When the Xbox 360 Slim was unveiled at E3 2010, our first thought here at the Tom's Hardware office was, "That thing is a fingerprint magnet." Of course, we weren't alone in this and now it seems Microsoft has realised that while the glossy exterior doesn't have a negative affect on performance, it's definitely a pain in the bum. Redmond last Friday revealed that it was phasing out the glossy Xbox 360 S and replacing it with a much more sensible matte finish.
"You may have heard last week that Microsoft is changing the outer finish of the Xbox 360 250GB consoles from a glossy black to a matte black finish, similar to the current Xbox 360 4GB model," Larry Hryb, also known as Xbox Live's Major Nelson, wrote on his blog.
"Some of the news outlets that covered it mentioned having a choice between matte and glossy Xbox 360s this holiday," he continued, adding, "I wanted to set the record straight and let everyone know that that is not the case."
Hryb went on to say that Microsoft is actively transitioning all Xbox 360 S consoles to a matte finish.
"The consoles will start to arrive in stores over the coming weeks, so if you really love the idea of a glossy console don’t wait much longer," he warned.
Though you can't argue that the glossy finish attracts fingerprints, not everyone dislikes it. For those that do have an affinity for the shiny exterior, you'll be pleased to know that Microsoft isn't ditching the idea completely. Hryb said that while they're transitioning all Xbox 360 S consoles to matte, limited edition models, such as the upcoming Gears of War 3 Console, may have a gloss finish.
