Microsoft Game Console

The original Microsoft Xbox was first introduced in the United States on November 15, 2001. That model featured a 700 MHz Pentium III processor. The Xbox 360, introduced in 2005, transitioned to a 3.2 GHz PowerPC Tri-Core Xenon processor. The PowerPC CPU is notable since it's based on the same architecture as processors found in older Apple laptop models.

1. Xbox: The console takes its name seriously: when you look at the OG Xbox you see a bulky box with a green Xbox jewel logo located in the middle of a giant "X" design that spans the top case. There are four controller ports on its front and "Xbox" lettering on the face of the console.
2. Xbox 360: The 360 ditched the black X style of the OG Xbox for a white minimalistic look. "Xbox 360" lettering plasters the front of the disc tray. The later "360 S" and "360 E" models are slimmer and available in both black and white.
3. Xbox One: Released in 2013, the Xbox One is a flat, black rectangular box with the stylized "Xbox" logo on the front. The power button is touch-sensitive and lights up when the console is turned on. There are also multiple iterations of the Xbox One:
   • Xbox One S: A smaller, sleeker version of the Xbox One. It is white, although special editions in other colors are available. It's 40% smaller than the original Xbox One, with the power supply built into the console instead of requiring a separate brick.
   • Xbox One X: Not to be confused with the "Series X" the Xbox One X is similar looking to the "One S", but it is black and slightly heavier.
4. Xbox Series X and Series S
   • Xbox Series X: The Series X is a black rectangular box, standing vertically. It's quite a bit larger than the One X and One S and is designed to resemble a small PC tower. The ports on the back come with some tactile identification in the form of tiny raised dots. There is a Master Chief logo on the massive fan which can be seen by removing the back panel.
   • Xbox Series S: The Series S is much smaller than the Series X and is white. It has a large black circular vent on its upper half. Most importantly there is no disc drive on this console.

Microsoft gaming consoles have characteristically been plagued by overheating issues, particularly in the first release of each specific model causing waves of recalls. In the original Xbox, this problem manifested itself when the system would randomly freeze, either mid-game or while using the dashboard. In the Xbox 360, overheating presented itself in the infamous Red Ring of Death (RROD), where three-quarters of the circle around the power button would be lit red.

This problem is so common due to a combination of high heat output from the high-performance technology in the consoles, bad heat sink design, and brittle lead-free solder. Solutions to these problems are specific to each model and available on the respective device pages.

• Wikipedia: Microsoft
• Wikipedia: Microsoft Xbox
• Wikipedia: Microsoft Xbox 360