like do you buy it at launch, close to the end of its life, 1 year after etc.

for me i cant get it at launch, cause im not old enouigh to camp outside, but im planning to when the ps4 comes out. i think camping outside to get a console is really dumb, because your spending top dollars for it, when it usually has no games, when you could get it for 100 bucks cheaper 1 year later ( i bought a 360 in july 07, to find out two weeks later it got a 100$ price reduction .oh the pain)

also i find it ridiculous that the people who camped outside to buy tehre ps3's at launch, are complaining now because the price is cheap now. like its not sonys fault u waited stupidly for 3 weeks and burned 750 bucks.

i usually get my consoles 1-2 years after its launch. 

Ps3 I got immediately after the 1st $100 price drop. As for my Ps2 and other Past systems I honestly have no clue, I didnt follow release dates for games &systems until recently >_>

Depends on my financial situation and what games are out... also depends on what other systems and games I already have...

I buy my consoles right after breakfast.. I usually grab a coffee, walk over to EbGames and then purchase whatever console in on the shelf

Whe I really want a game that is actually out.

wow gebx thats good money management

The one most appealing to me at launch. The others whenever I get extra $.

Lets see, I guess whenever I have the urge and the price is right. I don't follow any predetermined set period of time that I'll wait to get a system, and I'll never camp out on launch to get one as I have plenty of other things to do.

Anyways, Here is when I got most of my consoles.

NES - gift for my 5th birthday after I ate Nintendo System Cereal and told my parents I want one.

SNES - Gift for Christmas the second Christmas it was on the market.

Genesis - Gift for my birthday, I think after it had been on the market for 2 full years.

N64 - Worked all sumer to buy one, only to find they were all sold out shortly after launch. Luckily, my parents decided that since we worked so hard over the summer they found one for us for Christmas.

GC - Bought shortly after launch with my 2 brothers.

PS2 - After DDR came out and my friend brought over Burnout 2 for the GC and I fell in love with it and I saw that Burnout 3 was out.

Wii - Bought one in late January 07.

EDIT: forgot the PS2 

I like to buy them after having lunch on a Saturday afternoon. That way I can enjoy a nice evening of playing the games. Plus, having had a good lunch just feels right when buying a console.

I was given my PS1 (without asking) 6 months before the PS2's launch, I got my PS2 at launch (though it didn't come till a few months after launch), apart from game boys, I have got every console since at launch, although I plan to get a 360 soon, but that is the first time I have had two consoles of the same generation