Microsoft Xbox 360 Pro (60GB, HDMI)

Pros: XBOX LIVE-It's very easy to use, there are gamer achievements which are displayed proudly. Very easy to keep up with friends, and talk with them over Live via camera or voice. Games played on Live are fluid, and hardly ever slow down or fail.

Cons: HARDWARE FAILURES: The box breaks down way too often. I read somewhere that each console breaks down on average, every eight months. Usually because the drive overheats giving the famed "Red Ring of Death". Not a reliable system at all.

Summary: I love the games, and XBOX LIVE, but I'm sorry to say the Microsoft has forever lost a lifelong customer. I have been loyal since XBOX1, and purchased the 360 when it first cam out in 2005. I am on my fourth unit now (it's on its way back from repair as I write this). I'm just glad I bought the extended warranty. The customer service at Microsoft was horrible. They definitely didn't make me feel appreciated. Not only that, the first time I sent my box in to get repaired, I had to hassle with them for a month to get my points back. Because they usually send you a different unit back than you had, my online content I bought would online work If I was connected online. This was a problem for me since I traveled and couldn't always get internet connection. After spending numerous hours on the phone, trying to recover my gamertag, and other things they wanted me to try, they finally credited my account for the 4000 microsoft points that I had spent. I complained to a supervisor, and she gave me PGR3, an old game by October 2006, when it broke, so I took it to Walmart and got a $20 gift card.

It broke again in June of 2007. I had them send me out a box, and I shipped it in again. When I received my unit, I didn't have problems with the online content anymore, they must have fixed that bug. Then the last straw. It broke again on me about a week ago, and I raised all hell. I immediately asked to talk to s supervisor, and I explained that I though I should get a black XBOX as a sorry gift for all the trouble I was going through. I explained that I didn't want the bigger memory, just the black unit because of the HDMI port. I also explained that I was Disabled Veteran from Iraq, and that one of the things I could still do was play video games. The XBOX was a gift from my wife, when I returned home from Iraq in December of 2005, injured. They didn't care. They referred my case to a specialist, who couldn't even call me during the hours I specified. I would return his calls, and tell him when I would be home, and he still couldn't contact me. This happened for a week. When we finally connected, he explained the best he could do for me was a free upgrade on shipping, and something from a small list of gifts. The list was:
1. Xbox Live Vision Camera
2. Universal Remote
3. Quick Charge Kit
4. Battery and Charger
5. Project Gotham Racing 3!
6. Viva Pinata!
I argued with him and said the gifts were lame, and that the games were ancient. I said it would hardly cost them anything to send me just a black unit. He said they don't bend policy for no reason, because it would turn their world upside down.

Well Microsoft-you just lost one of your most loyal customers. As soon as I get the unit back I'm selling it with all my games on EBAY, along with whats left of my paid warranty. Hopefully I will have enough to buy a PS3. I should have known when Microsoft dropped the XBOX like a hot potato when the 360 came out. People were forced to upgrade or have no new games to play. Look at PS2, Sony is still making games for it and that thing has been out for what 8 or 9 years?

For all those considering buying the XBOX 360-DON'T. Trust me, all my friends are on at least their 2nd XBOX. It is worth the extra $100 for a PS3 just so you don't have to go through the hassle of the thing breaking down all the time. Not to mention the games that re made specifically for the PS3 look WAY BETTER! And then there's BLU RAY, even though that's not a big seller to me, (Cause they are so Expensive)! If you are a parent, or gamer that's considering systems, I cannot stress to you enough, to just pass on the XBOX. I know too many people with broken XBOXEs, to be able to tell you that this is not an isolated incident. As a matter of fact go search for yourself, and you will learn that Microsoft knew that 2/3rds of their 360's were faulty before they even shipped them out. It should be illegal to sell something that's misrepresented like this. I bought a DVD player 3 years ago for $40 a JWIN. It still works perfectly. But soend 300-400 on an XBOX and I went through three of them. I take really good care of my stuff, because I don't have al ot of money to do otherwise.
Trust me-Buy the Wii or PS3, and Save Your Money-
Centurion