The X-BOX by Microsoft... who wants one?

[Paulr]

Couple of points about the original post.
Where did you get the information from?

As far as I was aware the 'final' specification wasn't going to be announced until about 3 months before release, due mainly to the CPU issue.
IE. The demo box now might be ruuning on a PIII 600, but there is a good chance it will be something a lot faster at time of release.
Also, OS wise.
MS have always said it will be running on a cut-down version of Win2000.

Paul

[Jorden]

Paulr,

I got most of my info from PCFormat, a British PC magazine, who had such a box for testing for a day.

And yes, it might be a test-box.

The original question also stands: who wants one?

Jorden.

[Jorden]

The X-BOX by Microsoft... who wants one?

Here are the specs, guys&girls:

• Intel P3 600MHz CPU
• nVidia NV25 graphics GPU (on chip)
• 64 Mb DDR RAM at 200MHz
• 8 GB Harddrive
• 4x DVD
• 100 Mbps Ethernet card
• Win98 stripped down

Microsoft want it to be better than Dreamcast, Playstation 2 and whatever other console out there.

But what can you do with it? There's no keyboard, no mouse, just 4 controller ports, you need to plug it into your TV, and errrrr... well, who wants one?

Is it upgradable? It might be in the end. When it is released... If it is ever released...

More info? http://www.xbox.com/xbox/default.htm

Jorden.

[This message has been edited by Jorden (edited 12 May 2000).]

[Nuno]

Gee, why doesn´t Microsoft call it a PC instead? A console with a 8Gb Hard drive

Weren´t they using win2k instead of win98?

[Jorden]

A PC has a mouse and a keyboard at least

About the OS: "As with the Dreamcast, the operating system won't live inside the X-Box. Instead it will come with every game you buy, thereby solving (??) the problem of OS upgrades."

And enabling MS to sell you an operating system dozens of times over

Jord.

Oh, edit: One thing you should be aware about: It won't be out before the start of 2001... therefor you might see it like buying a 486 X-Box against a new P200 MMX PC

[This message has been edited by Jorden (edited 12 May 2000).]

[Brian R.]

What I want to know is: Can you overclock it?

[Bixler]

Total failure, another example of incompetence brought about by arrogance.

[SCompRacer]

Maximum PC had an Inside Sources article on this in their May 2000 issue. Seems some folks at AMD think they got hosed as they believed the Athlon was the CPU choice for the X-Box, until Bill Gates surprise announcement at the annual Game Developers Conference that it would ship with an Intel P III instead.

It went on to say that AMD has approcached Mattel about making a console with their chip.

[DuRaNgO[MU]]

Actually, I read somewhere(can't remember which site right now) that it has already been upgraded to a 733 processor
jim
edit:
Ah ha! HERE it is

[This message has been edited by DuRaNgO[MU] (edited 17 May 2000).]

[Pace]

Yeah it is up to 733 and I heard it was going to be Win2k as well. I think Win98 may be too problematic.

And I don't think PCF had a test box - they just commented on the announcement (I think).

I doubt that Microsoft won't sell keyboard and mice for it - it'll come with USB probably and it would be nice to have DVD for my telly - what about Pro-Logic surround though? Anybody hear anything about this?

Paul.

[Dyre]

The X-Box i saw looked soo cool, i want one just to put on my desk. It was made out of handcrafted aluminum and was all shinny. It definatly looks cool. Now i wonder how long it will take before Microsoft gets sued becuase some kid killed his little brother by bashing him over the head with the nice 20 pound, sharp metal X-Box.....

[ahartman]

If they used W2k, wouldn't that invalidate their argument that W2k isn't a gaming platform? I mean, they're putting it in what is basically a computer that will only run games...

It seems like they'd open themselves up to a lot (more) criticism if they're going to use W2k in their own gaming machine but not support it for others.

[Paulr]

They invalidated their argument about Win2k not being a gaming platform as soon as they released a 'game compatibility' patch
We all know that Win2k is a gaming platform, MS know that it is a gaming platform.
A press release telling everybody this would kill Windows ME sales dead.
Who would want a gaming OS that still crashes when they could have one that doesn't?
Lets also be honest here, the average home computer user still isn't ready for WinNT.
Tell them this, and offer them 'baby Windows' on a silver platter, this keeps them happy.
Those who do know how to use WinNT can contiune to use Win2k, and be happy with it!

[Jorden]

Whatever the Windows version, it won't be one with Start menu, buttons, toolbars and icons to fiddle around with. Which on the other makes you wonder what that will look like

Jord.

[Buuri]

But what can you do with it? There's no keyboard, no mouse, just 4 controller ports, you need to plug it into your TV, and errrrr... well, who wants one?

Is there anything more on Dreamcast or PS2? A lot of people want those.

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B