What is the Xbox 360 Slim?
The Xbox 360 "Slim" (not the official name for the system but rather a nickname given to it by fans) is a redesigned Xbox 360 console first announced at E3 2010 and made available for sale that same week. It is officially called the Xbox 360 250GB, but to differentiate it from other Xbox 360 versions it has been nicknamed "Slim".
You can see official images of the Xbox 360 Slim from Microsoft here
How Much Does It Cost?
The Xbox 360 250GB console retails for $299. A 120GB HDD version has also been spotted in stores for $279. Reports also indicate that another version, likely with a smaller HDD, will be available this holiday season for $199. Systems bundled with Kinect are also expected, but pricing information is not yet available.
You can compare prices on the Xbox 360 250GB Slim at Pricegrabber.
What Makes it Different From the Original Xbox 360?
The Slim is very different from the original design of the Xbox 360 in terms of aesthetics. It is a little shorter, but roughly the same thickness. It is glossy black and features touch sensitive buttons for the power and disc drive while the original system had mechanical buttons. The power supply is also a fair bit smaller and lighter as well.
Internally, it has a slightly different chipset which will, hopefully, lead to less breakdowns. It also comes with a 250GB internal hard drive as well as built in Wi-Fi compatible with the new "N" standard.
Functionally, it is exactly the same as an older Xbox 360 save for one feature - the slim has a special port to power the Kinect motion controller device Microsoft is going to release in November 2010. Older systems will have to have an external power source for Kinect. Other than that, however, the Slim plays the exact same games and has all of the other features of previous Xbox 360 models.
One other difference is that the Slim is noticeably quieter than older Xbox 360 systems. It still makes a bit if noise while a disc is spinning in the drive, but installing games to the hard drive results in a nearly silent console.
What is In the Box?
The Xbox 360 slim comes with the new 250GB internal HDD system, a black controller with 2 AA batteries, a black headset, power cables, and composite A/V cables. If you want HDMI or component cables, you'll have to buy them separately. While component cables can be spendy (particularly if you buy the Microsoft branded ones), HDMI cables can be purchased for cheap on sites like Monoprice.com.
What About the Data On My Current Xbox 360 System?
If you already own an Xbox 360 and want to transfer your data to the Slim, there are a couple of ways to do it. First, you can use a USB stick to transfer your gamertags, game saves, and DLC to your new system. Second, you can use a transfer cable (sold separately for $15) to transfer everything from your old hard drive to your new system. Either way works just fine. Afterwards, you may have to use the license transfer tool on Xbox.com to make sure everything works correctly on your new system.
Will This System Be Reliable?
This is a tough question. The original Xbox 360 was plagued by hardware problems caused by overheating, and we can only hope that those problems have been fixed with the Slim. We do know one thing, it cannot get the "Red Ring of Death", because Microsoft removed the red LEDs. Instead, the system has built in safeguards to try and prevent it from overheating. An error message will pop up if the system is too hot and it will automatically shut down to prevent damage.
What Kind of Warranty Does the Xbox 360 Slim Have?
Microsoft is seemingly pretty confident in the new system, because it only comes with a 1-year warranty compared to the 3-year warranty available for older Xbox 360 systems.
