Xbox 360 Elite Console

Sexy design ; It's quiet ; Built-in Wi-Fi ; Touch buttons ; Xbox Live

No HDMI cable in the box ; Uses disc tray ; Still mangles game discs ; External ower brick ; No Blu-ray

In light of the recent software updates, the new Xbox 360 is probably the most complete and convenient box that you can stick under your telly. Not only does it play the latest video games, but it offers a huge amount of other content in one slickly...

HDMI socket, 120GB hard drive, great graphics

If you're a gamer and you want to get into the Xbox 360, this is the way to do it. Skip the Core and Pro and stump up the extra £50. It will be worth it in the long run.

If you're a gamer and you want to get into the Xbox 360, this is the way to do it. Skip the Core and Pro and stump up the extra £50. It will be worth it in the long run.

If you haven't jumped on the Xbox bandwagon just yet, but had planned to (Halo 3, anyone?), the Xbox 360 Elite merits your consideration. The inclusion of the 120GB hard drive, HDMI, and full 1080p support may make this console pricey, but it's also a...

Good points

Better value than Premium. Big hard drive. New HDMI connection. Smart paint job

Premium is getting an HDMI connection too. Doesn't include HD-DVD drive

If you're buying a new 360, get an Elite – simple as that. If you've already got one, this is pretty much a cosmetic upgrade

The Xbox 360 Elite may not address the noise pollution issue that has plagued Microsoft's console since launch, but it does bring some key new features to the platform. HDMI support is a welcome addition, while the increased hard disk capacity will...

Excellent selection of games ; HDMI port ; Large hard drive

Noisy DVD drive and cooling fan ; Gigantic power supply ; No built-in wireless networking ; No built in HD DVD drive

That said, the Xbox 360 currently has a larger and more impressive library of games, and until the PS3 can offer some compelling alternatives, the Xbox 360 remains the better option. And if you're going with the 360 for the first time, you might as...

Sleeker design; 17 percent smaller; much quieter operation; better cooling; touch-sensitive power and disc tray; 250GB hard drive; built-in Wi-Fi; five USB ports; dedicated Kinect port; onboard optical digital audio

The hard drive is still proprietary; controller on D-pad remains unchanged; cumbersome power block; renders existing faceplates useless; no HD gaming out-of-the-box

Though the new Xbox 360 certainly addresses most of the concerns we've had with the versions before it, we don't think it warrants a purchase if you already own an Xbox 360 in working order with an HDMI-out port and a hard drive.

A super games console, but a surprisingly cautious update of the original Xbox 360 technology.