And no I reckon the most reliable models are arcades and even more so pro's bought from stores.

Elite looks best imo ... if it doesnt has a built in RROD :P ( jk ) .

I still think an Arcade would suit my needs - for a long time anyway. Its not like I have that much more time for gaming anyway - still plenty of Wii games to play ;)

But - if I can find a Pro for a good price, or from a friend - I'll definitely consider it.

Might even see if I can do an extended loan of a 360 for a while.

...

So you at UNSW hey? What you studying? I used to hang out at the Undercroft - played a solid 4 years of 500 (cards) there while completing my degree ;) 

Haha, Im doing Social Science and Economics, so not as technical as Electrical Engineering, but it gets me by. Seen the uni lately? They are moving everything around, new buildings going up everywhere, its awesome.

The Halo model 360 looks the best IMO. It has been redesigned and the cooling fan system within the console, minimizes console failure rate and it has a new chip in it that uses less power. Heaps of second hand games available now for the X360 and there are some amazing new exclusives on the way include: Fable 2, Alan Wake, Ninja Gaiden 2, Gears of War 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, Mass effect 2, exclusive content for GTA IV.

Wow, you just gave the most direct company tagline I've ever seen on VGChartz. Gratz.

I suggest the xbox 360 elite, simply because of the harddrive space, and I think it still comes bundled with 2 games.

Anyhow, great choice, the Xbox 360 has the best titles of the 3 top consoles so far this generation.

Tempted by the Arcade model now actually - just read this:

"Two weeks later, on the 15th of November, the Xbox 360 Arcade Console will hit Australian stores, which is similar in form to the Core pack it replaces. It's still sorely lacking a hard drive, but now includes five arcade games, a wireless controller and a 256MB memory card. The five games included are Pac-Man Championship Edition, UNO, Luxor, Boom Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy. The Arcade bundle sells for the same recommended retail price of the Core, at AU$399.95.

We contacted Microsoft's PR agency to see if the new bundles would include the snazzy new HDMI-enabled 360s, and the news is all good - both packs have the newest 360s with a HDMI port. Neither comes with a HDMI cable though, with the Pro including a component cable while the Arcade includes a low-res composite cable. Still, it's great to see that HDMI is now included on every new 360 sold in Australia."

...

I have a HDMI cable - and I just want a wireless controller. The arcade model has both - sweet! I can always get a hard disk later

@starcraft: Yeah, I'm sure it changed heaps. I don't think I have been back since I graduated - back in '96... even then it was changing massively. Economics is pretty cool, dabbled in that and always enjoyed it!

...

No issues with games - heaps I want to at least see and a few I really want to play. I guess Wii60 covers most of the bases I really care about :) 

(I think its bedtime for me now - thanks again for all the comments everyone. Been watching Ferris Buellers Day Off in the background - its finished, so its sleepy bo-bo time...)

*nods*

@ Shams

The arcade is the best value. You can buy an HDD off eBay cheap and you get a memory card in the meantime. For me, I bought a premium and have enjoyed it. However, I know the 360s aren't the most reliable things on the market, and I would probably end up buying an arcade one if it went out on me. I have a 20gb HD and can swap it over to the arcade with NP.

The best price point is the arcade. You can upgrade to a bigger HD later. And buy new - the warranty alone is worth it.

PM me your LIVE gamer tag when you buy it!