Xbox 360 Console Includes 20GB Hard Drive Reviews

• Not There Quite Yet...

  
  By A1DB23XYB2NRO1 on 2006-04-12
  First off, you should know that I work with computers and write software for a living. I am very much a Microsoft platform developer and believe very strongly in the Microsoft vision. I joke with friends that I drank the kool-aid long ago and rely on that little company in Redmond to put food on my family's table. OK. Enough about that.
  
  As a self-professed geek (before it was "cool" to be a geek), I love all things technology related. I've built over 100 x86 beige boxes, run a Windows 2003 domain at home and constantly struggle to keep the temperature in my office/server room/guest room below 75 degrees. I love games, but as of the last 5 years or so, hardly have time to play any (I work for a living). I have 60+ GB of MP3s and about 10 GB of digital photos (6 GB or so since my daughter was born).
  
  OK, so maybe I'm just an average 30 something year old living in this consumer driven economy, but the idea of being able to play games again in my living room was overshadowed considerably by the concept of having an all in one media center where I could stream my MP3 collection, play slideshows of my adorable daughter and play the occasional game. The XBOX 360 promised to converge all of these ideas into one sleek little box and I, along with many others fell in love before I even got my hands on it.
  
  In anticipation for this new marvel of technology, I built a modest media server running Windows XP Media Center edition long before I convinced my wife to let me buy this $500 thing of wonder.
  
  So on Saturday, I somehow convinced by wife to let me buy an XBOX 360! I called Best Buy, Office Depot, and 2 Target stores before I could find one in stock and was surprised that I even found one since even Amazon is seemingly unable to secure any decent amount of inventory (did I mention I've had on XBOX 360 on my wishlist since 11/2005?).
  
  Let me stop right there. Its been 4 months since release, and it is still hard to find one of these things. Is consumer demand really this high or is there something else going on? Microsoft admitted early this year that they were having a problem with production and maybe this is all there is to it, but I still find it unbelievable that this inventory shortage has not been addressed. But that is neither here nor there...
  
  So, I paid my $440 ($399 plus tax), plus the following must have accessories:
  
  
  
  Extra wireless controller $40
  
  Remote control $30
  
  $#&! Wireless Bridge $99
  
  =======================
  
  Grand total (pre-tax): $568
  
  
  Now the XBOX 360 is a lot of things, but first and foremost, it's a PC, and a modest one at that. For the most part, it looks and acts like a PC. Optical Drive- check. Harddrive - check. Ethernet port- check. USB 2.0 port- well kinda. Here's where I start to get a little annoyed. This is a computer. It has a USB 2.0 drive. My 802.11b DLINK network adapter should work right? Wrong. Only Microsoft's XBOX Wireless Adapter ($99) works with the USB port. Don't want to buy the official adapter? Throw down $99 for the re-branded DLINK wireless bridge. Yep, that's right. DLINK designed and manufactured the original XBOX wireless bridge. Same exact hardware, chassis and everything. Now, I am sure that other wireless bridges work as well, but why do you have to use a bridge when there's a perfectly capable USB 2.0 port. Yes, I understand economics, and I understand going as low on the ISO stack as possible to avoid having to support umpteen vendor's adapters, but come on, I just dropped about $500, man. STRIKE 1.
  
  Unpack the unit, man am I excited. Whoah! Those reviewers aren't lying. This power supply is obnoxiously HUGE. But, it is quiet and can be hidden behind my entertainment center although it sure isn't helping out the heat situation.
  
  OK, the power supply is a little ridiculous and I for $400 you'd think they could have engineered something a little sexier, but remember, this thing is supposed to ROCK!
  
  Wait! I need a at least one game. $60 a pop for a game I've never played? No way. So off to Blockbuster I go. I rented a handful of games: Mortal Kombat, BatMan Begins, Battlefield 1942. These are big titles, sure to work on the 360 right? Wrong. After downloading the original XBOX emulator (pretty painless I must admit) BatMan did work, so 33% isn't great but not terrible either. Nevertheless, STRIKE 2.
  
  Oh yeah, Blockbuster had a pretty lousy selection of XBOX 360 titles. Not their fault, there's only about a dozen or so games out so far. Off to Hollywood video where I manage to pick up NBA 2K6 and Perfect Dark Zero. 5 days of nirvana awaits...
  
  Still with me? Good.
  
  Now, I've got some games and I'm all set up, but I don't know what I want to do first. Play a game or setup my 360 so that it can talk to my MCE PC? I'll play a quick game of Perfect Dark Zero. Hmmm. OK. This is fun. Great soundtrack, but nothing that I haven't seen for the last 2 or so years on my multi-purpose Athlon PC. Actually, to be quite honest, the game reminds me a lot of the typical first person shooter ala Quake 3+. But I digress.
  
  Man, the fan in this thing is loud. Its not terrible, but its audible enough that my wife- who had no problem waiting 20 minutes for her email to download on her 486 PC when I met her 7 years ago- even commented on how noisy it was. That one hurt, but she's right. This thing is too noisy for the price tag. STRIKE 3.
  
  OK. Don't be so cynical. This thing ROCKS, remember? I know. I'll setup my XBOX in media extender mode and start streaming MP3s. For about 2 hours (trust me this is an eternity in baby time) I walked back and forth from console to PC trying to get the stupid MCE PC to see the console. Sometimes it would tease me, saying it was connected, only to go back to the console to see a message indicating that another user has disconnected the session. What? I am now pretty annoyed and wondering if this thing is worth the $400 sans accessories. I think about packing it all in, literally. As a geek, I remind myself that this is part of the joy and pain of geekdom, so I optimistically drive on.
  
  At some point, after about 6 hours of cumulative wasted time, the stars align and the geek gods grant me a blessing. My MCE PC can finally talk to my XBOX! What's this? I'm connected, but now I get an entirely different message indicating that Fast User Switching must be enabled. Fast User Switching? Oh yeah, I remember that setting. Fast User Switching is cool if your part of the whole Fischer Price/AOL PC user demographic. I set my parents up with it and they love it. Dad keeps his email private and mom's spam and adware doesn't infect dad's profile. Again, this is cool, but does it have to be mandatory? After about 4 hours, I learn that to use XBOX 360 as an extender the host PC cannot be a member of a domain! Yes you heard me. Not only is this ridiculous, but it is not documented well. I wasted about 4 hours walking back and forth between my console and PC until I figured this out. Yep. You guessed it- STRIKE 4.
  
  Now, under most situations, I'd throw in the towel at this point, and I strongly considered it, but decided to sleep on it. I woke up the next morning and remembered, "Hey, I've got a 360!". But, I had to go to work, so I did, and when I got home I was ready to have another go, this time with an open mind.
  
  So, I put in Perfect Dark Zero and played for about 5 minutes and then, out of no where the console froze. I kind you not. What? You've got to be kidding me! I hit the reset button. Nope. No soft reset would bring the dashboard back up. This thing is crashed, big time. Hard booy. For those still keeping track, that's STRIKE 5, considerably past stiking out.
  
  If you've made it this far, you know that my 360 experience has not been all that spectacular. It is a great concept, but for $400, its just not there yet. Speculation on Microsoft rushing to market aside, I think that streaming boxes are very cool, and adding a high end gaming system to the mix is a recipe for potential success, but I just don't think that Microsoft has gotten it quite right yet.
  
  I imagine that at the very least, we will see the price drop about $50 by Christmas 2006 and another $50 by summer of 2007, placing it in close competition with the Sony PS3. By that time, I truly hope that Microsoft addresses the following issues, in order of priority:
  
  
  
  ? Ease configuration with MCE (the current situation truly is "plug and pray")
  
  ? Support USB 2.0 802.11x adapters from other vendors ($99 is just stupid).
  
  ? Address probable heating issues that are likely the cause of lockups/crashes
  
  ? Improve fan noise significantly
  
  ? Do not mandate that the MCE PC not be a member of a domain. Come on, there are power users here that aren't content with workgroups.
  
  ? Do whatever it takes to release at least one killer app. Game, program, whatever. Increase sales and bring down costs.
  
  ? Set a realistic price point on games. $60 is a bit much when I can buy a comparable if not exact title for PC for up to $20 less.
  
  
  
  I will keep a keen eye on the above factors and will probably re-visit this purchase decision in about 6 months. Until then, my next project will be either a ultra compact and quiet form-factor PC for the living room or a closer look at the 3rd party MCE extender market.
  
  
  It is quite possible that you will enjoy the XBOX 360. Some will say its the most powerful gaming console on the planet, and for a solid state device, I would agree, but I must remind you again, that my 1800 MHZ single-core Anthlon Thoroughbred core PC with 1 GB of 2700 DDR RAM and NVIDIA GFORCE TI 4200 still blows it away (and BTW I am loooong overdue for an upgrade- dual core baby!!). Regardless of how you look at it, when it comes to streaming media, make sure you realize that you are buying this product as an early adopter. If that is acceptable to you, and the games are worth playing, then buy the warranty ($60) and hold Microsoft's feet to the fire if you experience crashes and lockups. If you try it and don't like it, do what I did- return it for a refund.
  
  
  
  

• My two cents... (Edited/Added)

  
  By AV9SRGPNOD73Z on 2006-11-14
  I have had PlayStation and PlayStation 2. I really hated when Microsoft came out with the Xbox, and I wished for their failure. They never did go away, and I guess I was always curious about what I might be missing. I eventually got bored and tired of PlayStation 2, and I was looking for something new and different. I had played many of the big time releases...some were good, some were great (God of War) and others left me scratching my head at why I bothered. Not to mention, I hated Sony's delays and changes with the design and costs ever since the first mention of the PS3 in development...
  
  This led me to the eventual decision...jump off the Sony bandwagon for the Microsoft Xbox 360. I was skeptical at first, but I sold my PS2 and bought an Xbox 360 before the PS3 came out. I watched and waited before buying the 360. I played demo systems at the stores, and I really liked Call of Duty 2. I bought a 360 and Call of Duty 2. Once I got one home and hooked it up, I eventually joined Xbox Live. I was immediately impressed. Xbox Live is a huge reason why Microsoft has had success. I can connect with friends and gamers of similar interests at any time regardless of what game I am playing or movie I am watching. I can watch a DVD while I am talking via the controller and headset to friends while they play games or watch movies. You can download demo games, new game patches or content, TV shows, Movies, Music videos, gamer pictures and much more. The games that are worth looking at getting are Gears of War, Prey, Call of Duty 4, Guitar Hero III and Tomb Raider Anniversary.
  
  Also, I love the Xbox 360 controller. Sony's controller is in much need of a makeover. It has been virtually the same since it came out on the PSone. It's uncomfortable using the analog sticks so close together. I like the Xbox 360's offset sticks...far more comfortable!
  
  *NOTE* I have not had any hardware failures! My Xbox 360 runs very well. I have not lost a disc inside the machine, and the system has not melted, crashed, heated up, fried, bricked, lit up with rings of death, or anything of that nature. However, I have upgraded my 360 with a high speed fan system, custom case, LED fan, 120 GB hard drive and an HD-DVD player...so I have spent more money on my 360 system than the cost of a PS3. (NOTE ADDED...now since HD-DVD is completely dead...I am thinking of getting a PS3 for Blu-Ray discs and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, as that game looks sweet!)
  
  Microsoft was really thinking when they planned the 360. It may not win over or kill the Wii or the PS3, but it still is one hell of a machine with great online play, controllers and games! I am not that impressed with the Wii...it seems to be quite the gimmick and popularity craze. However, the PS3 impresses me. The games for 2008 look to be better for the PS3, and by the end of the year I will probably have one too!
  
  
  

• After a Year, Still a Great System

  
  By A3V6Z4RCDGRC44 on 2006-12-19
  We've had our XBox 360 for a year now, and have played it quite regularly. Here is our review of how it performs compared with our Wii and PS3.
  
  First, if you're going for an XBox 360, make sure you're getting a unit with a hard drive, and get a wireless controller. The hard drive lets you download updates for your games, add your own music to soundtracks, save as many save files as you want, and do a number of XBox Live functions. They even now offer tv shows and movies to download. Believe me - you're only getting 20 gig, and it'll fill up quickly! You want to have that hard drive.
  
  Most importantly, you can NOT play any old XBox (original) games if you don't have the hard drive. That is because the old games have to be 'converted' by software on the hard drive to be able to play in your new system. Not that not all games play on the 360 - but the most popular ones do.
  
  Comparing this to the Wii, it's a different market area. The 360 has much better graphics than the Wii does. That's on purpose - the Wii doesn't support high definition. The Wii's motion-sensing controllers are actually a *ton* of fun for sports and party games, so if you like to play a lot of golf or "party fun" types of things, you might swing towards the Wii. If you're more a hard core gamer and love games like FarCry or Prey, it's the 360 that you'll want.
  
  The harder comparison is between the XBox 360 and the PS3. Both support high definition graphics. Both have incredible RPGs on them (Fable, Final Fantasy). Both have incredible combat style games on them (Gears of War, Resistance). Both have hard drives for easy game saves, both have wireless controllers which I love. Both play previous-gen games.
  
  One way to look at this is that you should get the system that supports the franchises you love. If you are completely addicted to Final Fantasy, go with the PS3. That way you can play all the old FF games and enjoy the new ones. If you are a Halo Head, and play Halo 24 hours a day, then the XBox 360 is your sure bet.
  
  But what if you fall in the middle? I can tell you the 360 is really loud - but the PS3 gets really hot. Both seem prone to failure if poorly cared for - but both have worked perfectly fine for us so far. What else would swing your vote?
  
  With the huge head start XBox has on the Live feature, I would have to give a nod to the XBox if you are interested in online multiplay. Sure, both the 360 and the PS3 support it - but XBox has had it for years, and many people have built up quite a network. There are tons of people online at all hours of the day or night. It's been tried, tested, and is stable.
  
  On the other hand, if you're looking for an all-in-one media center, the PS3 with its 60 gig hard drive has the advantage. It makes it super easy for you to organize your photos, music, and much more right in the system. You don't have to siphon things from your PC or come up against quickly running out of space. I still question why the 360 only has 20 gigs of data - and they fill almost half of it up right away with system files. With Microsoft now offering to let you download high definition movies - at about 5 gig each - that's going to fill up your entire hard drive after only one or two movies. They really need to offer larger hard drives quickly.
  
  But until then, if you're an online player, a Halo fan, or just can't get your hands on a PS3 and are tired of playing low-def games, I highly recommend the XBox 360. There are a ton of games on this system that we love, and we actively use it. Even with the Wii and PS3 in the house, there are many games that are great on the XBox 360 and we choose to play them.
  
  Let me know if you have any specific questions on this system!
  
  

• Should Call This The XBOX180

  
  By A3V9ZQ7GGN56VJ on 2007-07-28
  First of all, the name XBOX360 is a misnomer. This product should be called the XBOX180. Because when you first buy this item, you are going to love it. Give it a year and you are going to do a complete 180 and really dislike this thing. I loved it and spent a lot of money on games and accessories, and now a year and a half later I am finally getting this wretched piece of electronic negativity out of my home for good.
  
  Right out of the box, your hardware will eventually fail. The only probability in this equation is the "when" component. I played mine about 1 hour a day. It lasted 13 months before I received a complete hardware failure. The second "refurbished" unit they sent me didn't ever work, it was broke right out of the box. The third "refurb" they sent me lasted for 2 weeks. My brothers first unit lasted 2 months, his second was a dead on arrival, he's currently on his third. I have other friends and this paragraph could go on and on, but to summarize, everyone I know that has owned a 360 has experienced it break.
  
  But the product is unstable, fine. But that's not all you get out of the 360. You get to be treated rudely by an obnoxious twenty-something brat everytime you successfully navigate through the obnoxious robot hell that is 1-800-4MY-XBOX. And you will be calling it a lot. In fact, that is the only way to cancel your play-to-play online subscription. Anyone that experienced the AOL-impossible-to-cancel-hotline will feel right at home.
  
  Here's one of my favorites. You have to pay for everything with "Microsoft Points" with are sold in $20 increments. Want to play the remaining levels in that $59.99 game you just bought? Not so fast, hotshot. You need to log into the "marketplace" and pay for those last few withheld levels. Want a new wallpaper? Nuh uh uh... gotta pay first. Change your gamertag? That will be $20 more please. The nickel and diming gets old really really fast.
  
  But all those things you are buying are "DRM'd" to your console. That means that *only* your console will be able to use downloads. It's tied to your machine. But the really cute part is that when your machine breaks, and they send you a refurb... yep, you guessed it. Nothing works anymore and you get to pay for it all again. And again. And again.
  
  This machine isn't fun, the Microsoft customer service will be smug and arrogant, and they pay-to-play model is Draconian. Microsoft is running this show like they have a monopoly. And they don't; there are much better consoles for the money out there.
  
  

• BEWARE: Great...While It Lasts....

  
  By A33FLCA6RC7IRN on 2006-11-15
  I loved the 360 from the minute I hooked it up. Sure it ran hot and the fan was loud, sometimes it would just freeze and nothing would happen, somedays I could not connect to Xbox live, but I put up with all of that because it looked awesome on my HDTV and the games were great. All that ended on the 91st day of ownership. I went to power it up and got the "3 flashing red lights of death". Nothing would happen, no images, no sound! I called Microsoft and went thru all of their steps to try and get it to work. No Luck! Talked to tech support and got the Need to Send it in speech. I said okay and they said $140 please. What! They stated the unit was 1 day out of the 90 day warranty and they wanted a credit card number before we could even start the process of getting it fixed ( which would take a month).I demanded to talk to a supervisior and got nowhere. I hung up and hit the internet. In an hour I had it up and running after a few quick tips posted on the net. It died 1 week later! I tried contacting microsoft again, but was on hold for over an hour before I hung up. However, this time when I called they had a phone option right away for this problem! So, they know about it but do not stand behind their $400 product? Nor do they offer free fixes to those of us unlucky enough to have an '06 model ('05 models with the same problem are replaced free of charge)? Ridiculous! I have since sold the unit as-is online and recouped half of the cost. I will never, ever buy another Xbox product! I have since replaced it with a slimeline PS2 which is working beautifully and looks great on my HDTV. It also has a 1 year warranty and costs 1/4 of a 360. You can also get the games used for less than $15! Why did I ever trade mine in on the 360? Don't get duped like I did. Stay far way from these lemons!
  
  
• Great!
  By on 2006-12-03
  Alright, first off, I'm just going to say that I don't actually own this system, my older cousin does, but I've spent many many hours at his house playing it. This, out of all three systems out now (360, PS3, Wii) is the best one. First, you really get what you pay for, second, why buy a PS3 when the Blu-Ray format isn't doing so great, and third, the Wii has graphics comparible to the Gamecube's. Here are the pros and cons of the Xbox 360:
  
  Pros:
  - Great graphics, not quite as good as PS3's, but very close.
  - Excellent wireless controller, really well felt.
  - Great design, very lightweight.
  - Xbox Live!!!
  
  Cons:
  - In order to connect to a wireless home network, you need to buy an extra device for $100, and old Xbox wireless adapter isn't very compatible.
  - Can't play all original Xbox games, only somes with downloads coming to play most of them.
  - 2005 model overheats.
  
  As I mentioned, the 2005 models overheat. My cousin has gone through 3 2005 systems (he is a hardcore gamer), and now he has a 2006 model and it works perfectly. Even the newer versions overheat, so here's what to do:
  
  - Do not buy the InterCooler, it is basically a waste of money to purchase something that plugs into the overheating device, and then have both of them overheat more severely.
  - Place the system horizontally, NOT VERTICALLY, so the airflow completely goes through the sides.
  - If you can avoid using the 20 GB hard drive and use memory units, it is a good thing. Unattach the HD and use a memory unit instead.
  - ONLY place your system in a well ventilated, (NOT A CLOSED CABINET), area. Avoid putting game cases and accessories around it.
  
  The games for this system are amazing, and there really is something for every age level. The system will not read the games if they are scratched up, so avoid putting the games on the floor or in a cabinet, rather, put them in the original case. DO NOT TOUCH THE BOTTOM OF THE GAME CD WITH YOUR HANDS!!! Doing so will greatly increase the risk of the game not working.
  
  Also, if you can, purchase the extended warrenty. It's not neccessary, but just in case your system blows, you'll have something to depend on.
  
  -Simon
  
  
• Clarity
  By A1DZQNYWD4NP0Y on 2006-04-06
  Just wait for the PS3, April 4, 2006
  Reviewer: C. DeMarco (California) - See all my reviews
  (REAL NAME)
  The Xbox console was a superior console to the PS2; the PS2 (in some people's opinions) had better games, but the Xbox was the better console, despite being the size of a small planet.
  
  However, Microsoft really screwed up on the 360. Instead of finishing their console they decided to release it early. It's more like a way to get number 1 (will fail too) instead of a genuine console. The PS3 seems to do everything the 360 does, but is more ambitious:
  
  1. The PS3 has a 60 GB detachable hard drive that is standard - the Xbox 360 only has 20 GB. Not exactly a huge leap over 10 GB.
  2. The PlayStation Network Platform will have all the features of Xbox Live silver, including free online multiplayer.
  3. Built-in next-gen media instead of a peripheral.
  4. The PS3 has next-gen media. Every generation there is a step up from media - PS1 used CD's while PS2 used DVD's, the PS3 will use BD's and it will turn out to be worth it. The PS3 discs (Blu-ray) can hold 50 GB's of data while the 360's DVD's can only hold 9 GB. Except bigger worlds with the PS3.
  5. 90%+ backward compatibility with PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games; Xbox 360 has an embarassing 200 game backward compatibility list with many AAA titles not included (such as Chronicles of Riddick).
  6. The PS3 has 6 USB ports + a Compact Flash slot + an SD/MMD slot + Bluetooth + 7 controllers at once. The 360 has none of these.
  7. The PS3 not only has HDMI output instead of only component video and DVI output, but it can also reach a 1080p resolution. The 360 can only do 1080i.
  
  As you see, there are no benefits by getting a 360. If this and last generation is any indication, the PS3 will get tons of third party support like the PS2 and PS1 and since it has superior hardware than the 360 (not by much, but it surely is more powerful) you can expect better multiplats. The 360's only advantage is Halo 3 and Ninja Gaiden 2, the former which will be on the PC no time soon and the latter of which is a good game, but worth a $400 console?
  
  The Xbox 360 is an abysmal system and should be avoided at all costs. Wait for the PlayStation 3, that is truly next-gen.
  
  ______________________________________________________________
  
  That is the perfect example of a Sony fanboy. Quick to judge a system, not by it's fun factor, but by it's hype factor. He probably saw the Killzone trailer, and went crazy. But he probably doesn't know that Killzone (amongst other games *coughmotorstormcough*), were CGI and Sony tried to pass off as realtime/gameplay.
  
  1. The original Xbox had 8GB standard. The 10GB was for later models, and 2GB's were used for memory allocation. Learn the facts kiddo.
  
  2. The Playstation HUB (aka PS3 online), hasn't been confirmed to be for all aspects of free gaming. SOE is still in building stages and Sony is still deciding on wether to give developers of games or SOE (Sony Online Entertainment...the people who brought you Planetside and Everquest I and II) full control. XBL is an ESTABLISHED online service.
  
  3. Next gen media that still needs to be ESTABLISHED. We all know how well BetaMax, Minidisc, and UMD media is doing LoL.
  
  4. Everyone was quick to judge the space on a disc for next generation games. And alot even made fun of games coming to the 360, after E3 2005. Games like Oblivion were getting bashed due to the content [rumoured] to not fit on 1 disc. But look at how that turned out. Your point fails miserably.
  
  5. I bet 98% of the people who buy the PS3, will never go back to playing PS1 games, and 67% will not go back to playing PS2 games. So limiting your hardware on the backwards compatability, isn't a bad thing in most cases.
  
  6. 6 USB ports...for what exactly? Everyone has a flash card right? DS/MMD slots are useful, and convinient for every gamer, and 7 controller support? What game or media content, could or has to use 7 controllers at once? Could you imagine 7 different things going on at once? On 1 single TV? Can you explain the purpose of this function pleases? Because I see no need whatsoever.
  
  7. YAY! DHMI output.Not only does everyone have an HDTV...but they have 2! That's right, the PS3...supports DUAL (2) HDMI outputs! Again, for what? Are people going to use 2 HDTV's with the PS3? I'd love to see a poll based on the people who own 2 HDTV's and plan to use them for the PS3. Useless function that could have been slimmed or cut out for a nice price drop.
  
  Bottom line. This kid believed the hype from Sony, and has tied his ends and sold his soul to Sony. I'm by no means saying you should skip the PS3 and get a 360. Hell, get the PS3. Get the Revolution. Don't let kids like this convince you to get a PS3, because the 360 doesn't have the same features. A gaming console is about gaming, not about throwing in as many features as possible that don't relate to gaming directly.
  
  Look at the library, look at what's coming, look at it's features, and pick what you like that's best for YOU. The consumer. To me, it's worth it. If there's atleast 1 great game on a console, that's enough for me to buy it. Not all of you are like that, I understand...but just make the decision based on your gaming habits. Not on consumer reviews which are obviously biased.
  
  
• MIcrosoft is full of crap
  By ALQRGWI8GBA5K on 2005-12-18
  Microsoft is simply jerking everyone around. They produce a new system, hype it immeasurably, attempt a worldwide launch, then botch it beyond belief. There's consoles sitting on shelves in Japan because they don't care, and the price is being slashed in half.
  
  There's talk that EBGames and Gamestop are keeping incoming 360s to sell online with their outrageous bundles, as opposed to filling preorders (the faithful who have had one reserved for months). They also will tell you that they have no idea when they're getting more in, or that Microsoft doesn't tell them anything, however the spokesperson for EBGames released a statement that said conversation is 2 ways between Microsoft and EBGames.
  
  Meanwhile, ebay has people ripping everyone off, with people jacking up the prices insanely so they can pocket the difference. If Microsoft truly cared about the gamer, then they wouldn't let this bulls**t go down like its going down.
  
  Don't settle for ebay. Don't give them that satisfaction. All those extortionists who bought a 360 with hopes of selling it for massive gains on ebay will get theirs, when they get stuck with them. Then they won't be able to get back what they paid for them.
  
  360s will be back in stores, and you should wait till around PS3 time, when Microsoft will have to slash prices to face the behemoth that is Sony. Don't give Microsoft the satisfaction of controlling the customer, like it does with its Windows software.
  
  
• Don't wait for the PS3 -- be patient, XBOX 360 pwns. Or get both. Here's why.
  By A2UU42Q09CWT24 on 2005-12-25
  Remember when the PS2 came out, and Sony hyped all the good things about it: the Emotion Engine, how its graphics were going to be SOOO great, etc.? Yet the original Xbox, everyone now agrees, is better than the PS2 in many ways. They are really not that different from each other -- most games get co-developed for both, so with the exception of a few things like Halo or Final Fantasy, it's the same game on either system. Just looks slightly different. I had both Xbox and PS2 until I sold my Xbox to buy a 360 -- and I played my Xbox 99% of the time because of Xbox Live.
  
  Now I got my 360 a couple of days ago. Like most new products in their first few weeks of release, it has its flaws. You can read any of the other reviews here and see what I mean: Call Of Duty 2 lags out a lot in online play, Madden 06 has better graphics but worse gameplay on 360, etc.
  
  But lets be fair: some game companies like Bethesda (Elder Scrolls) are waiting to release their game until it's perfect. And judging by the look of it, Elder Scrolls is going to be incredibly awesome. By the time the PS3 rolls out, the games coming out for 360 will have the kinks worked out of them. Then the PS3 will be expensive and hard-to-get, with buggy games, and everyone will praise Xbox 360. Because get over it: the graphics are going to be about the same. Sony is just a master of hype, as we saw with the PS2. And it works.
  
  Look now: people are already saying how much better the PS3 will be when they've never even seen one. Yet they have in their hands the best video game console ever made so far, the Xbox 360. This thing is a beast.
  
  And I give it 5 stars because I don't think that any of the complaints I have are really about the Xbox 360 itself. The thing itself is a remarkable, badass piece of engineering. The one that I have does not overheat -- I lay it flat so the fans on bottom are facing outwards and put some 1"x1"x10" foam strips that came inside its box underneath it to prop it up. I learned that kind of trick from my Apple PowerBook G4, which also gets very hot.
  
  The wireless controller and headset is awesome. I love how you can turn the thing on and off from the controller. I wish it came with the S-Video cable, but at least you can get one. I don't think this is Microsoft trying to make you buy extra stuff; I think it was Microsoft trying to keep the cost of the unit down by not building every imaginable port onto it. It has one USB port, which is good enough for me: I'm sure they'll come out with the ability to hook up memory card readers to that, external hard drives, anything you can imagine. I'm sure it will run Linux like a dream!
  
  I love how you can pull up your friends-list during a game without interupting the game, and how there is a button on the controller to do this. I love how it alerts you when friends log-in, and lets you message people during games. Quite frankly I can't imagine Sony having nearly as nice of an online implementation for their system -- meanwhile, I was able to seamlessly come over from regular Xbox Live without any hassles at all. It just worked. And I'm sure that lag issues for particular games will get fixed with the downloadable updates within a few weeks. I don't see that as a problem with the 360 itself.
  
  Sony may have Final Fantasy, but guys, so many awesome games for the PC are going to come to 360 it won't even be funny. I hear from developers that the Dev Kit for the 360 is way better than Sony's for the PS3. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the big PC-based MMORPGs like Worlds of Warcraft or Lineage make it over to 360. We already kind of saw this effect with the Xbox, but with the 360, you can see in Call Of Duty 2 how well PC games translate over compared to even games from the original Xbox, like Madden 06, which basically sucks. CoD2 runs better on Xbox than my PC. How cool would Star Wars Galaxies for Xbox 360 be?
  
  I'm not going to hold it against the 360 that its first games had some problems -- the same was true of the Sega Gensis, with the exception of Ghouls and Ghosts. I don't even remember what the other game was that it came with -- blocked it out of my memory.
  
  I'm also not going to hold it against the 360 that they had trouble making enough of them, because frankly, the thing is made in China, and for all we know, Sony sabotaged some of the original units or some other Japanese supplier gave bad parts. Yeah, they're not flying off the shelves in Japan, but everyone hates America these days, and Microsoft is not the most popular of American companies. Still it's an important statement Microsoft is making: the gloves are off, Sony.
  
  Personally, I'm glad there's at least one or two American companies that are actually competing against the Japanese in electronics. Funny that it's Apple (iPod vs. Walkman) and Microsoft (Xbox vs. PS). No coincidence that Microsoft emulated Apple's style big-time with the 360: the spinning wait indicator on-screen looks straight out of Mac OS X. The white plastic is totally Apple-esque. The "charge a lot for accessories" strategy is also very Apple-ish. And hell, Bungie used to be a Mac-only game company, once upon a time.
  
  So I say give Microsoft credit for trying, and support America and American-designed products. Don't buy into Sony's hype, that's all it is -- hype.
  
  And yeah, if you didn't get your Xbox by Christmas, they seem like they'll be around by January so no big deal. If you paid a ton on eBay for a VIDEO GAME, then no wonder you don't like it -- it's just a video game. It's barely worth even the $400 they are charging in stores, since for not much more than that, you can custom-build a gaming PC with a similar MHz, memory, and graphics card... lets be realistic, people.
  
  -JJJ
  
  
• Terrible problems with x-box 360 system
  By A2LAHE5P123XP8 on 2006-09-15
  We purchased this system in July for my son's birthday. It stopped working within several days. We have returned it to the manufacturer several times and each time another defective system has been sent to us. I would not recommend anyone purchasing this product. We have been very disappointed. I would have rated this item with zero stars but the program would not allow it.
  
  
• $1200 ????
  By A122JKPUBAL3LS on 2005-12-19
  $800 mark-up over the $400 price?
  
  SCREW YOU VGO, and Amazon for putting this crap up.
  
  And here, I thougth Amazon was a "respectable" online retailer. I guess not.
  
  
• BEWARE! Buy the warranty.....or you'll be so sorry...
  By A1XWZAVB5LMMYY on 2006-09-20
  We have had our 360 for a few months now and were relatively pleased with it. Although there really arent that many great games out for it right now. Really should have waited for more. Our system is dead now, it locked up with the notorious "Ring of Death" after freezing a few times. Of course, Microsoft will gladly repair it for 129 dollars but even thats not guaranteed. Check out the XBOX forum, this is a common problem that they will not address. If you buy this machine you are in for a lot of hassles. Plan on buying the warranty and on having to contact microsoft repeatedly to get your system fixed, not to mention the down time while waiting for them to "refurbish" it. This is the first console that I have EVER had break in less than 6 months so I definitely wont replace...Just wait for the Wii !!
  
  
• Don't Believe the Overly-Negative Reviews!
  By A2PDZI12NUCK5G on 2006-11-27
  The negative reviews for this console are grossly overexaggerated.
  I consider myself a hardcore gamer, so I've put my Xbox 360 through some tough trials since I bought it in February. Result? Absoloutely no problems. So why all the negative reviews? My suspicion is that Microsoft may have had a higher-than-average failure rate early on, but has since addressed these problems. Futhermore, Microsoft offered "free repairs for all consoles manufactured in 2005" (see Microsoft for details). Worried about your xbox scratching discs? Don't tilt or move ANY console while it's got a disc in it. Worried about your xbox overheating? Keep in mind, any computer needs air to keep cool, so don't shut it in a cabinet without any air circulation. Worried about overall gaming experience? Don't! High-def graphics and seamless online play has kept me grinning for almost a year!
  
  
• WARNING: THREE RED LIGHTS AWAIT YOU.
  By A34O48WH26R1AK on 2007-07-11
  It's a ticking bomb ready to blow. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING THIS.
  
  DO NOT BUY THIS SYSTEM. Honestly, when I was first reading about this product I was constantly being warned that three red lights was something that could happen to you. I didn't bother with those warning, since this product was a Microsoft brand.
  
  Well, after three weeks of owning an Xbox360 machine I have had three blinking red lights...the so called `three lights of doom'. I went to the store where I got the system and got a new one and six weeks after that...you're not going to believe this another red ring of lights. This system has caused me to wonder about Microsoft. We the consumer aught to know what the true scope is about this product malfunctioning at such high numbers, according to some number it can be as high as 33% failure rate. Would you buy a car with that high failure rate? NO! Would you fly Delta Air Lines had they had a 33% crash rate? NO! That's a 1 in 3 that you will end up with a bad system.
  
  Worse of all, during both consoles that I owned in a period of two months I would get something like disk errors which was annoying since it would mean I would have to start a game from the start (when it had not been saved).
  
  I have no vendetta against Microsoft; I was actually a big fan of Microsoft. I will never forgive Microsoft. I loved my xbox original, never had any problems with it. As I said I will never, never forgive Microsoft. I will try to boycott Microsoft as much as I can. Be smart and skip this product.
  
  PS. My cousin purchased the black edition when it was realeased and he too got three red lights.
  
  
  
• Why do you do this?
  By AGQ5J5MBK6Z16 on 2005-12-16
  Is profit and the almighty dollar such the king, that you..."TOYS R US!" (out of all people) are requiring people to pay $999.00 for a bundle. Not to sound like a small child, but "I don't want to." Honestly, I'm waiting until this "tickle me elmo" -esque rush is over. It's not fair to the parents who want to get this for their kids.. bottom line. I know there are 35 yr olds, living in their mom's basement and people who just like to game. Those I just described have waited outside of bestbuy, toysrus, etc.. and have their system.
  Now, stop the crap of "bundle" and let parents buy these for their kids!!! I was in Target this week, when a premium system made it's way out of the back. There were the "ebay" pirates standing around, just clawing. I walked up to the stock person and asked him to let me have it because of what was about to happen with that Xbox. He handed it to me, and as I watched a father with his son give a look of "Oh man!" I walked up behind them and said, "Sir, were you wanting this for your son?" He replied, "Yes.. that's all he talks about." I said, how old is, he replied 15. I then handed him the machine and said, I'm glad your son wants it...here. Merry Christmas.
  
  (Christmas/Holidays etc.. are for kids.. stop trying to fleece the consumer even further.)
  
  
• Xbox 360 Is The Best Console Out There For The Money
  By A1VCJKQUUDV6SL on 2006-11-22
  I just bought a Xbox 360 Pro System a couple of weeks ago from my local Gamespot Store along with Call of Duty 3. I later on got Gears of War from Circuit City.
  
  The Xbox 360 Pro System is by far the best console system out there no matter what anybody says for the money. Yes the Sony PlayStation 3 has the Blu-Ray disc media format and the Nintendo Wii system has the new remote controller for 3-D movement. But both the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii console systems just came out and both systems already have major bugs in them. There are already alot of people out there who regret buying one of those systems.
  
  If your smart, you'll wait a year until all the bugs are fix in both those console systems and then think about purchasing one of those systems. That is what I did with the Xbox 360. Yes there were major problems with the Xbox 360 when it first came out just like there are major problems now with the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii console systems. I waited a year until Microsoft fixed all the bugs in the Xbox 360 and then I went out and purchased it.
  
  Right now the Xbox 360 has the best selection of games out there. The Xbox Live Marketplace is the best online service out there. Go read the reviews for the few games that are out for the PlayStation 3 and you will see what I mean about which system has better games to play. There are already a huge selection of games to play on the Xbox 360 with a whole bunch of new games for the Xbox 360 coming out next year. Unfortunately, there are not too many new games coming out for the PlayStation 3 or the Nintendo Wii next year.
  
  Also, the Nintendo Wii has very poor graphics and you can't play DVD movies on it and the PlayStation 3 has very few games to choose from to play and it also has poor online service. The Xbox 360 is already one year ahead of the other two systems on being out in the retail market and that, my friend, will make a huge difference on which system to choose from to go out to buy and play.
  
  
• Quality Problems & Extremely Short Standard Warranty
  By A2AG89ROIMHEDU on 2006-11-24
  My son worked very hard to save up $[...] to buy an XBOX360 and was able to purchase the premium console this past February. He took very good care of the unit, but it broke down within 8 months. My brother also purchased a premium XBOX360, in February, and his unit failed within 30 days. These events coupled with the extremely short 90-day warranty Microsoft provides with the purchase of the Xbox makes my family wonder about the lack of reliability of this product. With very few moving mechanical parts, these units should last trouble-free for years. But the lack of Microft's warranty should be a clear signal--"Buyer Beware!"
  
  Microsoft produces and sells a lot of decent software, but from here on out we're going to AVOID PURCHASING any Microsoft--branded hardware items. Bottom line, my son should have waited and bought the new Sony Playstation 3. It comes with a High Def "BlueRay" DVD drive and a one year warranty, which is four time longer than what Microsoft provides.
  
  
• Beware of the 90 Day Warranty
  By A82Y6SKEQB82I on 2006-12-06
  I bought my x-box in March of 2006, and I really like most of the new features. The controllers are wireless, the graphics are better, and the extra remote you can buy is way better than the original.
  
  I work a lot and don't have much time to play my system, but after only 6 months the x-box quit working. The front display lights will flash three red lights which means there is an internal hardware problem. The problem can not be fixed by anyone locally, so you have to send the product in to be repaired. The repair cost is about $140 and you also have to pay to have the unit shipped (Another $20). If you want any sympathy from the creator, and you call the hotline, then you get someone on the other line who is definatley outsource to somewhere most likely in India.
  
  They will try to sell you a warranty for two years, but after it breaks you have to pay for the repair, shipping, and then buy the warranty (Total is about $225).
  
  I spoke with UPS, who does all the shipping for the x-box systems, and they told me that they have had an abundance of people calling in to send their x-box's in for repair.
  
  In short, if you have to have the new x-box, then just know that you could be paying for it long after you buy it and the cost does not out weigh the reward.
  
  
• It's great as long as you don't use it.
  By A12M31QFD6XOKW on 2006-09-15
  2nd 360 and both have died. Games are getting a lot better now. Would definitely buy the Wii or PS3. 360 will cost more in the long run. Even with a 2 year warranty will last only two years. The others should last for 5-6 years just like my other consoles.
  
  
• Great Machine but just keeps crashing
  By AHDJMZKGWN2PR on 2006-11-21
  Microsoft has created an extraordinary machine. Crisp graphics and so far the library of games available are impressive. The only problem I have is that Microsoft produced a defective product. For the first few months it played fine with only aa couple of moments where the games would freeze. No biggie. Then it died. No problem, sent it in for repairs under warranty. Free of charge. Cool. Got it back and it played well with me actually beating Ghost Recon with no problems. I stopped playing for a while but when I tried playing again BAM! Ring of Death. Warranty over. $130-140 dollars to fix. Yay. I think I'm going to throw it against the wall and buy a new one. Hopefully Microsoft has found all the solutions to the defects.
  
  
• Xbox 360 - An Unbiased Review
  By A1EUYV1OL52EWJ on 2007-03-12
  This review is being written by a 27yr old who hasn't owned a console since the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo (Super NES). Genesis was -by far- my favorite system, with a soft spot for the Turbo-Grafix 16. I loved how the Genesis was simple, fast, and simply breathtaking the day I opened it up and felt tingly all over. I soon after bought the Super Nintendo but never quite captured the same feeling I had for the years I owned the Sega Genesis. This is until I purchased the Xbox 360.
  
  First, a little history on why I bought an XBOX 360, and why we chose it over the Playstation 3.
  
  My g/f and I recently bought a 42" Samsung Plasma HDTV at Sam's Club. It has a fantastic picture and really looks great when coupled with HD cable service. The only pity was that the HDMI cable was about $16. :-(
  
  Part of the arrangement that we made together was to get either an XBOX 360 or a Playstation 3 for when we have family over. Since I had not played a video game console (PC games only) in such a long time, we started to research which one to get. The Playstation 3 had my eye simply because it looked to be the newest and sleekest thing on the market. Playstation, Sony--what's not to like, right? Well, we took a look at what games it had and the initial cost of the machine and were floored. $650 for the console at Sam's Club. Needless to say, we weighed our options carefully. One thing my g/f and I are good at doing is researching our big-ticket purchases. We ask a LOT of questions, check reviews, and read a lot of Consumer Reports. Our friends and families are also a good source of information.
  
  We did some research on the Xbox 360 as well as the PS3 and it each everything we were looking for, and the games looked really great on both systems. However, we decided to go to a game store and check both out consoles before we made a final buying decision. We decided to check out the Gamestop at the Long Beach Town Center.
  
  The walls were filled with games for Playstation 2, Xbox, and Xbox 360, followed by a huge bargain bin of used games for as low as $3.99. I was really excited by this because I could get a bundle of older games to play, providing the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 would play them. I decided to confer with one of the geeks behind the counter about what console is best, and why. We spoke w/ a super-courteous young lady who really seemed to know both consoles in-and-out. We never mentioned that we had done our homework, but wanted to see which system she would recommend. After a short exchange about what we would like to play (Gears of War came up once or twice) and what sort of system we have at home, she recommended the Xbox 360 because of the sheer amount of games it had and the price point. After all, $600 for the PS3 did give us a bit of sticker shock, as did $400 for the Xbox 360, but my g/f had said it best, "I'd rather spend $600 if we at least got some games with it." Good point. We left, and after a short shopping trip at the LB Town Center, we headed home. Later, on a trip to Wal*Mart for some last things, I noticed they had a PS3 and an Xbox 360 on display. Feeling like a HUGE kid, I decided to try them both out.
  
  I was immediately impressed with the PS3's appearance. It looked like a Porsche compared to the Xbox 360, which at first looked more like a kitchen appliance to me. Wow. Sleek, beautiful lines--I was almost completely sold based on how it looked. I walked over to try it and noticed there was no controller, but it was simply a demo box. ::sigh:: I went over to the Xbox and noticed there was a small line gathered behind it. An older teenager was playing it and I asked him, "Which one should I get?" "The Xbox, definitely. The PS3 is too expensive and doesn't have Xbox live." I knew of Xbox live, but didn't know it was such a hot commodity. I admit, I thought the graphics on the Xbox 360 were pretty stellar--in fact, they almost seemed a little more "crisp" to me than the PS3. Each were on Samsung LCD displays, but I noticed that the colors seemed a little more vibrant on the Xbox 360 than on the PS3. This is the first difference I noticed between the two....
  
  After a few days, we decided it was time to buy our system. We knew the PS3 was hard to come by, but we were very patient and figured we would just put in a pre-order for one if it was hard to come by. After some careful thought, we ended up getting the Xbox 360, and in the past 3 weeks of ownership, we have not been disappointed.
  
  We purchased the Xbox 360 Premium Bundle at Sam's Club for $450. Sam's Club maintained that if we had any problems with the unit, just return it and they will exchange it for up to two years for me (thx to my plus membership), so that gave me peace-of-mind and not have to worry about how long it will last. It came with two wireless controllers, one rechargable battery pack, Xbox Live Headset, 20GB Hard Drive, etc. In other words, this is what one would call the "Works Package." I also managed to pick up Project Gotham Racing 3, Call of Duty 3, and Gears of War upon the advice of a helpful associate at Sam's Club. Walking to the car with all this garb, I noticed it was particularly heavy...at least 10lbs or more. I started to think, "What's in this thing, and why is it so heavy?"
  
  Upon arriving home with this heavy thing, I started to feel a sense of "Coolness" associated with owning the Xbox 360. I was telling my g/f that we now had the "must have" accessory for our living room. When I finally got around to opening the box, I was surprised at how different it looked from the glass case I saw a few days earlier at Wal*Mart. The console is a tall, bone-shaped rectangle that seems to have an "inhale" sort of style to it. It was not heavy at all and seemed to have a pleasing look to it--certainly a difference from how I felt looking at it through the fingerprint-covered glass at Wal*Mart.
  
  I began to pull out the accessories and cables and piece them out on the livingroom carpet. First thing you will notice is the AC Adapter is *HUGE*. I don't mean just big, but it's the size of a red brick and seems ominous the first time you pull it out of the box. The controllers were neatly packaged, but seperately since it was a bundle. I was pleased to see that it came with a sort of "hybrid" cable for HD and non-HD televisions. It was beyond-simple to hook up to our television and even had a digital-out for audio systems that support it. I was impressed and there were a few "Hey hun, come look at this..." in my amazement at how easy it was to hook up. I decided to place it on its side since it would fit in our TV cabinet and would be within viewing range of the wireless controllers. Upon the advice of a few ppl I spoke with at Sam's Club about the Xbox 360, I was told it should have plenty of clearance around it if I were to put it in a cabinet. No problem. I managed to string a temporary Ethernet cable from our DSL router to the Xbox to see how everything worked, and was not disappointed at all.
  
  Firing up the Xbox the first time was very impressive, both graphically and how it all seemed to just fit together. The controllers are able to power on the Xbox, and later I found out, able to turn it off. A for some simplicity in my book. A small update downloaded, installed, and rebooted within a minute or two. Initial setup was a breeze and I even got it configured for 1080i on our widescreen plasma. So far, no problems, but let's try a game.
  
  After a few minutes of figuring out the controls, I had already died 4-5 times at Gears of War, but was just astonished at how the graphics looked. At times, we found ourselves with our mouths open at the sheer detail and "intensity" of the game. Simply "Wow" was the only thing that came to mind with how intense the game was, and at the ferocity of the missions you are put on. It really seemed more like a movie to us at times than a video game.
  
  The controllers have a nice, solid feel to them. The controls are pressure-sensitive, especially when playing Project Gotham Racing. Want to go full throttle? Mash the trigger back with your finger. Slow down? Simply let off the trigger a little bit. I really liked this a lot because it's not "all or nothing" but sensitive to the player's feedback. The motion sticks are the same way and very easy to get used to. I've found that setting their sensitivity in Gears of War to "Low" has made aiming a LOT easier. The rechargeable battery pack has not been recharged in nearly a week and seems to still have 1/2 a charge left in it. There is a battery indicator in the Dashboard (the OS of the 360) which is nice so you may know how much of a charge you have.
  
  Upon changing the discs, I began to notice a slight blowing noise coming from the cabinet, and found out it was the fan. The fan sucks in air from the bottom (or right side if it's laying down) and blows hot air out the back. It's nothing to worry about and certainly not noticeable when you're playing games. I'm sure that they couldn't have something this powerful (?) without keeping it cool, and I'm glad that it's at the very least, working.
  
  In the past 3 weeks, we managed to pick up some of the "bargain bin" original Xbox games at Gamespot for $3.99 and above.. Unfortunately, we had come to find out that not all of the original Xbox games worked and some had to be returned. Microsoft posts on their website a list of games that will currently run on the 360, so it was the first place we should have looked. I was happy to see that Doom 3 runs well on the 360 and in fact is resized for our widescreen. This was something I came across while reading up on the 360--the ability to resize original Xbox games for high definition. Granted they're not "high def" in detail, but it makes good use of the screen real estate. This is something we found that the PS3 does not do for older PS2 games. We didn't get the 360 to play original Xbox games, but it was nice to find some older games to play for $4. :-)
  
  Here is a list of some of the Xbox 360 games we have managed to purchase in the past 3 weeks...
  
  Oblivion (Great game... 4hrs on your bum will fly by. Graphics are top-notch)
  Gears of War (Very intense...)
  Call of Duty 3 (Really fun with the Xbox Live)
  Blazing Angels - Squadrans of WWII (Great flying game...cheezy commentary during gameplay but very fun)
  Madden '07 (My g/f loves football games so she plays this 99% of the time...she loves it)
  Project Gotham Racing 3 - (Love this game too...)
  
  The games run very fast and you almost hesitate to blink while playing. I must confess that Gears of War just simply is amazing and I've never seen anything like it before. The sheer intensity of the game will just captivate you.
  
  Do I regret not getting the PS3? No, not at all. In fact, I must say that I'm glad we didn't because with the Xbox 360, we are able to upgrade as our needs change. We can get an HD DVD drive for the 360 for $180 through Sam's and use it with our Plasma for a lot cheaper than buying a stand-alone player. Having read a lot about HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, I have to say that I was always a little more partial to HD-DVD. Our console decision was separate of this, but I was happy to find out later about the add-on HD-DVD player.
  
  
  
• Buyer Beware
  By A3P0VLLLZOT63Q on 2007-06-09
  Let me start by saying that I loved my xbox360 and would have recommended it to anyone who asked until this week when I got the 3 red lights of death. I have owned every video game system since the Atari 2600 and I have never ever had a problem with any of them. But with my Xbox 360 as of late I have had nothing but problems.
  
  I turned on my xbox the other day for a Guitar Hero II session, and I was player for about 15 min when the system just turned off. When I turned it back on I had not video or audio and 3 red rings on the front of my xbox, so I called customer support and they told me it was a Hardware failure and they would need me to send it in. They were going to send me a box and the whole process should take about 1-2 weeks.
  
  Well one week went by and I still had not received my box in the mail yet. So I called them up again, and they told me the box was never shipped and it would be sent out today. Strike one.
  
  So then I asked them if I could just mail them the Xbox on my own because I ship UPS everyday at work and it would be alittle faster, and the answer was no. I asked her why and she said because they do not do that. And again I asked her why and she repeated herself, so I asked to speak to a manager.
  
  The Manager got on the phone and had an attitude before I even said a word to him. I explained my situation to him and he basically told me there is nothing I can do I have to just wait for the box. I then asked if there was anything they could do to compensate me for the delay, and he told me "No, we do not compensate our customers for anything" . I then said that what happened to the Customer is Always Right position in the business world. And he just repeated himself again. I told him to have a good night and hung up the phone. Strike Two
  
  Now I was mad, and I did some research on the internet about this issue. Turns out that this happens to 40% of Xbox 360s sold. This is a known issue and they have no intention on fixing it. People on the Xbox Forums are now on their 3rd refurbished XBox and nothing is being done. There are horror stories all over the web of how bad MS Customer Service is on the Xbox.
  
  I can not stand by a company that treats its customers like this. I own all 3 next gen systems and I can now say that if there is a game that is multi platform I will be buying it for my PS3. I will miss Xbox Live. But there is no excuse for the way MS is handling this..If I treaded my customers like that I would be out of business in a week.
  
  All I have to say is Buyer Beware.
  
  
• Great system extras get expensive
  By A36918M1NH3U7O on 2006-04-04
  Ok lets start this out right I own a PS and 2 PS2's. This is my first Xbox. I will not bash the PS3 it WILL be a great system but I can't take away from the X-box 360. First each system is for different types of gamers. Let's look at who should buy one and Microsoft's strengths. Price the Xbox 360 will be cheaper than the PS3. Support say what you want Microsoft is here to stay this system has staying power, of course the PS3 also has staying power. Online Microsoft has an awesome interface that the PS3 will try to emulate but Microsoft is better at it. Adult games, X-box 360 has more and more adult (13+) ones heck even know they have 4-5 excellent first person shooters. Even when they come out for 2 systems PS2 and Xbox the Xbox was the more adult less arcade version look at Rainbow six for example. X-box has more PC games converted to it, Half Life ect. PS3 will have more horsepower and more of the latest technology such as blu ray, larger hard drive and better HD. PS3 has more variety of games it has games for kids to adults. It has better backwards capabilities (if it does as promised but they have a good track record with this). Staying power see above. I will know describe the 360. The fan is loud (to me so what as long as it stays cool). First the positive: Its a GREAT system graphics look awesome! Its next gen but not the leap from PS TO PS2 was. The PS3 wont look any better at launch because most major companies are using the same code as they used for the X-box360 with a few tweaks. We won't see the better graphics for Sony PS3 over the 360 for 2-3 years if it comes. Launch games don't show off the system so when Sony is into launch games Microsoft will be rolling out new games taking advantage of the extra power. After a few years the horsepower in the PS3 should start to surpass the X-box but so what you get 2-3 years of Microsoft games looking as good or better and 2-3 years of Sony looking as good or better, then next gen systems come out again. Consoles have a 5-6 year lifespan. I am surprised there are a ton of great games for the 360. I just got one and bought ghost recon and oblivion both games are AWESOME. I have 4 more games on my buy list impressive for a system on a few months old. If you buy one you will be happy I promise even if you are a PS lover. My only beef is all you need to buy. First do not buy the core system buy the premium the hard drive and wireless controllers are a MUST! After buying the premium I still needed another wireless controller $50.00 the wireless adapter $99.00 with 2 games total price $670.00. That stinks luckily no memory card is needed because of the hard drive. PS3 will cost more but you will get wireless network built in but you will still need the second controller for $50.00 bucks (guessing on price wont be less than that though) and the system will cost between $400 minimum to $600.00 maximum. I think it will be $500.00 but we will see. Bottom line X-box 360 is a great system and worth buying you don't have to wait a year for the PS3 when they launch in November good luck finding one. I hate to say this because I am not a huge Microsoft fan but in this case they are the underdog and they deserve your respect if not your support because of them we have the most important thing in the world Competition. This keeps the PS3 from launching at the $800.00, $900.00 it costs to make, it keeps Sony working to keep you and it makes them both come out with better systems. Lets face it Nintendo is done its battle of the titans Microsoft vs Sony both great competitors each with strengths and weaknesses, If you can buy both the 360 and PS3 everyone wins even you!
  
  
• Come on people!
  By A3UBCX8K6LP1OM on 2005-12-03
  This is idiotic selling a system for so high a price. So it is sold out in stores just wait it out you'll get one and probably cheaper than store price now. These second hand sellers are crooks selling them so high. Think about priorities before paying these sellers such an idiotic price.
  
  
• A LOVING MOM
  By A19IGGK7I9B4AF on 2005-12-17
  I'm not one for writing reviews, however, this situation with the XBOX 360 is getting out of hand. I'm a mother of two (15 and 22). I wanted to surprise my two sons with XBOX 360s for Christmas. Mainly as rewards for doing well in school. My older son lives at home and is attending college. He has been working since the age of 15 and has maintained his grades throughout school and into college. His younger brother seems on the same path. With this in mind, I thought it would be very rewarding for them each to receive an XBOX 360. I pre-ordered them at GAMESTOP the first week of August. They were fully paid for within a month. I have yet to receive either. I've bought all of the accessories and several games for what I thought was going to be a memorable Christmas for them. Instead, they will only receive the accessories and games. This is very hearbreaking for me as a mother, even though I know that my sons will understand. The problem is, I don't understand how a mega company like Microsoft waited until the Christmas season (knowing that the sales would be high and the demand would be great) to release this system thus getting consumers hopes up high. I realize that the vast majority of individuals may have wanted it for the purpose of playing it as soon as possible, however, there are others who truly wanted it for Christmas gift giving.
  
  It seems that the old saying is still in full force "It's all about the almighty dollar." This is evident when you look at these expensive bundles. Sure, they claim to save you money, but how can that be when you have games included that would not interest you in the least. Instead of these outrageous bundles, let the consumer be a consumer and choose what they know they like and will definitely enjoy. Stop trying to shove these unpopular titles into packages with the popular ones. This is nothing more than a scam. Believe it or not, you would probably make more if you'd let consumers pick what they they. If they truly want a title, they will definitely purchase it. Not everyone wanting a system is interested in the same type of game. You are only hurting your sales by giving them away to the bidders on EBAY. STOP TRYING TO CONTROL OUR POCKETS!!!!!!
  
  Because of this mess that exist with the XBOX 360s, I'm putting the accessories, games, and an "IOU" under the tree for my sons. I feel bad because considering the world today and the amount of negative temptation children face day in and day out, it is truly a blessing to have children who cause you no problems, heartaches, or pain. When you are blessed with children of this nature, you try to do all that you can for them.
  
  So, to all of you SCAM ARTISTS, TOY COMPANIES, MANUFACTURERS, STORE OWNERS, MICROSOFT, SCAVENGERS, GRINCHES, and SCROOGES - Merry Christmas :-{ !!!!!!! I hope that when you are visited by the ghosts of Christmas Present, Past and Future, you remember your fellow man (or should I say, the child). Thanks for listening to a loving, frustrated, and disappointed mother during this holiday season.
  
  
• Great potential, Terrible quality
  By A3GYAK0RSWT09S on 2006-08-28
  Being a video game nut, I've always purchased new game consoles when they first came out. However, I was never really fond of Microsoft's Xbox. It was no different with the release of the 360. However, I recently broke down and bought one to quench my gaming thirst.
  
  The first thing I noticed while unpacking the system was how heavy the system was. Compared to other game consoles, this thing seemed to weigh a ton. At the same time, it appeared to be well built with solid construction. Next thing that caught my eye was the power brick. It was HUGE -- even bigger than the N64 power brick, if you can imagine that. After hooking up the system and powering it on, I was brought to the Xbox 360s' interface. "Nice user interface", I thought to myself. The colors were vivid and the picture was sharp. However, I should mention that I was hooked up to a 57" HDTV set using component cables. The menus were intuitive and very easy to navigate. Also, the wireless controller was very responsive and ergonomic.
  
  The next thing I did was sign-up with Xbox Live Silver (free), Microsoft's online service that enables you to download content, demos, videos, and arcade games. One nice bonus was the one month free trial access to Xbox Live Gold ($50/year). The Gold membership allows you to play multiplayer games against other gamers around the world. So I purchased a couple of arcade games online from Xbox Live Marketplace with Microsoft points (sold separately, about $20 for 1600 points). My arcade games cost me 800 points each, or about $10 each. These are old arcade games, mind you.
  
  After playing online against other gamers for a few hours, I realized that Xbox Live Gold is definitely the greatest feature of the Xbox 360. It has tremendous potential if Microsoft makes some minor improvements based on gamers' feedback. And although I did not purchase any new games (the ones that go for $60), I did try out the demo versions of these games. My initial impressions are that the graphics are better than the PS2, but not by that much.
  
  OK, now for the negatives. Like other gamers have pointed out, the system gets very HOT. I had my system out in the open so that it could breathe and it still got very HOT. While responsive for most games, the controllers' directional pad was not made for fighting games. So if you play a lot of fighting games, plan on getting a 3rd party contoller or arcade stick. The next negative is that this system is very EXPENSIVE. The cost of ownership is well above the $400 entry point. You'll need to add $50 for Xbox Live Gold, $50 for a second wireless controller, $100 for the wireless network adapter, and about $60 per game. To put the price in perspective, the Playstation 3 will cost $600 but it will include wireless networking and have the ability to play Blu-Ray movies.
  
  
  To my dismay, the price isn't even the worst part about the system. The biggest let down is the quality of the system. Less than 3 weeks of my purchase, the 360 gave me the now infamous "3 rings of death" and would no longer boot up. I thought these issues were addressed after the first couple of bad batches by Microsoft. Also, given the expensive price of ownership, this is absolutely inexcusable. I have and still own many game systems -- Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Playstation 1 & 2, Nintendo 64, Gamecube, and 2 PSPs -- and every system still works flawlessly.
  
  In summary, the Xbox 360 is a good system with great potential that is plagued only by major quality issues. If Microsoft can work out the quality issues and reduce the price by $100 (which might happen by the time the Playstation 3 rolls out), there is little doubt in my mind that the Xbox 360 will be the next generation console leader.
  
  
• Better than a pet rock.
  By A26A4BQLQP2Z99 on 2006-12-30
  Being as objective about the 360 as I possibly can be....
  
  The Good:
  
  *Next gen graphics.
  *Mature platform - 150+ games available.
  *Still selling well - more than Wii or PS3 so far this holiday season (believe it or not).
  *Easier to develop games for than the PS3, according to game developers.
  *Plenty of good games coming out for the 360 in 2007, many of them exclusives (Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Halo).
  *HD support up to 1080p.
  *Wireless controller w/ rumble.
  *Headset included.
  
  The Bad:
  
  *Graphics probably aren't as good as the PS3, but some dispute this (I don't).
  *Many 360 games are notably less smooth at high HD resolutions.
  *Out of the 150+ games available for the 360, very few of them are excellent titles so far - only Gears of War really stands out as a 5 star game.
  *xBox Live charges a monthly fee for a decent service plan.
  *Backwards compatibility with the original xBox is terrible, most games aren't supported.
  
  The Ugly:
  
  *Runs hot, runs LOUD, and hangs up often enough to be irritated by it.
  *HDMI is not supported and never will be, must use a VGA or component video cable for 1080p. (NOTE: component video 1080p is not supported by most HDTV's - check your TV manual to be safe.)
  *Addons are very expensive: $200 for the HD-DVD, $100 for wireless networking. Add those together and you've paid more for your 360 than you would have for a PS3 with similar features straight out of the box.
  *Figure another $100+ (I'm being generous here) for any accessories that might be needed like an additional controller, battery charger, cables, etc.
  *Games don't use the HD-DVD addon at all.
  
  Conclusion/Justification for Rating:
  
  Have owned my 360 for over a year, and been less than impressed with the quality of games released so far. The 360 is extremely powerful, but for the last year, I've probably logged more hours on my ancient PS2. Might be because there have been some really good games released for the Sony this year, but it might also have someting to do with the overwhelming number of average or below average games on the 360.
  
  That should change, however. Gears of War was just a taste of what's coming for the 360. 2007 should be a good year for the system; owners or prospective buyers will have nothing to fear from Sony or Nintendo until at least next Christmas. For the same reasons that I'm still playing my outdated PS2, upcoming games for the 360 should keep the system rolling - no matter how well the PS3 or Wii do.
  
  Despite the games, I've spent over $1000 on my 360 hardware and accessories so far, so the box can hardly be called a value. Considering that the PS3 is at least as impressive as the 360 graphically and that the PS3 runs quieter, cooler, throws in a Blu-Ray player, bigger hard drive and supports HDMI for less than a similarly equipped 360, it becomes very hard to justify a 4 or 5 star rating. If Microsoft dropped the price, maybe.
  
  Bottom line:
  
  If you don't need or want HD-DVD, and need a next generation console now, then the 360 is a decent choice. You won't save much over the PS3, but I doubt you'll be disappointed for a while either.
  
  3 stars fun factor (on the way up), 3 stars overall.
  
  
• Count on it breaking
  By AV9CTGUHSW1X2 on 2007-02-10
  I have owned an original XBOX and XBOX 360 and both broke in the same way after about a year of playing, not even playing much. Microsoft wants $140 to fix them, and only gives a warranty of 90 days after that. It is widely known that XBOX used poor-quality Thompson Disc Drives in the first XBOXs (which I had), and many many problems have plagued the XBOX 360. I have heard that as many as 25% of machines were defective straight out of the box, and many more, like mine, broke down after the warranty expired. A $400 paperweight is not much fun.
  
  
• The XBox 360: Not ready for the marketplace due to rampant defects
  By ABVGF0EZKMQQB on 2006-02-10
  My new Xbox 360 pro bundle is going back to Best Buy this afternoon after a problematic 7 days at home. I have owned every single major console gaming system since the 1976 Magnavox Odyssey 2 and I have never experienced such poor quality like the Xbox 360 currently has. In 7 days, my 360 has locked up mid-game dozens of times, each requiring a reboot. Even worse, it has also put deep circular scratches in my $60 COD2 game disk. Like everyone else, I had read about these 2 problems already online and figured that those who camped outside and bought their 360's around its Nov 22 release date got some buggy first run consoles. I'm here to tell you, the quality problems are very much still there, 5 production months later. And before anyone accuses me of wrapping my 360 and brick together in a wool blanket, shoving it into an enclosed cabinet and then flipping it from horizontal to vertical rapidly with a spinning disk inside...uh, no.
  
  My 360 build date was Jan 14, 2006. It was placed alone out in the open on a table with no heat sources nearby. The power brick was placed 18" away on a separate hard surface with excellent cooling. The 360 brick was plugged into a new $80 Monster Cable power conditioning surge protector, and the TV is a 6 month old 16:9 Sony WEGA HDTV. All 7 days the console was horizontal and never moved while powered on or accessing the disk. Despite these precautions and extreme care, it still locked up and even worse, repeatedly physically gouged the (nonrefundable) game disk surface.
  
  I don't trust Microsoft to remedy the situation as the thousands of blog entries by similarly afflicted 360 owners all say the same thing: that MS will quickly exchange the unit..usually with another "refurbished" 360 that has the same, if not worse issues. And God help you if your 360 dies 91 days after purchase, you have a $400 paperweight.
  
  Bottom line, as much as I wanted to enjoy HD gaming and love this new console, the Xbox 360 is flat-out not ready for the market because of the numerous poor component quality issues. I'll carefully reconsider again at Christmastime 2006. Hopefully MS will get these problems fixed. Until then, buyer beware.
  
  
• Xbox 360
  By A2L0SNJBJIEO0D on 2005-12-02
  This system is simply AWESOME ! The graphics for one are amazing.Despite what you hear , there are great games already available. Call of Duty 2 is amazing, Project Gotham Racing 3 and Need for Speed are incredible. The new wireless controllers are solid, comfortable and probably the best design I have ever seen. The controller can do everything from open the game tray , turn the unit on and off, log you onto Live and it functions flawlessly as a wireless device. The system seems well constructed and I cant help but believe you will be nothing but amazed. It is ashame the you get all these "fanboys " from companys that just wont give a fair review or give credit where it is due. Whether you like Microsoft or not , this is simply the best gaming you can buy for your money. The old xbox and playstation2 simply are not in the same league. It is an amazing system that will bring many hours if not years of entertainment.
  
  

• XBOX 360 Handbook: The Official User's Guide (Prima Official Game Guide)
• The Official Xbox Magazine [1-year]
• Electronic Gaming Monthly
• Play

• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
• Madden NFL 07
• Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit
• Xbox 360 Rechargeable Controller Battery Pack White
• Xbox 360 Play & Charge Kit