My Xbox 360 Review 6 months later...

[kn]

TheBigFatJ said:

1)Those 'fixes' aren't 'fixes', they're bandaids. People still get failures with them with depressing frequency.

2)Additionally, Microsoft only offers a 3 year warranty for the RROD failure mode. Had your DVD-rom failed after 1 year (which is very common), you'd have been out of luck and Microsoft would have refused to help you unless you payed them over $100. Fact.

3)To give you an idea of how long it might take vs the competition, Sony and Nintendo will have you up and running within a week almost all of the time whereas with Microsoft you'll be reasonably fortunate to have your repaired Xbox 360 within a month from the phone call to the arrival. I'd even say you're somewhat fortunate if they send you a coffin on the first request. It's beyond outrageous. Further, a lot of people are reporting getting a refurb that fails within weeks and have to wait *another* month to get a fresh refurb.

Ok, I'll bite.

1) The are indeed significant fixes.  Please provide some reliable data about failure rates of the newer hardware other than anecdotal "yeah, but teh 360 suxxorz and itz teh red ringz".

2) Yep, the 3 year warranty is only for RROD.  But I have an extended warranty that takes the entire console out to 3 years and not just RROD.  Even if I hadn't, the rest is a 1 year warranty.  Same as Sony.  Same as Nintendo.  If anything on a Sony or Nintendo unit fails after a year, they will charge you to fix it.  FACT as you say.  Also, you do know that Microsoft has changed DVD suppliers, don't you?  A little company called Lite-on?  They just happen to be a pretty reputable company...

3)I know all about being back up and running within a week because my Wii also failed and, imagine this, it was ALSO the DVD drive.  I did an "advanced exchange" which sadly, isn't an option for Microsoft.  Kudos to Nintendo for doing it.  I don't know anything about Sony's warranty as I've not had to use it.  When my first two PS2s died, they were out of warranty (both DVD failures) and I tossed them and bought a new one both times.  My 3rd one is my current one and still works like a champ.   My return process with my 360 was actually pretty quick and painless.  Since it was a DVD drive I was still playing arcade and demos while waiting for my "coffin".  I shipped it to MS and they had it back to me within 2 weeks or so.  All in all the process took 3 weeks from the time I called Microsoft until the time I was playing again.

Lastly, I would encourage you to reread my post.  I said I wouldn't rate it as high if it didn't have an extended warranty and I most certainly wouldn't.  But, it does, in fact, have an extended warranty and I got a brand new console pretty darn quick.

Regardless, you clearly don't like the 360.  Fine.  I do and you can't change that.  This is my review.  My opinion and yeah, maybe you think it sucks but I'll get over it.  :)