HANDS ON GUIDE

Appearance

Microsoft's original Xbox had all the visual charm of a lost suitcase sitting on a deserted Heathrow baggage carousel, but the company has clearly tried to make the 360 sexy. Dressing it in an off-white plastic that probably had beige tendencies in its youth is hardly endearing, but its distinctive, gently curving shape and chrome drive tray are pleasing - although it looks odd next to most LCD TVs, which tend to be black or silver.

The PS3 is the largest of the three. Like the 360, it can stand on its side or lie flat, but it seems less well-suited to standing tall. The general opinion was that when laid flat, the worst that could be said of it was that it looks like a mean George Foreman grill. However, despite its size it's reasonably neat and tidy, thanks to the built-in PSU. The black colour and its confluence of curves also hide a multitude of vents: every surface apart from the top and the side on which it stands is perforated to allow heat to escape.

The top honours in this round are shared by the Wii and the PC. The Wii's shiny white plastic and blue illuminated drive mouth are cool, and its tiny size renders it both sweet and discrete.

So why does the PC rate so highly? Simple: if you don't like the way it looks, you can buy a new case and your choices range from mammoth towers to tiny boxes.

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