With the Xbox Microsoft got it right first go. It has stunning graphics, immense power under the bonnet and little quirks to give it the edge. You can tell that every component of the Xbox has been scrutinised and all the elements play-tested so that this really is a machine created by gamers for gamers. The main processor is powered by Intel while the graphics are dealt with by NVIDIA and both have been specifically designed for the system.

What this gives you is the Xbox with PC power and equivalent graphics that plays on your television screen. Imagine a P4 2 GHz machine with buckets of memory and a GeForce 3 card with all the extra options--such as tri-linear, bump mapping and shadows--turned on and you might start to get close on the graphics of the Xbox. The set video pieces are like something out of the Final Fantasy movie and are far above anything previously seen on a console.

The eye candy doesn't stop with the cinematic sequences. Once you start playing the Xbox games themselves they ooze creativity and atmosphere. Titles such as Halo and Oddworld: Munch's Odyssey show a graphical style that make them simply the best-looking console games you will see on your TV. Time to Buy an Xbox? Read on!

It is not only graphics that Microsoft has gone to great pains to get right with the Xbox and its games. Sound plays a huge part in the immersive atmosphere that the console is aiming for. To this end the Xbox boasts 256 audio channels as well as supporting Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround which all combine to give you an unrivalled audio experience. You will almost feel the bullets whizzing over your head from all directions in Halo.

The system also supports DVD playback which is accessed by a remote control sold separately. This is a good thing because you don't have to faff around pausing movies with the right trigger or left d-pad.

In Xbox you get the gaming capabilities of a top of the range PC with all the extras. So, what are you waiting for? Buy an Xbox Games Console Today!