Last year, the PS3 Slim gutted the PlayStation 3 and made Sony's system a lot leaner. Now, Microsoft may be plotting a similar touch-up for the Xbox 360, assuming a leaked photo out of China turns out to be legit. Clearly, someone somewhere has created a motherboard that has a Microsoft marking on it, but whether or not the board shows the shape of things to come for the Project Natal era remains a mystery.
If it's real, the board represents a total overhaul for the 360, according to Kotaku, who picked up the image from AVG9.org.
Hardware changes would be just as welcome as any cosmetic shape changes for 360 owners. Though performance has improved as MS began replacing internal components one by one, the console still has a reputation for red-light-of-deathing at inopportune moments. An all-around spruce-up could restore some more confidence in the platform as it gets ready to enter the Motion Controller Wars of 2010 this holiday season. A quieter fan and a more compact design would only improve its appeal sell a few more units if the quality is there.
What you like to see Microsoft shed some weight off the Xbox 360? Is there anything else they should change while they're at it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.