Without a doubt, Microsoft hit big time with their foray in the gaming console community. Their first entry was the Xbox and its success helped elevate the technology involved in gaming consoles. Its successor, the Xbox 360 also met similar successes although it did have its fair share of problems. After its initial release in 2005, the box 360 received hardware upgrades which allowed it to store more data and perform better and faster than ever, one of the models, which was released in 2008, was the Microsoft XBOX 360 60GB, also known as XBOX 360 Pro or XBOX 360 Premium.

The XBOX 360 60GB was an upgrade of an earlier version of the Microsoft XBOX 360 Pro/Premium which had a 20GB hard disk. The new upgraded version was highly anticipated by numerous gamers all over the world but because of the problems it encountered in the initial release of the XBOX 360, the highly expected turnout was not met.

But, the Microsoft XBOX 360 60GB has received a big overhaul in its internal aspects and gained a solid position not only as an excellent game console, but also, a multi media hub for an entertainment centre whether in the living room or the bedroom. This was because the XBOX 360, despite having multitude internet content available to it, was also integrated with the online streaming service from Netflix. But again, the 360 was highly dependent on internet connection speed for quality so it wasn’t able to provide true high DVD quality because of the huge file size it generally comes in.

For hardcore gamers who don’t want to shell out the extra hundred bucks for a bigger HDD, 120 GB for the Elite model, the Microsoft XBOX 360 60GB will be adequate enough. While there is another model in the line-up cheaper than the XBOX 360 60GB, the entry level XBOX 360 Arcade, it does not come with a hard disk drive.

Another great addition that Microsoft added for the 2008 line-up was the increase in warranty. Because of the highly publicized "Three Rings of Death" problem many Xbox users experienced, the increase in the warranty period offered a relief for those who might experience the failure, said to be caused by overheating of the unit. The XBOX 360 60GB though had decreased reports of this problem, including all models manufactured in 2007 and later, these are the units equipped with HDMI ports.

And those same models have also received a 65nm processor called the Falcon CPU, which was smaller, generated less heat, and did not require much energy like its predecessor, the 90nm version. But for all intent and purposes, this Microsoft XBOX has an internal system that is designed and built to perform like a computer. It’s capable of producing top notch video output and has a processing power from three cores operating at 3.2GHZ each.

Design wise, the Microsoft XBOX 360 60GB is slightly smaller than the original unit. The new model can also be made to stand up. When laid down, the 360 measured 12.15 inches in width, 3.27 inches in height, and a depth of 10.15 inches, it also weighed 8.8 pounds. The face of this Microsoft XBOX has a hinged door where underneath you will find 2 USB ports and two slots for memory cards.

Sleek and sexy looking with an inward curve, the Microsoft XBOX 360 60GB can also be personalized using interchangeable face plates. Inside the box, you will find an instruction book, power lead and adaptor, a headset with mic, Ethernet cable, component lead, component to HDMI converter, component to SCART converter, and a wireless controller.

Despite having problems in the past, Microsoft has done a great job of continually improving the system. And at the end of the day, the Microsoft XBOX 360 60GB certainly delivers in quality and there really is no comparison to the performance quality it provides on its games.