Is now a good time to get a 360?

[gorcorps]

So I can't keep all this news about the 360 straight. What I do know is that they've released the premium version with the elite motherboard, and that soon we'll see the 65nm version in stores. Well my birthday is at the end of a month and I want a 360. I'd get the premium version, so is it worth getting by then with the new motherboard and (I've heard) new heatsink setup?

 

[mugs]

I don't think anyone can tell you for sure when you'll be able to get a 65 nm 360 in a store. However, they do have the 3 year warranty to cover the RRoD, and it's pretty likely that it'll fail in the first 3 years, so you'd get a 65 nm eventually. If your parents have a Costco membership, see my thread about Costco (ignore the troll )

 

[DaveSimmons]

3 choices for a Premium:

1. old one without HDMI = 30%+ failiure rate.

2. new one with HDMI = Zephyr (Elite) motherboard with epoxy & heatsink = almost certainly a lower failure rate, but no one knows yet how low.

3. Falcon with HDMI & fully redesigned 65nm motherboard & (allegedly) smaller power brick. This is the one MS is counting on to stop the massive warranty costs from failures.

We can't be sure that Falcon with get rid of the redring failures, but it would not make sense for MS to release the new design until they think it will.

I have enough other games to play that I'm being patient and waiting for Falcon, but Zephyr is a reasonable choice if you want a 360 now. It's still a bit of a gamble, but waiting a month or two for Falcon is about the same as waiting a month for a warranty repair later.

 

[CasioTech]

yeah go to costco's where they will give you a refund, pay $50 for membership and then get flagged so that you get your membership revoked because you keep returning your xbox which you probably will.

 

[CasioTech]

why does xbox make two new consoles every year? What's up with that. Does microsoft think they are selling you a PC, hope you go out and upgrade your xbox every 5 months???





1 wii, for the next 6 years.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: CasioTech
why does xbox make two new consoles every year? What's up with that. Does microsoft think they are selling you a PC, hope you go out and upgrade your xbox every 5 months???

Well if Apple can do it and succeed why can't Microsoft?

@DaveSimmons: This 30% failure rate... that's mainly the RROD right? I mean I've heard of them dying in other ways, but the majority of failures is the RROD which is now covered for 3 years. I still wouldn't like shipping it away to MS, but it wouldn't be so bad if I knew the bulk of the problems were covered.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Right, the 30% is mostly RRoD.

It makes no sense to buy and older Premium without HDMI though, 30% is the low end of the guesses on the failure rate for it. Microsoft has only said (indirectly) that the failure rate is lower than 50%.

If you want one now you should either look for a Premium with HDMI (many stores have them) or get an Elite.

 

[CasioTech]

yeah but these are consoles, not PC's/PDA's. If they keep upgrading ram and such, there will be conflicts in the games which are meant to be developed for a uniform system. Then again, these days they can probably work that out.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Right, the 30% is mostly RRoD.

It makes no sense to buy and older Premium without HDMI though, 30% is the low end of the guesses on the failure rate for it. Microsoft has only said (indirectly) that the failure rate is lower than 50%.

If you want one now you should either look for a Premium with HDMI (many stores have them) or get an Elite.

Yeah, that's what I was planning on.

 

[Jules]

Id say go and pick up the Premium HDMI. From what MS says the 65nm is going to be for the cpu and the gpu will be by the end of the year.

 

[bucwylde23]

Originally posted by: CasioTech
yeah but these are consoles, not PC's/PDA's. If they keep upgrading ram and such, there will be conflicts in the games which are meant to be developed for a uniform system. Then again, these days they can probably work that out.

Since when has Microsoft upgraded the RAM in the new Xbox 360's?

the system is still uniform with the new consoles.

 

[CasioTech]

well what about motherboard speed?

 

[RaiderJ]

Heck, there could be issues with the 65nm 360. About the best you can do is get a good warranty, such as buying through Costco. The fact they gave CasioTech a hard time is a plus in my book (assuming he really has been in a Costco).

 

[PricklyPete]

Hell yeah it is! One of the best holiday line ups ever.

 

[hans030390]

"Is now a good time to get a 360?"

No.

RROD, horrible return/repair/replacement times (or so I've heard), etc.

Save your money for: A) A piece of hardware that has a low chance of breaking, or B) Buying a 360 "reliable" edition when it is available...I imagine the price will be lower too, so get some games and such.

By the time that comes around, though, it will also be a good time to get a PS3 (rumored price drop, a good selection of likely great games coming out between now and spring of 2008).

I'm just trying to make sure you have the best experience possible. For me, personally, the great selection of current and upcoming games does not outweigh the high possibility of me having to return a 360 (possibly multiple times, and with a supposedly backed up and slow warranty/repair/replacement service).

 

[adairusmc]

Sure, go for it. Lots of great content on the 360, well worth getting the machine.

 

[MikeyLSU]

no, only because if you really want one, you should wait until the 65nm comes out. It will be reliable and you shouldn't have to wait too much longer. Remember if yours fails, sure MS fixes it, but then you don't have a 360 for a 6 weeks.

 

[CasioTech]

Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Heck, there could be issues with the 65nm 360. About the best you can do is get a good warranty, such as buying through Costco. The fact they gave CasioTech a hard time is a plus in my book (assuming he really has been in a Costco).

you are a moron. They give everyone a hardtime. No one likes to see returns it's bad for numbers. They give you a nasty face and then refund your money.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: CasioTech

Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Heck, there could be issues with the 65nm 360. About the best you can do is get a good warranty, such as buying through Costco. The fact they gave CasioTech a hard time is a plus in my book (assuming he really has been in a Costco).

you are a moron. They give everyone a hardtime. No one likes to see returns it's bad for numbers. They give you a nasty face and then refund your money.

No, they really don't give everyone a hard time. Costco has a reputation for hassle-free returns.

And by the way, I e-mailed their customer service to see if I should return my 360 to Microsoft or to Costco if it breaks. They said it's fine to return to Costco. :thumbsup:

I think you owe me an apology for this:

You are the biggest 'scum bag' because people like you who return their console to Costco's instead of the manufacturer, as specified in your warranty, is what makes the prices skyrocket because of the extra needed labor/processing.

Microsoft offers the warranty, just like when something else is defective, it says 'contact manufacturer for replacement -DO NOT return to store' but you don't care, right? As long as you get what YOU want, regardless of everyone else who goes by the book.

:lips:

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
3. Falcon with HDMI & fully redesigned 65nm motherboard & (allegedly) smaller power brick. This is the one MS is counting on to stop the massive warranty costs from failures.

Only the CPU is 65nm by the way. The GPU will still be 90nm.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
3. Falcon with HDMI & fully redesigned 65nm motherboard & (allegedly) smaller power brick. This is the one MS is counting on to stop the massive warranty costs from failures.

Only the CPU is 65nm by the way. The GPU will still be 90nm.

Right, Falcon is 65nm CPU and 90nm GPU, sometime next year the GPU will also move to 65nm.

To me what matters is that Falcon is (allegedly) a motherboard designed after Microsoft realized the original design had the RRoD flaw. The Zephyr motherboard was a duct-tape band-aid while Falcon is hopefully a true fix.

There is nothing wrong with a 90nm GPU, millions of them are running fine in PCs right now. A redesign could even have been done with a 90nm CPU. Moving the CPU to 65nm just reduces the total heat inside the case whcih hopefully made it easier to design the cooling to prevent temperature extremes.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
There is nothing wrong with a 90nm GPU, millions of them are running fine in PCs right now. A redesign could even have been done with a 90nm CPU. Moving the CPU to 65nm just reduces the total heat inside the case whcih hopefully made it easier to design the cooling to prevent temperature extremes.

Yes, but the 90NM GPUs in PCs have much better ventilation (hopefully) than in the XBOX 360. One reason the GPU heats up a bit is how close it is to the DVD drive and that leaves little room for the heatsink. The Xenos is kind of like a 1950 and I've never seen one without a dedicated fan/heatsink unit.

 

[gorcorps]

Hmmm... well that's quite a few for yes, and the same for no. Since I'm a pretty impatient person, I'll probably get it. If I have to return it, then I have to return it. It's going to be played horizontal and kept pretty out in the open for max ventilation. I hope Costco has more available than their site lets on as their site only has elite bundles, which is too much for me.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
Hmmm... well that's quite a few for yes, and the same for no. Since I'm a pretty impatient person, I'll probably get it. If I have to return it, then I have to return it. It's going to be played horizontal and kept pretty out in the open for max ventilation. I hope Costco has more available than their site lets on as their site only has elite bundles, which is too much for me.

Costco.com's inventory rarely resembles Costco B&M's inventory. It says as much on their website. I haven't seen the Elite bundle at my local store ever, but they do have the Premium bundles. You will have to buy a bundle, but it's worthwhile stuff. If you want Madden or Gears, I'd get one of those bundles so you can get the stand-alone charger. If you get the cheaper bundle (which comes with Live Arcade Unplugged) you get the play & charge kit. Stand-alone charger is much better than play & charge IMO. All bundles come with an extra controller.

 

[CasioTech]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: CasioTech

Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Heck, there could be issues with the 65nm 360. About the best you can do is get a good warranty, such as buying through Costco. The fact they gave CasioTech a hard time is a plus in my book (assuming he really has been in a Costco).

you are a moron. They give everyone a hardtime. No one likes to see returns it's bad for numbers. They give you a nasty face and then refund your money.

No, they really don't give everyone a hard time. Costco has a reputation for hassle-free returns.

And by the way, I e-mailed their customer service to see if I should return my 360 to Microsoft or to Costco if it breaks. They said it's fine to return to Costco. :thumbsup:

I think you owe me an apology for this:

You are the biggest 'scum bag' because people like you who return their console to Costco's instead of the manufacturer, as specified in your warranty, is what makes the prices skyrocket because of the extra needed labor/processing.

Microsoft offers the warranty, just like when something else is defective, it says 'contact manufacturer for replacement -DO NOT return to store' but you don't care, right? As long as you get what YOU want, regardless of everyone else who goes by the book.

:lips:

that doesn't change the fact there is an insert that comes with the xbox that states DO NOT RETURN TO STORE contact Microsoft for repair/warranty information. Costco clearly wants their customer loyalty but that also doesn't change the fact that there is extra money needed for labor and processing, which gets passed down to my soymilk prices but is easier on you.




:lips: apology accepted.