"Caution: Use of this device with a high-definition TV screen may prove habit-forming.

There's no such label on Microsoft's new Xbox 360, but it might be a good idea.

The Xbox 360 is the first video-game console developed to work with high-definition screens, and Microsoft got it right. The graphical realism of the device surpasses every other system when connected to a standard TV but really comes into its own when attached to a high-def set.

The new system, which went on sale two days before Thanksgiving and is all but impossible to find in stores, is one of the most sought-after consumer electronics items this holiday season.

After a week of testing with a half-dozen games, I can say that the Xbox 360 lives up to all its buzz.

That's a pretty strong assertion, considering that it's listed on eBay for as much as $2,000, far above the $299 and $399 retail prices of the two configurations offered by Microsoft.

Let me repeat: Anyone who owns a conventional TV and is considering an Xbox 360 purchase should refrain from watching games being played with the system on a high-def screen. There's just no way to be happy with a lesser graphics experience once you see what this thing can do.

In testing, I first paired the Xbox 360 with a standard 36-inch TV, which has been in the den for a couple of years, and then with a 23-inch high-def model provided by Sony for review.

When playing Call of Duty 2 by Activision, I was like, "OK, that's cool'' as tanks exploded in a plume of smoke and flame on the older, conventional screen.

My favorable take on the system ratcheted up -- way, way up -- when the smaller, but more advanced flat-panel monitor was connected." [more]