbox for $150 you are getting an excellent DVD player and the cutting edge of video games. That seems like a good investment to me.
No Memory Cards Necessary
The Xbox also has a hard drive that allows you to save your game data, rip music tracks, and even download new content for you games. You don’t need to spend the extra cash for a memory card unless you want to take your saved files to a friends house, and for most people that is a $20-30 investment that they are glad they don’t have to make.
Online Play
Perhaps the Xbox’s greatest feature is online play through Xbox LIVE. This broadband only service costs around $50 for a full year and allows you to keep buddy lists, chat, play classic arcade games, and download new characters and levels, as well as playing the hottest online titles with your friends. Xbox LIVE is hands down the best online gaming service on the market right now and if you have broadband it is highly recommended. What makes LIVE so great? Well, the fact that you are playing on servers run by Microsoft helps to ensure that lag isn’t an issue so you can concentrate on playing the game rather than fighting with a slow connection. Also, being able to use voice chat to talk to your friends is a great way to stay in contact from anywhere in the world without having to pay an arm and a leg. Microsoft is also highly committed to adding new features and content to Xbox LIVE so it will keep getting better and better.
Bottom Line
So there you have it. The Xbox has the games, the controller, the DVD player and other features, and it has the best online gaming service in Xbox LIVE. For the current price of $150 I can say without any apprehension that the Xbox is absolutely worth it.
