Considering purchasing an Xbox 360

[Davidpaul007]

Thinking about selling my Wii and buying a 360 instead. FYI, I have a computer that can play any game out on max or near max settings.

What compelling reasoning can I come up with to justify this purchase?

So far I have:
1. Multiplayer games with friends
2. Media center
3. I want one

Any other compelling reason to buy a 360 when I can just buy games for my computer instead?

 

[zerocool84]

About $3.50

 

[Rage187]

about: No Price Checks

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: zerocool84
About $tree.fiddy

FTFY


Also, I'll give you -$5 for it. You pay shipping.

 

[Childs]

You can buy a refurbished Pro with all accessories for like $100 on ebay. If you can afford to spend that much, there really is no downside, aside from the additional $40 a year for Live. It plays games. You play games. Your PC plays games. No real downsides.

 

[Q]

Get one, they are cheap and fun

 

[zerogear]

I have one, though I honestly haven't touched it ever since I got it from a friend (For free). When I buy games, I rather buy PC version or PS3 version than XBox 360 version..

To each their own.

 

[Dumac]

You can do #1 and 2 better on your PC.

If you didn't have a gaming-capable computer, I would tell you to jump on it. But since you do, I can't really recommend a 360. There are very few 360-exclusive games worth buying a 360 over. I'm having trouble just thinking of one.....

All the good 360 games comes to PC eventually. Plus, you dont' have to pay for online play on a PC. And, you also get to mod your games.

If by multiplayer you meant local multiplayer, then perhaps that is a small reason to get a 360. However, games are really cutting back on local multiplayer, with almost no games allowing 4 player co-op anymore, some allowing 2 player, and many skimping out on local co-op all together.

 

[Industrial]

should I get steak or chicken with my burrito? Help, I can't decide! Oh no, there's also Taco Bell or Del Taco! Maybe I should create a poll?

 

[Queasy]

It's almost as if there's a FAQ for stuff like this:

3. What should I buy? A 360, a PS3, or a Wii?
There is no one correct answer because everybody has different tastes, different wants, and different needs. You have to look yourself and make the decision that best suits you. You can start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What games do I like to play? Does this console have the games I like to play? Check sites like http://www.metacritic.com/games/ or http://www.gamerankings.com/ (does not currently list PSN games) to get a feel for the games and how they rate.
- Which controller do I like better?
- What console(s) does my friend(s) own if I want to play online or offline with them?
- Is online play important?
- Is Blu-Ray important?
- Are downloadable movies important?
- Which console can I better afford?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Dumac
You can do #1 and 2 better on your PC.

If his friends were PC gamers and his PC was in a location that made it suitable to be used as a HTPC, I think he would be aware of it. I trust that he knows what he's doing if he has an up-to-date gaming PC.

OP, do you actually enjoy using a console controller to play games? A lot of PC gamers don't like it.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: Queasy
It's almost as if there's a FAQ for stuff like this:

3. What should I buy? A 360, a PS3, or a Wii?
There is no one correct answer because everybody has different tastes, different wants, and different needs. You have to look yourself and make the decision that best suits you. You can start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What games do I like to play? Does this console have the games I like to play? Check sites like http://www.metacritic.com/games/ or http://www.gamerankings.com/ (does not currently list PSN games) to get a feel for the games and how they rate.
- Which controller do I like better?
- What console(s) does my friend(s) own if I want to play online or offline with them?
- Is online play important?
- Is Blu-Ray important?
- Are downloadable movies important?
- Which console can I better afford?

It's almost like you're being passive aggressive with a hammer too.

I appreciate the FAQ link, and I have read that, but my question really wasn't "what should I buy, a 360, a PS3, or a Wii" since that would be silly, as it's already answered in the FAQ.

No, I would view my post as more of talking to friends about how they can convince me I should buy a 360 or skip it and stick with my PC.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: Industrial
should I get steak or chicken with my burrito? Help, I can't decide! Oh no, there's also Taco Bell or Del Taco! Maybe I should create a poll?

LOL...as I pointed out above, it really wasn't a post meant to help me decide between consoles.

 

[bucwylde23]

Well you said you wanted one. So get one. Sounds pretty simple to me..

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Dumac
You can do #1 and 2 better on your PC.

If his friends were PC gamers and his PC was in a location that made it suitable to be used as a HTPC, I think he would be aware of it. I trust that he knows what he's doing if he has an up-to-date gaming PC.

OP, do you actually enjoy using a console controller to play games? A lot of PC gamers don't like it.

Valid points. OP, Just remember that if you want to play games with your friends on the 360 you have to pay for it, unlike on the PC. Also make sure you have an extra ethernet connection setup, as a wireless adapter costs $100 last time I checked (the only console to not have wireless built in).

As far as the controller thing, a wired 360 controller is easily usable on the PC. I use the 360 controller to play PC games that are third person and action oriented. Therefore, if he doesn't like playing games on a console controller he shouldn't get a PC, but if he does, he should remember he can easily do so on his PC.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: chrisg22
Well you said you wanted one. So get one. Sounds pretty simple to me..

The American motto.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: Dumac

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Dumac
You can do #1 and 2 better on your PC.

If his friends were PC gamers and his PC was in a location that made it suitable to be used as a HTPC, I think he would be aware of it. I trust that he knows what he's doing if he has an up-to-date gaming PC.

OP, do you actually enjoy using a console controller to play games? A lot of PC gamers don't like it.

Valid points. OP, Just remember that if you want to play games with your friends on the 360 you have to pay for it, unlike on the PC. Also make sure you have an extra ethernet connection setup, as a wireless adapter costs $100 last time I checked (the only console to not have wireless built in).

As far as the controller thing, a wired 360 controller is easily usable on the PC. I use the 360 controller to play PC games that are third person and action oriented. Therefore, if he doesn't like playing games on a console controller he shouldn't get a PC, but if he does, he should remember he can easily do so on his PC.

Good points here and above. After thinking about it, I guess it comes down to the fact that I have a Wii not getting used a whole lot so why not basically "trade it in" on a 360, even if the 360 isn't used a ton. I would rather have a 360 sitting around than a Wii

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
Good points here and above. After thinking about it, I guess it comes down to the fact that I have a Wii not getting used a whole lot so why not basically "trade it in" on a 360, even if the 360 isn't used a ton. I would rather have a 360 sitting around than a Wii

Sounds like you should go for it then.

 

[Dari]

Get a PS3. You can thank me later.

 

[Childs]

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
Good points here and above. After thinking about it, I guess it comes down to the fact that I have a Wii not getting used a whole lot so why not basically "trade it in" on a 360, even if the 360 isn't used a ton. I would rather have a 360 sitting around than a Wii

Actually, with this bit of info I would keep the Wii. That way you can play with guests if you have a party or something.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: Childs

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
Good points here and above. After thinking about it, I guess it comes down to the fact that I have a Wii not getting used a whole lot so why not basically "trade it in" on a 360, even if the 360 isn't used a ton. I would rather have a 360 sitting around than a Wii

Actually, with this bit of info I would keep the Wii. That way you can play with guests if you have a party or something.

Yep. Wii goes a long way with guests.

 

[mugs]

What 360 games are you actually interested in buying? You haven't actually mentioned that yet.

Dumac makes a good point that you'll have to pay to play online with your friends on the 360. If the 360 is just an afterthought for you, it's probably not worth paying for Xbox Live. You should expect to pay $40 for the first year, and then you'll probably be able to find a $30 deal sometime in the first year to cover the subsequent years. Earlier this year there was a $30 deal at several different stores in the same month. I bought 2 years for each of my 360s then, because I don't figure it'll get any cheaper.

What's the used game market like on PCs? I know with unique serial numbers and DRM it can be more difficult to transfer a game between PC users. I don't know if services like Steam make that any easier. The availability of cheap, used games for consoles has allowed me to play far more games than I otherwise would have. Between the three current gen systems I have about 70 games. :Q Though I haven't finished all of them yet. Buying those games used has probably saved me enough money to pay for all of the years I've had Xbox Live.

Using the 360 and PS3 as uPnP media players has also completely changed the way I watch TV and movies. It was worth it for me to get a second 360 for that feature alone. If you have a netflix account, the 360 Netflix player is an added bonus in that area. I used to have a HTPC, but I stuck it in the basement to use as a media server when I got my 360. The Wii can play media through its browser, but it's SD and I have no idea how well it works.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: mugs
What 360 games are you actually interested in buying? You haven't actually mentioned that yet.

Dumac makes a good point that you'll have to pay to play online with your friends on the 360. If the 360 is just an afterthought for you, it's probably not worth paying for Xbox Live. You should expect to pay $40 for the first year, and then you'll probably be able to find a $30 deal sometime in the first year to cover the subsequent years. Earlier this year there was a $30 deal at several different stores in the same month. I bought 2 years for each of my 360s then, because I don't figure it'll get any cheaper.

What's the used game market like on PCs? I know with unique serial numbers and DRM it can be more difficult to transfer a game between PC users. I don't know if services like Steam make that any easier. The availability of cheap, used games for consoles has allowed me to play far more games than I otherwise would have. Between the three current gen systems I have about 70 games. :Q Though I haven't finished all of them yet. Buying those games used has probably saved me enough money to pay for all of the years I've had Xbox Live.

Using the 360 and PS3 as uPnP media players has also completely changed the way I watch TV and movies. It was worth it for me to get a second 360 for that feature alone. If you have a netflix account, the 360 Netflix player is an added bonus in that area. I used to have a HTPC, but I stuck it in the basement to use as a media server when I got my 360. The Wii can play media through its browser, but it's SD and I have no idea how well it works.

I would love the streaming netflix feature after I got the 360 hooked into my WIFI.

As far as games, CoD would probably be one of the first games I'd buy along with some of the cheap arcade games for my 7 year old. I have alot of friends with 360s that play on XBox Live so I would hook up with them. Street Fighter IV and probably a racing game would also be on the list.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
I would love the streaming netflix feature after I got the 360 hooked into my WIFI.

As far as games, CoD would probably be one of the first games I'd buy along with some of the cheap arcade games for my 7 year old. I have alot of friends with 360s that play on XBox Live so I would hook up with them. Street Fighter IV and probably a racing game would also be on the list.

The Netflix feature is cool. In your first post you also mention Media Center. I highly recommend TVersity over Media Center. The interface is not quite as polished looking as Media Center, but it's faster and just works better for music and movies IMO.

Forza 3 (Xbox 360 exclusive) is coming out for the 360 soon. Then again, it might be worth your while to pick up Forza 2 Platinum Hits Ed. (includes game + all DLC IIRC) for $20.

 

[Yreka]

Originally posted by: nitromullet

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
I would love the streaming netflix feature after I got the 360 hooked into my WIFI.

As far as games, CoD would probably be one of the first games I'd buy along with some of the cheap arcade games for my 7 year old. I have alot of friends with 360s that play on XBox Live so I would hook up with them. Street Fighter IV and probably a racing game would also be on the list.

The Netflix feature is cool. In your first post you also mention Media Center. I highly recommend TVersity over Media Center. The interface is not quite as polished looking as Media Center, but it's faster and just works better for music and movies IMO.

.

I normally just use windows media player to share over all of em.. It also works with the PS3 (VS media center which does not).

Simple, works well, access your movies,music,and pics directly on the PC with no transcoding. This of course is out the window if you want to play formats the 360 doesn't support. For me, 95% of the time its divx,mp3,jpg so it works just fine. The only time I fire up media center is for streaming recorded content from the DVR, and as mentioned the interface is sloooooow..

We use play-on too, but more to fix shortcomings on the PS3/wii.. We rarely use it on 360 for anything but hulu.

As for gaming with your kid, this is where the xbox really shines IMO.. We have 360/PS3/Wii/PSP and two game worthy PC's. The 360 gets the most family mileage by a long shot.

If you end up picking one up, I would recommend spend some time perusing the arcade games + downloading the demos. Quite a few hours to be killed without even spending any money. If you find something cool, its always available instantly, and usually less than $10. As a family, we probably spend more time playing the arcade games, than anything else.