Xbox 360 (2005)

CPU: Microsoft XCPU (Xenon), 3 cores – 500 MHz

GPU: R500, Xenos chip by ATI – 500 MHz

Memory: 512 MB GDDR3 RAM

Hard Drive: 250 GB HDD

Optical Drive: 12x DVD

Video Output: HDMI 1.2a in/out

Network: Ethernet, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi

Audio: Multichannel 5.1 Surround Sound

Release Date: November 22, 2005

Code Name: Xenon

Generation: Second

Status: Discontinued

Release Price: $399

Units Sold: 84 million (as of June 9, 2014)

Best-selling Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, 14.23 million

The seventh-generation came in 2005, with Sega out of the hardware market, and now the market is all about the-all-known-three companies, Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. Each company released their consoles based on various strategies to attract the gamer.

The early builds of the Xbox 360 had many hardware failures caused by overheating. The three flashing red lights and the well known Red Ring of Death was a common inconvenience for the owners. These early models forced Microsoft to repair and replace every system and even extend the consoles’ warranties for all of the issues.

A series of massive exclusive hit titles like Crackdown, Gears of War, Dead Rising and Mass Effect helped to keep the people loyal on the console. The Xbox Live service and its subscription were expanded, redesigned and contained most of the Xbox 360’s console bundles, but the prices where aggressively high. That was a big disadvantage for Microsoft, especially when Sony announced that their players can enjoy the online experience without paying any subscription.

Microsoft redesigned Xbox 360’s hardware several times, alongside it with a bunch of peripherals like the redesigned wireless controller and headset followed by one of the biggest Microsoft’s releases, the Kinect. A device that is based on the webcam-style add-on peripheral, enabling users to control and interact with their console using gestures and voice commands.