Xbox 360 Pro Games Views

Video Games

The console's real Achilles' heel has been its unacceptably poor reliability: A vast number of Xbox 360 consoles have suffered the dreaded red ring of death error, a fatal glitch that renders them unusable. It's been a huge frustration for even the most forgiving 360 owner. That said, Microsoft has made amends by offering a three-year limited warranty, guaranteeing replacement of those faulty consoles. Anecdotal evidence continues to suggest that the problem afflicts mostly older consoles. In other words, those manufactured in 2007 or later--the ones equipped with HDMI ports--should be much more stable than their predecessors.

In addition to the (we hope) improved reliability, we wish the upgraded version of the console had included a few more substantive fixes as well--a smaller power supply, a quieter disc drive, and built-in Wi-Fi. Nevertheless, the addition of HDMI, a best-in-class game library, and the cheapest price to date ($50 lower than the original console) make the Xbox 360 an offer that few gamers will be able to refuse.

Xbox 360 models compared The 20GB version (reviewed here--often called the Xbox 360 Pro or Xbox 360 Premium ) will suffice for most users, while those who wish to maximize the console's video and gaming prowess will want to invest an extra $100 in the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite. (The Xbox 360 Arcade should be avoided--you'll just end up having to buy the add-on hard drive later anyway, thus eliminating the apparent savings.)

Hardware reliability As mentioned above, the Xbox 360 has been plagued by a series of hardware problems, most commonly represented by the now infamous red ring of death --the three flashing red lights that the console displays when a major hardware malfunction has occurred. Microsoft has yet to confirm the reason for the problem, but it's widely attributed to overheating and poor airflow within the console's innards. Since admitting to the problem in July 2007, Microsoft has extended the original 90-day warranty on all newly purchased 360s to a full year. Additionally, any Xbox 360 that suffers from a hardware failure marked by three red flashing lights is now covered for three years from the original purchase date.