The 27 Flaws in Next-Gen Consoles Options

[RiPpN-N-TrIppN]

* Enough with the double-A batteries
this is soo true
i must admit i was a little pissed off espically when i bought my elite that it came with the batterys
its not like im gonna stick my old white battery on the back on my new black controller
now i have to go out and buy another new battery
tight arse M$

[steveju]

The continued hardware failures, eh? Why don't they just plug in the A/V cable... or change the pic

btw. "Overpriced hard drives", if they think it's too expensive, DIY. I guess they haven't checked teh interwebs either, since you can get a new 20Gb HDD for the "real" retail price when you buy a new one that someone got when they sent their Xbox 360 for repairs. Let's just say that there are a lot of those floating around.

This post has been edited by steveju: Oct 31 2007, 07:08 AM

[TheIrishLad]

The continued hardware failures, eh? Why don't they just plug in the A/V cable... or change the pic

Haha, I just noticed that too. Good going Gamepro, can't even get your shit straight.

[kimnkk]

The issue about AA batteries is so stupid anyway. I would much prefer AA batteries than having to use proprietary battery packs, or god forbid, a built in battery! AA means you can buy better batteries than the 2100mAh Sanyo that are in the plug n play pack and you can also swap them out at any time.

I have 16 Sanyo Eneloop batteries coupled with a Maha Charger than provides all the power i need - much better batteries than the ones you get with the plug n play kit. Easier and more convenient charging - don't have to have your Xbox 360 on or play with a cord. And the Maha charger charges the batteries fuller and smarter than the 'blind' charger that is built into the 360 controller.

I use to have 2 plug and play kits, but i sold them off not long after getting them because they were so useless.

Kudos to Microsoft for letting us use AA batteries.

[bobjim17]

Xbox360:
* The D-pad sucks
* The continued hardware failures
* No Wi-fi on the Elite
* Enough with the double-A batteries
* Overpriced hard drives
* Subscription fees: lose 'em!


Yes, the D-pad both sucks and blows at the same time. A vortex of moving air. I also only use it to navigate menus, but every time I do its always a bit of pot luck as to what direction its going to navigate in.

Hardware failures are just part of the fact it was brought to market so early. I would be happy to forgive them was this the only issue, as MS have finally stood up and taken responsibility.

The Wi-Fi would, quite correctly, be useless as a gaming tool; but would be good for those that just browse the marketplace and download. You heard of a silver membership?

The battery pack should indeed have been standard, although the ability to use 'double-a's is not something that should have been left out. Play and charge, I guess, would then have to be included also, but maybe a higher-capacity battery pack could have been the upsell item.

The prices on the Hard Drives are horrendous. I can understand more expensive than a standard one, but I think they have gone a little too far here.

I live in New Zealand, and its too damn hard to find a game server with a playable 'ping rate' in this country. This may not be the fault of MS, but regardless it is not worth paying over $100 to game for a year when over half the games I want to play (Car Racing) are unplayable. I thought I was damn good at them until I found myself driving into walls with no warning, then the real reason became clear. I can understand paying for the match making deelies and whatnot, but for us casual gamers I really think this should be free. Maybe a time restriction on those with a Silver Membership could add to the incentive, or an elite number of servers that are only accessible to those with a gold membership, but I think something free needs to be done. What about a total of five multiplay games per month or some such?

Anywhoo, while this is the same list that has been seen before, debate never dies; and neither, apparently, do these issues.

[kimnkk]

i didn't know that anyone was really using AA for the 360 controllers, i mean the rechargeable battery backs are cheap (cheaper than regular AAs or even rechargeables with the charger) and recharge fast, heck you can even use the play and charge and not even have to stop playing if your charge runs out.
amen - just more sensationalism for marketing and PR for gamepro...

Because AA batteries are so much better. Get a decent charger (>$80) and a decent set of batteries and you'll be much better off than a plug and play kit. Not to mention you can use the AA batteries in other devices.

[bucko]

This is stupid not even going to read the full article no one can make the perfect console it's called competition you gamepro fools or should I say gamenoobs.

[zequal]

btw. "Overpriced hard drives", if they think it's too expensive, DIY. I guess they haven't checked teh interwebs either, since you can get a new 20Gb HDD for the "real" retail price when you buy a new one that someone got when they sent their Xbox 360 for repairs. Let's just say that there are a lot of those floating around.

well it's a difference between used HDDs and not used HDDs. this is about new HDDs being overpriced, not used HDDs being priced as "the real marketprice"

[BasicAir]

I'm glad so far that everyone agrees with me on the WiFi. I would never use WiFi with my 360 unless I literally had no other option. I love having the cat5 network cable over WiFi so much so, that, I spent an entire weekend a few years ago putting it through my walls, behind my trim, etc. to have it hidden and always connected to the back of my 360.

As others have said, WiFi isn't that bad if you want to do anything other than play online. If you want to browse the marketplace, or download items from the marketplace or arcade, then fine -- WiFi is good. But for actual playing, stick with a wired connection.

All that said, however, if MS could implement WiFi on the 360 without any increase in price, then go ahead and do it. I still wouldn't use it, though.

[newf]

I agree with some of the things they mentioned for each system BUT...

The batteries are the one thing MS did right. Giving US the ability and choice to use AA's or go with their own battery pack. I don't want to be forced into a built in battery pack that will eventually die and render a stick useless, I don't want to be forced into paying outragous amount of money for a propritory battery pack either.

As for Wireless. Yeah, should have been included when you look at the competition, but it's only useful for some minor web connectivity, sharing music maybe and that's it. I had wireless throughout the Xbox 1 era, and I hated it. My 360 is wired, and I'm never going back. Not to mention wired is so much cheaper, yet alone faster, secure and more reliable.

I would have preferred a few things over their list any day.

1. More reliable systems. Meaning better cooling, dvd rom drives that don't have either the laser, motor, or controller die...pathetic.

2. Paint them all black already. White sucks, stop trying to copy Apple.

3. Media Support. Xvid, Divx etc

4. Better mp3 listings, foder tree's etc.

5. Better external storage support

6. Better media player without any need for MCE at all.

And the list goes on... All stuff easily fixed really. Sure they've touched on a few of these things, but their solutions have been weak at best

This post has been edited by newf: Oct 31 2007, 01:52 PM

[Reaper527]

2. Paint them all black already. White sucks, stop trying to copy Apple.

its irony in a way. you would be amazed how many people painted their xbox1 white. now that the 360 is white, everyone wants it in black. no matter what color they make the system, they can't please everyone, i think having two color options was their best bet.

[RichMR2]

I dont want wifi in my elite, I would rather stick with wired. Find me a wireless router which doesn't keep dropping the signal and maybe I will change my mind on that but currently, wifi lasts about 30 mins on a good day then drops out, when it is there it is running very slow... tried many different routers too, it always does the same thing.

The d-pad, while I hardly use it it isn't bad when I do. Nit picking at it's best surely?

Pay for live, I have no problems paying £40 for 12 months (or £35 for 13 months as I just paid) of live, that's 11p per day! Not bad at all.

HDDs, fair point but MS get away with it because we pay it. It's good business and it seems to work.

Hardware faults, had 1 issue since getting my 360. Disc drive went. MS fixed it and it was back with me within the week!! No heat probs here and it is crammed in a tiny space too!

Batteries, much better than 1) wired and 2) being forced to use a special pack. The problems I have had with my PSP's battery, and that isn't cheap every time it dies (3 so far!)

Most I would not call flaws or faults, just petty nit picking when trying to find problems. I guess the good thing is that if the d-pad or wifi is one of the major problems then it can't be a bad console overall.

[1nsan3]

lets sum this all up for ya:

Microsoft has a TIGHT FUCKING ASSHOLE! bill gates is a money hungry faggit, and he doesnt give a flying shit about any consumer as long as there forking over cash for his junk.

its a huge NO WONDER Y his shit gets modified all the time. If he would meet the consumers demands, ( maybe not every one of them ) but atleast more freely for us as to what we can do with the system, play any video/audio, make it more for us to customize this thing.. etc etc...

oh well he fucks us i fuck him.

[steveju]

well it's a difference between used HDDs and not used HDDs. this is about new HDDs being overpriced, not used HDDs being priced as "the real marketprice"

I meant that people are getting completely new HDDs with their repaired Xbox 360s and so the "used" HDDs sold online are indeed quite new. How new are the drives supposed to be so that they can be claimed new? Those things even have warranty (in EU) when you buy them off someone, so there's really no point buying it from a store.

I'm not going to stop you if you want to pay too much for it, I'm just saying you don't have to pay that much for a brand new HDD.

[XNOWN]

Yes I do agree with GP, 120 gig for almost $200.00 bucks COME ON MS.
And online gaming should be free. YES MS need to stop nickel-and-diming gamers.
and the Arcade version of the Xbox360 didn't even come with the headset/microphone.