Customer Reviews

Xbox 360 Core Console [Old Version]

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

The Xbox 360 is a good system, but do not buy the core system because you'll regret it in the long term. Eventually you will want to save your games, make your old Xbox games backwards compatible, use Xbox live, etc, and without the hard drive you can't do any of that. I bought the core system and shortly after I realised that buying a memory card instead of the hard drive is pointless because the HDD costs about the same price as 3 memory cards and has more storage space. With the premium system you get more for your money, so I suggest you wait until you have an extra hundred dollars and then buy it and skip the core system now.

Gift for my son. Didn't buy the hard drive, etc because he can buy that stuff himself. I DID buy the warranty. My other 2 sons own these and both have had overheating issues.
Also, use a separate, small, plug in fan to help keep the unit cool. Do not buy ANY "Cooler" that plugs into the unit.
Think about it; You have an electrical item that is overheating. HOW is something you plug INTO THE UNIT THAT IS ALREADY OVERHEATING going to help? It won't. It will use more power and cause further overheating. This would account for the number of reviews I've read saying that the plug in cooler melted into their system. Also, good luck getting Microsoft to honor any warranty, regular or extended, if an off label peripheral caused a problem.
An external fan, using its own power source works much better.
Oh, and shame on a company like Microsoft for even making this something we should have to worry about.

Put simply: do not buy this product.

The Xbox 360 comes in two versions: this bare-bones version, and a full-featured version that comes with a hard drive. The bare bones version is a little less expensive at first glance, but is more expensive in the long run.

For example: all games, and any use of Xbox Live, require some kind of memory storage. The bare-bones system does not come with any memory. You *have* to buy it seperately, which eats up 1/2 the price difference between the Core and the full version. Another example: the Core does not have high-def output cables. If you have a Core and you want to actually see the fancy graphics that the Xbox 360 is producing, you have to go out and buy a set of expensive cables--which eats the other half of the cost difference. If you want a wireless controller you have to buy that separately too, and now the Core is more expensive than the full version.

In conclusion: if you want the Xbox 360 experience then buy the full machine, not this crippled "core" version. It's like buying a car without wheels--pretty to look at, but doesn't actually get you anywhere.

Don't get the core version of the 360, get the the Premium. With the core, you can't play original Xbox games, you can't save a game, you can't go on Xbox Live, you can't do squat. Get the Premium and you can do all that. Don't buy a 360 for the Kiddies; the 360 catalog is, with a very few exceptions, all rated Teen or higher, most, and most of the best games, are rated M, which means blood, guts and the F-bomb. Buy the Kiddies a Wii. The 360 is for those who want to play the latest and greatest games, and are willing to pay 60 bucks a pop to do it. You CAN save money on games by renting or buying used, they depreciate rather quickly. The 360 is also for those who want the best online console gaming experience. If your not going to get Xbox Live, don't even buy the console. For most 360 games, the online multiplayer, with a few exceptions like Oblivion, IS the game. If you've not got Xbox Live, you're only getting half or less than half of the game. For most avid gamers the Xbox 360 is just the way you get on Xbox Live.

I have a PS3 and a 360. While they're both powerful at the moment the 360 is my clear favorite. Gears of War, Rainbow 6: Vegas, Oblivion and Call of Duty 3 are all big reasons why, along with top notch video on demand (downloadable TV shows in high def quality - nice!). I also really like to try before I buy and almost every game has a demo you can download on XBox Live prior to dropping the cash for the full game. Very well done, Microsoft! I still think the Premium version is a better deal because the hard drive and wireless controller are more than worth the extra $100 but if you're strapped for cash this is still a great system.

STOP PLAYING YOUR 360 STANDING UP!!!!! THIS CAUSES 99% OF THE PROBLEMS! PLACE YOUR 360 ON IT'S SIDE LIKE YOUR REGULAR XBOX, AND KEEP AT LEAST 5 INCHES OF SPACE CLEAR AROUND THE CONSOLE SO IT WON'T OVERHEAT AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.

The Xbox 360 is great for casual and hardcore gamers alike. The price may seem high initially, but when compared to previous launch prices with inflation factored in the price isnt that bad. If you are a hardcore gamer, odds are you already have or will get one very soon. The casual gamer may want to wait a few months for a possible price drop or until a killer app comes out for the system (although Call of Duty 2 is one hell of a game). For anyone complaining that it isnt that much better than the current xbox, i would agree in some cases. But in a few years the graphics will be much better. These games were generally rushed a bit (which is why some breathtaking games like Elder Scrolls 4: Obilvion have been pushed back for perfection) but they will get much better over time. I would recommend this for everyone, if you are a hardcore gamer like myself then you will want to snatch one up as soon as possible. Casual gamers could stand to wait a bit, but definately pick one up in the next few months.

P.S. I am not a fanboy i currently own almost every system ever created by all the video game giants and plan to pick up a PS3 and possibly Revolution as well when they release.

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.

The Xbox 360 has some very powerful components within it and are still being exploited by newer and better games. But not only that, you still have to play online to get the full experience which includes Videos, arcade games, trailers for movies, full movies and game Demos. On top of all of that, most of it can be viewed in either native 720p or upscaled for a full 1080p experiene. It doesnt even end there, the HD-DVD Player add makes DVDs look like VHS tapes, and for the price? Come on! The Xbox 360 has its strengths in graphic output, connectivity and intuitive style of outputting media of all sorts. Look up Gears of War, the gameplay is addictive and the graphics are drop-dead gorgeous. The future of the Xbox 360 looks promising.

I didn't want to believe it, but it's true.

The Xbox360 was rushed into production. Because of this, there are some SERIOUS design flaws with the system.

For starters, there is some heavy duty processing power inside this little plastic box. Because of this, the system becomes VERY hot. Overheating is a common problem. The 360 demands open space.

Then there is the DVD-drive. It's made out of a flimsy piece of plastic that ejects from the console (how long will that last?). The system requires that games constantly spin within the drive at 12x speed (aka OVERDRIVE). At times it sounds like you may have a mini motorcyle in your room. This cannot be good. Moving or even slightly bumping the console while a game is being played will scratch the disc entirely.

There is just so much computing power crammed into a cheap little piece of plastic that eventually something will go wrong. Many people are on their 3rd or 4th replacements from Microsoft.

At this point in time, the 360 is NOT a reliable machine. You should be able to trust that your $300+ investment was put together with care and craftsmanship - not so at this juncture.

Wait until MS has perfected the manufacturing process. The early adopters are finding their original units being replaced with a refurbished box of other early adopters.