Having sold my Xbox sometime ago, I was happy when it came to purchasing a new console that both the 4GB and 250GB now have a matt finish. Don't get me wrong, it's great having the glossy finish but it's a fingerprint and dust magnet!

In regards to the console itself, the new slim (S) 360 runs much, much, quieter than the original consoles back in 2005. Not only are they now quieter but they also use a lot less electricity, which is always a plus!

The console itself is very easy to setup and feels very robust. Included are:- A wireless controller plus (disposable) batteries, console, SD AV cable, headset, power brick and power cord. If you wish to get the HD experience, a HDMI cable will cost you extra but thankfully they no longer cost the earth. The touch sensitive buttons are great and add to the whole experience but the main attraction is upon starting up the console for the first time. First of all your greeted with a short but in-depth initial setup. This setup allows you to easily setup your console for use and introduces you to some of the great features that come with your Xbox 360. Upon compleation, you are greeted with the dashboard. My console came with the old dashboard with sideways cascading squares. This dashboard isn't the most user friendly but thankfully, Microsoft have released a new metro-inspired dashboard that not only is much easier and faster to use, it looks brilliant.

I would like to recommend every owner update to the new metro-inspired dashboard. You may do this via connecting to Xbox Live on your console or following the instructions found at [...]. The new dashboard is much quicker to use, includes many new and welcomed features and categorizes facebook, Sky, LOVEFiLM etc into a new App tab - awesome!

Of course, every potential purchaser should be aware in order to play games online and use some of the features, you must subscribe to Xbox Live Gold. The great thing is, if you setup a Gamertag (Xbox Live account) for the first time on your new console, you will get a month for free. There is always offers on Gold as well. At present there is an offer, offering 3-months of gold for just £6 (a 60% saving).

The graphics on games are mind blowing and the shear amount of content is immense! Most, if not all games have 5.1 surround sound too. There really is something for everyone on the 360. Other consoles such as the PS3 and Wii do have their strong points too but the 360 is a great all rounder and if you have children, Kinect is something you may also wish to invest in (but that's another review entirely!)

If your still unsure, I would suggest taking a look at some of the 1000s of games available and reading their reviews to help you make up your mind. If you do decide to purchase, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome you to the world of gaming and hope to see you on Xbox Live!