I don't have broadband internet and won't be getting it until sometime in the middle to late summer.

I plan on keeping my original XBox since backwards compatibility is still far from complete.
The games I would get first would be:

Oblivion (the original, not GOTY, because I can get it used for $10-$15)
Assassins Creed
Rock Band
Dead Rising
The Orange Box


To my knowledge none of those require installing anything on the hard drive, so I'd be fine with game saves on the memory packs.

I also know to look for a console with the Falcon chipset, which you can tell on the box by the voltage listing.

Should I go ahead and get the Arcade version and then when I finally get broadband, buy the 120gig HD and sign up for Live?

Or should I just wait until the summer and buy the Pro bundle? (I don't really want it now because I don't want Forza or Marvel UA).

Get the pro, those memory cards will fill up fast, and that 120GB hard drive will end up costing you way more than if you just got a pro or Elite in the first place.

I'd get a pro. It's worth the price difference.

You'll get the hard drive and the component cables. If you don't want the games trade them somewhere.


Here's the differences in the SKU's:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/compare101.htm

I'm also thinking of getting a 360. But I'm a little concerned with all the reports of broken systems and having to send it back.

So wouldn't it be better to get an Arcade with the 120GB HD add-on? Then if there's ever a problem and I have to return the 360, I'd keep the hard drive with all my downloads and game saves.

You'd keep the HD anyway... AFAIK Microsoft wants just the bare box sent to them for service.

It sounds like the bundled Pro and Elite systems are drying up--the longer you wait, the tougher it may be to find one with the games packed in.

If you really don't care about the packed in games that come with the Pro, and you have no immediate need for a HDD (especially with not having internet hocked up), then I think the Arcade is a good deal. You also have the option then of purchasing a cheaper 2nd hand 20G drive down the road, and maybe saving some dollars there.

If you can wait, go ahead and wait. More than likely there will be another price drop announced at the E3 in May.

I agree with PerryD, if you can wait, do that. If you can't wait still get a pro because the Arcade/Core system is a terrible deal no matter how you look at it.

Get both! When one bricks (and it will), you can use the other one while the broken one's getting fixed. Then that'll break and you'll have one standing by, and on and on and...

Did they move E3 back to May? That's a long time to wait for a system. Buy one and enjoy it.

I would go ahead and get a Pro.

Why are the Pros so hard to find? Microsoft must have had a good Christmas.

Go to Toys R Us. When I finally caved in and purchased mine there was one at Target (that was opened and returned those bastards) and none at Best Buy or Gamestop. However I walked into Toys R Us and they had like 20 or so behind the counter.