DaytonaUSA Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 So I haven't been in the Xbox 360 scene in a while. My first Xbox was an old white model. I constantly had issues with wifi adapters providing horrible ping, system over heating issues, etc. I got a replacement Jasper system eventually, but I think the headaches just got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. The extra 100 dollars for what should have been built in wifi was a major negative for instance. Their phone customer service also used to be horrible then, but the two times I've called while owning this Xbox has been a much more positive experience. So in the meantime, I've been using a PS3. Two in fact, one import white fat and one US slim. They've been great systems so far, but as time has gone on I have wanted some Xbox exclusives, and the new slim was pretty tempting when it came out. I've had my own pet peeves with the PS3 as well which has only fueled my want to try out the Xbox once again. But then the R2-D2 model was shown and I knew I had to have it. When the price jumped down 50 dollars on Amazon with free shipping I took the plunge, and so here I am. Quality wise, I'm very impressed so far. At least on the scale of what I expected from an Xbox. So far, no over heating issues, and the system seems to be pumping out hot air from the vents more efficiently than my older Xbox. The built in wifi is a huge plus, and it seems to be actually faster than my PS3, which was a welcome surprise. A lot has changed with the OS since I left as well. I left the week the "avatars" were introduced. Compared to that version this one is MUCH better and MUCH easier to navigate. Kinect integration is also well done, though I find myself simply using the controller most of the time unless I'm feeling adventurous. In fact, I have to say I like the OS better than the PS3's so far. Downloading updates seems to be significantly faster as well. I don't find myself in need of "going to make a sandwich" while the system performs an update or a game updates itself. In fact, game updates seem to only take a handful of seconds, where as most game updates on the PS3 would take anywhere from 10-30 minutes on average. The new controller is one of my biggest positives. The dpads feel much better, and more importantly the new joysticks finally sold my issues with Xbox controllers, which is the fact the old Xbox controller's joysticks would wear away very fast making the little nubs completely disappear in no time flat. The nubs are now gone, with a ring that makes my thumbs easily sit inside instead. No signs of joystick wear either, which is a plus. The rubber seems to be firmer and more durable than the older, softer joysticks. It's also nice to have Dreamcast inspired triggers again, which are much better suited for racing games (my favorite genre). The system isn't without it's faults. I've had issues with some music files reading on the Xbox. One time the system completely froze because of it. Another time the system froze in the middle of downloading a large Forza 4 update. Otherwise, things are going very smoothly and I've been able to play for VERY long periods of time without issue. Going back to the system, it has to be my favorite limited edition system to date. I'll be honest, the SW game and the Kinect really don't get used much, which I anticipated. It's not why I bought the system. However, the paint job and it's Star Wars theme really are unique, and small touches like the Help Me Obi Wan Kenobi You're My Only Hope on the CD tray as well as the blue power rings (instead of green) really makes it obvious the team responsible for making it put their heart and soul into the project. And because of this, makes the system a nice piece to add to my gaming collection. The wires painted on the controller to resemble C-3PO's stomach are a nice touch and the paint is also very durable and doesn't rub off from contact (unlike the horrible ink used on the Sega Sports Dreamcast logos which came off with barely any contact at all). So all in all I'm very happy. I find myself playing the Xbox more often, and I like the controller a lot better. Multi-platform games seem to also be better programmed for it, but that's of course not a fault of the PS3.... but it's still nice to play better versions of games I once had issues with. Also, alpha layers like shadows seem to be MUCH better than the PS3, which shocked me. Games like GT5 which I always thought were the pinnacle of racing games pale graphically to Forza 4 and sometimes in some moments even Dirt 3. And it's because of those horribly jaggie shadows I seemed to always see in PS3 games (like GT5's shadows on the dashboard for instance). The 360 hardware finally is up to snuff, the paint job is very impressive, the OS is finally where it should be and the perks of Live finally feel like they're worth the price of admission (for instance I just watched Ghost in the Shell 2.0 for free tonight via the included Manga app). The headset also works better than the old white/grey ones and I can actually be heard now on the mic unlike before. So yeah, while the Kinect is largely a waste of time with the exception of the dancing game in SW Kinect, the system itself is fantastic. Being re-introduced to Xbox has been a very positive experience. I wish Microsoft didn't take this long to make such a polished product, but it is what it is. I don't think it's worth 400 bucks for everyone, but for me it was worth every cent. Plus, it being a limited edition console, it will at least keep it's value better than a stock unit. So if anyone is on the fence, especially if they've had bad experiences with Xbox before (like I did), make the jump. I highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagitekAngel Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 (Uninformed, flippant comment that disregards all your hard reviewing work and flatly claims that the PS3 is better in every way) Just kiddin'. You know, I kinda didn't really mind the old 360 dashboard interface. I think this new one has too many adds, taking up too much of the space, and nearly always smack dab in the middle of the screen. The new hardware on the other hand is very much welcome. In retrospect, it does seem pretty stupid that wifi wasn't originally built in, and it's nothing short of highway robbery that Microsoft was charging a hundred bucks for the wireless adapter. The same thing can be had for a computer for half that without even shopping around, and it'll work better, too. I wouldn't pay; I just had the thing wired in through ethernet and it was a better connection, anyway. One thing I kind of miss in the old model was the Godawful noises it made. Bear with me here, I appreciated it in an ironic way, the way you kind of half-smile when a real clunker comes down the road spewing black fumes and you wonder to yourself how it stays on the road. The original Xbox 360 was a lawnmower, plain and simple. The only thing that was missing was a ripcord. I originally started installing all my game discs before playing them not to speed up loading times or extend the life of my laser, but so I could actually hear the TV over my console. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) Haha, don't get me wrong, I still love my PS3 . Just that it's now not the only thing I appreciate from this gen. Yeah, I can understand the clunky noises. Kinda like the Dreamcast's charm. Although, I most of my DCs are Rev0s so they don't make the clunky sounds like a stock unit. I guess they're the "slims" of that generation, haha. I liked the blade OS, but when they initially changed it to the avatar based one, I had had my last straw. At that time I was having hardware issues, and was on my third wifi adapter with no luck on any of them. In fact, it got to the point where I was wondering if maybe my internet was just that bad. When I got my PS3 of course, everything worked like a charm. I appreciated the built in wifi, the "suck in" disc slot, the larger HDD, the built in re-chargeable batteries in the controllers, and the blu-ray drive. In fact, I still appreciate them. Especially as the new Slim 360 only really addressed half of those complaints. But the ones they addressed, the reliability, larger hdd, and built in wifi, along with the better OS were enough of a change for me to really fall in love with the system again. Again, it's a complete shame it look Microsoft this long to perfect it, and I feel like, in many ways, I've missed out on a lot. I now have a huge backlog of games to play in my drawer and I'm trying to get to them as quickly as possible. But at the end of the day, even if I wasn't enjoying it so much, even from an investment standpoint I think it's a good deal. Heck, look at the prices Panzer Dragoon Xboxes are going for and you'll understand. Plus the only SW edition console I can remember is the PSP. And that was a very 'cheap' looking paint job, and didn't really feel like much time was put into the design. So it makes this console that much more special. Edited May 26, 2012 by DaytonaUSA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Enjoyed reading your impressions, Daytona! Thanks for posting!! Mendon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I agree with Daytona on almost all things. I barely turned on my Xbox 360 until I got the Star Wars unit. I still dont play the 360 as much as I used to. Just been a turn off with the avatar\dashboard ads (Im a blades fan too) and they just cant let that Gold thing go. The Star Wars Xbox 360 is really the best looking machine I have at home though. The gold 3PO controller is nice to look at too. I noticed the air ventilation on the top of the SW 360, not sure if the all the new model 360's are like that. Played some Kinect....I still think its not what its cracked up to be. A nice amusement but I dont see how talking in that thing is faster than clicking a button. Rise of Nightmares is awkwardly frustrating but a guilty pleasure. I just cant play them for long. I want to sit down and push buttons. lol Luckily I still have a large library of games and indie games to make my Xbox 360's a permanent fixture in the house for a long time. A shame it's fallen behind in my life though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Glad you enjoyed the read guys. The Xbox is still going strong, and I'm very happy I purchased it. I still think it's the most attractive special edition console yet. I've gotten used to the controller again, and find I actually prefer it (well except on games like Katamari). to the PS3's pad. It's not a huge difference, but I find I'm able to reach the bumpers easier than the L1 R1 buttons on the PS3 pad. I'm still shocked how fast game downloads and updates are. As a primarily PS3 owner this gen, it makes the download times for that console seem archaic. So yeah, good purchase. Now both "living" rooms have a current gen console. Entertainment no matter where we are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starscream Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Just picked up the blue chrome controller for mine. Gotta save 3po. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 The 360's have been great for a while. But you still get those complaining about unreliability, etc. While those concerns were valid (as an owner of 3 dead systems I can attest as well), it's pretty much ancient history at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlysublime Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 yeah, I have a pair of Jaspers and they're fantastic. though the new 360S systems are tempting (especially the SW one), but yeah, any future hardware purpose will be next-gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRaider Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 EVIL Controllers are the cats arse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 Are those chrome controllers now on sale? I was thinking about getting either the chrome or chrome blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starscream Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Are those chrome controllers now on sale? I was thinking about getting either the chrome or chrome blue. Yup. Blue is gamestop, chrome best buy, and red is Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Are those chrome controllers now on sale? I was thinking about getting either the chrome or chrome blue. Yup. Blue is gamestop, chrome best buy, and red is Walmart. Are they official or 3rd party? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 They're official. I went to Best Buy for the Chrome one. Then wanted 69 dollars! Screw that. I'll wait for a sale or find one used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 They're official. I went to Best Buy for the Chrome one. Then wanted 69 dollars! Screw that. I'll wait for a sale or find one used. Oh I must get one! But not for that much. I'll have to keep looking too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starscream Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Should only be around $55-60. I paid $58 plus change at GS. Yes they are official MS controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starscream Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 (edited) They're official. I went to Best Buy for the Chrome one. Then wanted 69 dollars! Screw that. I'll wait for a sale or find one used. Your BB sucks. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Microsoft+-+Special+Edition+Chrome+Series+Wireless+Controller+for+Xbox+360+-+Silver/5062289.p?id=1218605824147&skuId=5062289 Edited June 3, 2012 by Starscream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 They're official. I went to Best Buy for the Chrome one. Then wanted 69 dollars! Screw that. I'll wait for a sale or find one used. Your BB sucks. http://www.bestbuy.c...7&skuId=5062289 Wow, thanks for the link. What a bunch of crooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I think some of the chrome ones come with an extra charger so they are charging more for it. Like 64.99 - 69.99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I think some of the chrome ones come with an extra charger so they are charging more for it. Like 64.99 - 69.99. I saw one of those at Walmart a few months ago. A red controller with a battery and charge cable for $70. Mendon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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