x360 - now or later?
Discussion
Talk to me about XBoxes.
I'm tempted by the 360 bundles with Forza 2 knocking around, basically the Premium console and a copy of the game that can be had for about £250.
Problem is I keep reading about stuff that's just around the corner, like HDMI filtering down to the Premium box (a nice-to-have, not essential) and a new, cooler-running CPU at some point.
Thing is these I've been tempted by a 360 for a while and as far as I can see these changes have been "just around the corner" since this time last year.
So, questions for people who keep up with these things more than I do, and/or already have one:
I'm tempted by the 360 bundles with Forza 2 knocking around, basically the Premium console and a copy of the game that can be had for about £250.
Problem is I keep reading about stuff that's just around the corner, like HDMI filtering down to the Premium box (a nice-to-have, not essential) and a new, cooler-running CPU at some point.
Thing is these I've been tempted by a 360 for a while and as far as I can see these changes have been "just around the corner" since this time last year.
So, questions for people who keep up with these things more than I do, and/or already have one:
- Do the latest consoles suffer from noisy DVD drives/fans/whatever? Audible above normal TV volume = dealbreaker, so this is a big one.
- Is there really anything "big" round the corner that's worth waiting for, or are we just talking details, minor improvements and little price drops on an ongoing basis?
- I've seen stripdowns that show Microsoft fitting better heatsinks after the red ring of death stories first hit the news. If I go out and buy a random new console from wherever, will it be less likely to RROD than a launch box?
Having just told someone else that an Xbox 360 is the best thing they can buy I'm now just about to run through the cons but here goes anyway...
I've had mine for about 10 month and can honestly say I've not had anything major go wrong.
The issue with the burning discs is definitely one I've heard about and I know my brother has had to return his a couple of times in the last 2 years, but his is/was a Orginial Release 360. (Plus he's a very unlucky person.) Mine hasn't, touch wood, ruined any games, although it does occassionally crash and give me the old, 'please clean the CD' message. (Maybe once every 20 hours of play, and that's not all in one.)
The fan sound is not a problem in my opinion as I watch DVD's on mine and it never registers with me. However, I have invested in a Intercooler for playing games, which clips on the back, and although it's not offical it is a fairly popular one (£15). When that's on it is definitely louder but again I filter it out straight away.
(NB. I only bought the intercooler because Oblivion kept on crashing, which I reckon is a big-ass drain on the machine.)
Anyway, all in all I'd say go for one now. Like you said, there's a good package out at the moment and you might be waiting for a while for the next version to come out.
If you wait you'll only be missing out on all the people still playing Forza online.
Worst case senario you spend less money buying an older box which works but a newer, more expensive one comes out a few months later. Plus, who said the new one won't have problems of it's own.
It's not like you're buying a car.
Hope that helps... a bit.
I've had mine for about 10 month and can honestly say I've not had anything major go wrong.
The issue with the burning discs is definitely one I've heard about and I know my brother has had to return his a couple of times in the last 2 years, but his is/was a Orginial Release 360. (Plus he's a very unlucky person.) Mine hasn't, touch wood, ruined any games, although it does occassionally crash and give me the old, 'please clean the CD' message. (Maybe once every 20 hours of play, and that's not all in one.)
The fan sound is not a problem in my opinion as I watch DVD's on mine and it never registers with me. However, I have invested in a Intercooler for playing games, which clips on the back, and although it's not offical it is a fairly popular one (£15). When that's on it is definitely louder but again I filter it out straight away.
(NB. I only bought the intercooler because Oblivion kept on crashing, which I reckon is a big-ass drain on the machine.)
Anyway, all in all I'd say go for one now. Like you said, there's a good package out at the moment and you might be waiting for a while for the next version to come out.
If you wait you'll only be missing out on all the people still playing Forza online.
Worst case senario you spend less money buying an older box which works but a newer, more expensive one comes out a few months later. Plus, who said the new one won't have problems of it's own.
It's not like you're buying a car.
Hope that helps... a bit.
Edited by Bromwich on Thursday 30th August 12:37
They are noisy and do run hot, but I don't hear mine over the games i'm playing, and I always ensure it has sufficient ventilation to (hopefully) prevent any serious overheating.
With this type of technology, the scene is always moving forward, what you buy today will be surpassed tomorrow and that the day after. The longer you wait, the more you miss out on in my opinion.
With this type of technology, the scene is always moving forward, what you buy today will be surpassed tomorrow and that the day after. The longer you wait, the more you miss out on in my opinion.
Okay, XBOX 360, good choice but a few things to be aware of. There are reasons why Microsoft could produce it so cheaply in comparison to the PS3.
1. It doesn't have a true Digital HD chip inside it, hence no HDMI or other digital output, if it did it would have cost around £3-400 more at launch.
The Ultimate Version that's coming out does have though this would be my choice if I was buying one now having seen full HD output from a PS3 which frankly blows the standard 360 away no matter what your displaying on. This why you can only output to DVI-A (Analogue) not DVI-D
with the standard box, if your only running on a fairly average display though I don't think it really matters.
2. They are noisy, both the DVD Drive and the Fans and the more CPU hungry the game is the noisier it gets. I have mine through the surround sound most of the time so it would have to be going some to be heard over the top of that
. Bioshock killed off my mates 360 last weekend (and on THAT subject I'm on my 3rd)
If you sit on the fence waiting you'll never get one and with the mass of solid quality games available your going to be happy whichever you get.
I'll say this though, on racing games with the joy pad I have always been fairly mediocre only managing to be a bronze level (easy)driver on PGR3, I recently bought the official 360 wireless Steering Wheel and within half an hour of using it I was consistently winning gold (hard level) races in PGR3, I cannot recommend it enough.
Good luck with your purchase, and remember it's not about the box, it;s about the games
1. It doesn't have a true Digital HD chip inside it, hence no HDMI or other digital output, if it did it would have cost around £3-400 more at launch.
The Ultimate Version that's coming out does have though this would be my choice if I was buying one now having seen full HD output from a PS3 which frankly blows the standard 360 away no matter what your displaying on. This why you can only output to DVI-A (Analogue) not DVI-D
with the standard box, if your only running on a fairly average display though I don't think it really matters.2. They are noisy, both the DVD Drive and the Fans and the more CPU hungry the game is the noisier it gets. I have mine through the surround sound most of the time so it would have to be going some to be heard over the top of that
. Bioshock killed off my mates 360 last weekend (and on THAT subject I'm on my 3rd)If you sit on the fence waiting you'll never get one and with the mass of solid quality games available your going to be happy whichever you get.
I'll say this though, on racing games with the joy pad I have always been fairly mediocre only managing to be a bronze level (easy)driver on PGR3, I recently bought the official 360 wireless Steering Wheel and within half an hour of using it I was consistently winning gold (hard level) races in PGR3, I cannot recommend it enough.
Good luck with your purchase, and remember it's not about the box, it;s about the games
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