Okay, so I'm going to get an XBox...

[goatdan]

I've slowly made the decision that I am going to purchase an Xbox. I have realized there isn't any way I'm going to get the caps to get one for free through the Mt. Dew promotion, so I've got a bunch of different things to think about and I would like to get some input:

I could buy the rest of the caps that I need for the Dew Xbox for about $150, but then I run the risk of not getting one if they sell out before I get there. If I'm paying that much for a black one, it really isn't worth it. (If it's free, that's another story...)

I could get a new XBox Halo pack for $169.99. I think the green Xbox would be cool, but I don't know how badly I want to spring for the extra cost.

I could get a used XBox with Halo or Hitman 2 for $119.00. That would be the same thing as the Halo pack basically, just without the green console.

Lastly, I could wait and try to find a Halo box used in a few months. I'm sure there will be ones available -- 200,000 is a LOT of systems, and not everyone is going to want to keep theirs! I expect that would mean I could find the system for about $120.00, but probably without Halo (which honestly, I don't really care about.)

Should I take a risk and keep going for the Dew one (and buy some caps!), grab a Halo pack while I can or wait a little while longer and go with the used one? My mind is made up that I will be getting one within the next three months, but I haven't really decided. Halo actually has nothing to do with my final pick, as I want the system mostly for it's DVD capabilities and not it's games, although I will happily be purchasing Dead Or Alive at some point as well as maybe three or four other games. I do not expect to own more than 10 games for this system ever.

So... whatdo you think I should go with? Cost is a factor but not the biggest and I can wait for a while to get...

[tholly]

If you don't think you will have enough Dew Points before the next green box comes out, then I would go with the Green Halo Pack personally, but that's just my opinion.

[AB Positive]

I'd grab one of the Halo ones anyway, 200,000 is a lot for a system but down the road a mint one with all the trappings included would still be worth more than a boxed regular XBOX. Plus you still get a solid game for 'free'... I think it's worth it.


-AG

[Jive3D]

What is this Mtn Dew Promotion? I have only considered getting an XBox b/c of Ninjai Gaiden and Steel Batallion, but if I oculd get one for free while filling my body with disgusting green sugar liquid.. then why.. wait a sec.

Put crap in my body so I can get a thing that will on perpetuate more buying? I'll wait for the Xbox to go down in price again.

[Goblin]

I would go ahead and get the halo box now. I just picked one up about 2 weeks ago and went through a similiar train of thought.

Here was my rationale:

New x-box black - $149
New x-box halo - $169
Used x-box - $119
Refurbished x-box - $129

With all the posts I've seen about read errors and disk drives going bad, I didn't want to risk a used system or even a refurbished one. The price differential was only $20-30, and considering all the money I was spending not worth the risk in my opinion.

Then I tried to figure out should I get the black x-box or the green halo x-box. Here the price differential was $20 with a free game. Halo priced by itself it sells for $25-30, and it was one title I was likely to pick up anyway, so ultimately both deals ended up being the same. Then I figured which would I rather have a limited edition system or the general release. While 200k units is a lot, it is still a whole lot less than the general release. If I ever sell this thing the halo system should pull in a few bucks more, although probably negligible.

[goatdan]

Well, most of my purpose for getting one is to get a new DVD player. And one with a harddrive at that. The Xbox part of it is just a bonus.

I honestly do not expect to own more than five to ten games for the system. I drink Mt. Dew regularly, but not enough to earn another 500 bottles before the deadline and with only 1500 of them, I expect they'll sell out before I can get one anyway.

Besides, they are ugly as hell.

I really like the look of the Halo ones, but I don't know if it is worth the extra money to get the green system...

[Kamino]

well (as stated by someone else who is far cooler than me) the price of a regular new xbox plus halo is more than the halo edition bundle...
i wouldnt reccomend a used xbox at all. if you get stuck with a 1st ed. xbox then you get stuck with one of the crappy drives....not cool.
although personally i wouldnt want the halo xbox. i prefer ordinary black systems.....
but dan:
if you get xbox..
GET Toejam and earl 3, and PANZER DRAGOON ORTA!!!!

[buttasuperb]

I really like the look of the Halo ones, but I don't know if it is worth the extra money to get the green system...

You aren't getting charged any extra money for the Halo system.

Green xbox and halo = $170
Black xbox and halo = $170

[tholly]

Don't forget if you main reason for getting an XBox is DVD playback, you will need to lay down an additional ~$25 for the DVD playback kit, since DVDs won't play on the XBox right out of the box.

[roxybaby]

I'm not sure if Goblin was referring to this, but with the Halo X-Box you get Halo for free with the X-Box and then you also get any one of the platinum hits games for free. At least this is the deal that Target is running right now. That was the deal-maker for me.

[Daria]

I'd get the Halo sytem... and screw the Mountain Dew edition. I'm sorry I know it's going to be rare, but it's really ugly.
________
Ship Sale (http://ship-sale.com/)

[optic_85]

If i were you i'd go for the HALO bundle. It's a great deal, and if you wait, i dont think your gonna find a used one cheap anytime soon.....

[SoulBlazer]

Well, MY XBox is refurbished and I have'nt had any problems at all with it -- plus I lucked out and got one with a Samsung drive. 8-)

[goatdan]

What exactly is the difference between all the drives? I've heard about the fact the Samsungs are good and some ones are bad and stuff, but I never really understood the differences.

What did the Halo ones have? You guys are starting to convince me :)

[roxybaby]

I hear different things everywhere, but the general consensus is that the Samsung is the best. I've heard that playing certain brands of DVD-Rs can be difficult depending on which drive you have - that Phillips doesn't play some kinds and that Thomson plays them all but that Thomsons also die the quickest of the three drives. I have a Phillips drive in mine. I don't know anyone with a Halo xbox with a Thomson drive in it.

[sideswipe]

What exactly is the difference between all the drives? I've heard about the fact the Samsungs are good and some ones are bad and stuff, but I never really understood the differences.

What did the Halo ones have? You guys are starting to convince me :)

Thompson drives are the most unreliable ones. They fail more often than a Samsung or Phillips. But they can read most CD RW, DVD+ sometimes DVD-.
I have a few Thompsons from the original XB's that are still perfect. I personally have not had one fail in over 25 or so XB's I have owned.

Phillips are very good drives. I have noticed that the eject mechinism seems to be the best of the 3. A new version has just come out that will read just about anything. Only downside is on rare occasions, discs can get stuck but there is a release mech on the front. Almost every Halo Edition I have seen so far has this drive.

Samsungs are what everyone wants. They cannot read DVD+ but can read most anything else. Almost never fail. They get top dollar when out of the Xbox. Not 100% but most XB's manufactured in July/August of 2003 have Smasungs. This is not gospel but fairly accurate.

If I had my choice, I would always pick the Phillips.

As a side note Dan, if you are going to mod the Xbox, I would steer clear of the Halo edition if it's made after February of this year or any XB after that date for that matter. Revision 6 motherboard has been showing up in them and even though 1 chip works sorta right now, it will be months before they can be fully modded.

[bargora]

I have had one Xbox. It had a Thompson DVD drive. The drive failed after less than 200 hours of play time. I have since replaced it, with another Thompson drive, and I'm hoping this one gives me a little more love (thanks jonjandran).

The only reason I even bother having an Xbox is for Steel Battalion and SB: Line of Contact. I mean, Halo is like, whatever. And I kinda like the whole camp Vampire/Nazi thing Bloodrayne has going on. But I haven't taken SB:LOC out of the Xbox since it released (except when I had to replace the DVD drive--grrr). If you are only going to get a few games for your Xbox, then Steel Battalion and the online expansion should definitely make it into your collection. Just imagine--an online multiplayer game with no hacks and ch34t0rz!

[goatdan]

Thanks all! After a long amount of thinking on the topic, I went with a Halo XBox earlier today. I'm going to be set with it for a long time now :)

I was happily able to play CD-Rs and DVDs with no problems, and it will make a very nice DVD / CD combo. I think Halo will be interesting too, but I have't opened it yet.

Thanks again for all your help!

[tholly]

Thanks all! After a long amount of thinking on the topic, I went with a Halo XBox earlier today. I'm going to be set with it for a long time now :)

I was happily able to play CD-Rs and DVDs with no problems, and it will make a very nice DVD / CD combo. I think Halo will be interesting too, but I have't opened it yet.

Thanks again for all your help!


Nice choice going with the Halo box. Give Halo a try, I'm sure you'll like it.