Microsoft’s first console launched in 2001 and brought PC-style power to the living room: a 733 MHz Intel processor, NVIDIA NV2A graphics, a built-in hard drive (no memory cards needed), and Ethernet for Xbox Live (2002). With Dolby Digital 5.1, 480p/720p/1080i support via component, and the iconic controllers (the launch “Duke” and later Controller S), the Xbox set a new benchmark for online and technical performance.
A stacked library made it a classic: Halo: Combat Evolved & Halo 2, Forza Motorsport, Fable, Project Gotham Racing, Ninja Gaiden (2004), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Panzer Dragoon Orta, MechAssault, and more. Beloved by retro fans and collectors, the original Xbox remains the birthplace of Xbox Live and several enduring franchises.
