Product ReviewsMicrosoft Xbox 360 Elite 120GB Console - Black

Nice bang for the buck

This was pretty easy to set up, not having even used an XBox before. I just needed an HDMI cable and an Ethernet cable. Lots of those sitting around.

I actually bought this for my grandson, but I find I am using the Xbox for other than games. It is a convenient media viewer, as my regular DVD players won't play some of the file types that given to me to view.

The graphics are very good on my 55" Panasonic plasma if I remember to switch the TV to "Game" mode. Games? There is a local used game store that has any game my grandson or I would like to play, at a very reasonable price.

Am I pleased that I bought this? Darn right I am. I can't be a boring grandfather for my grandkids. Well, I can, but the XBox i bought makes me a lot less boring!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: alltechwholesale

Almost... all is good

The Kinect camera cannot connect to the XBox-360.
The system marks an Internet connection error when connecting the cable to XBox-360
A wireless control, when playing, is disconnected in more than one occasion during the game sessions.
But, everything else is fine, the images, game speed, games, except those that use the Kinnect camera, I have not tried, /
  It did not come with the Kinnect camera connection cableRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: bigpodogg718

Awesome Console, Awesome Experience...

The Xbox 360 Elite 120GB Black Console is a great buy if you are looking for a great gaming experience.

The black consoles were a replacement for the white consoles which seemed to have overheating issues that would cause the console to "red ring" (the power button on the console would have red lights rather than the default green lights) and no longer function.

The console uses an external hard drive which can be easily upgraded from 120GB to either 250GB or 320GB and is mounted on the top of the console. Slots for USB accessories are available as are slots for standard A/V cables, Component cables, and many have HDMI cable compatibility. The console uses a standard wireless Xbox 360 controller and supports up to 4 controllers at a time.

Multiplayer gaming over the internet via an Xbox Live account(separate purchase)is definitely a plus allowing the player to play games with friends and family members not at the same location. Multiple Xbox Live accounts per console is also allowed.

Compared to the newer 360S(slim model), the Elite console lacks certain features such as built in wireless connectivity and internal hard drive support. The Elite is only slightly larger is physical size than the slim model.

Overall, the Elite is a great selection for those wishing to get started with 360 while having the ability to store saved games as well as being able to install the games onto the hard drive. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not installed the ability to play the games without the game CD in the tray making the installed game only slightly better than just playing the game straight from the game CD itself.

IRead full review...

XBOX 360 Elite is great if you want to run HDD space

This review is to review the focuses differences that are not on a "standard" XBOX 360 and the Elite, and rate the system as a new purchase, not an upgrade or replacement to your current XBOX 360, but overall.

When the Elite was first announced, the biggest thing that made this different than the other two versions: the HDMI output. Now, after the new XBOX 360 price drop announcement and hardware update, the only difference between the Elite and the Premium is the 120GB Hard Drive and included HDMI cable.

Almost everything about the Xbox 360 in white stands true for the Elite: It theoretically doesn't run cooler, or quieter, or faster, and you've already know that it is black. The Elites should have the added heat sink for realiability, but all models should be receiving that soon.

Don't let the black paint job distract you; the only thing you need to ask is if it improves the video quality and after many reviews and hours using this machine, the XBox Elite's HDMI output is the pretty darn good, and the 120GB hard drive upgrade is nice for all that downloadable content that you have been picking up on th market place.

Should you buy it?

Gamers who have an Xbox 360? No!

Videophiles looking for an HD DVD player? No!

Videophiles looking to get into the Xbox Live video marketplace? Yes, but know that this thing is still loud and you can now get HDMI in the newly manufactured XBOX Premiums.

Guys like me who are gamers and video geeks? Ya, this is for you. The fact that all that video and audio is being piped through a single HDMI cable is a bonus. I swear it's a touch cooler and quieter, and I could want it to be such, but reports say it is not.

When running the HD DVD player, using Tokyo Drift and the newly minted HQV Silicon Optics test disc—the rigorous test disc benchmarks showed the same flaws on both the HDMI and Component outputs. Jaggies That means the video processor between the older and newer Xbox is likely identical, or of identical quality. That's the processor, though. This isn't a high-end HD DVD player. As for the outputs and what I saw with my own eyes and confirmed with my camera. The HDMI's slightly better shadow detail showed itself. That detail might be lost on a lesser TV or the untrained eye. But remember that the component cables are limited to 1080i. So HDMI wins at full 1080p with no compromises, but with VGA cables you have a draw.

Playing games, Command and Conquer and Virtua Tennis yielded no differences between the 1080p signals of all three cables—except the strange washed out colors that the VGA cables sometimes show (GRAW and Gears of War, for starters). The HDMI again has that shadow detail boost that comes up over and over again. HDMI wins for a better picture, even though all cables do the 1080p dance with games.

Final Verdict:

It runs HDMI 1.2 (not 1.3 - the newest version), only runs 5.1 Dolby still (no 7.1 yet), and only has the bonus of the larger hard drive, and sleek styling. The 360 Elite is worth getting if you are just now entering the high definition video game market and need the extra hard drive space for all your goodies - if not,then save yourself $100 and get the newly updated Premium with HDMI, packaged with a game bundle (if you can find them) and game on.Read full review...

XBOX - If ya like vidja games

If ya like vidja gamez, better graphics and more titles than other systems. Have had a Wii for a few years, but haven't been impressed by the available games. Wanted to get an Xbox in Nov 2010 but I didn't want a 4GB hdd that's in newer slim models as it won't store much at all and didn't want to pay for the 250GB slim model. Decided to go with the used, slightly older model in order to save money and get the features I wanted (all Xbox models play the same games right? Why pay more?). Odd that it doesn't have Wireless built-in (the slim models do, but Wiis have had it since inception years ago), but running an Ethernet cable isn't a big deal. Works well with Windows Media Center to stream music/videos from other computers on local network. Only came with HDMI cable, so I had to buy a composite adapter for about $15, not a big deal, guess that tells me it's time to get a new (HD) tv.

Bottom line, if you're looking to buy now, can't recommend the 4GB hdd in new slim models, but if you have the money and can afford the 250GB model, that's probably your best bet. Otherwise, I'd opt for an older model with at least 60GB of storage. And research before you buy so that you can get everything you want.Read full review...

XBOX 360 Elite Owner's Opinion

I bought the XBOX Elite because of the 120 gig hard drive, the HDMI interface, and because I liked the HD DVD capability. Due to my lack of research I found that unlike the Playstation 3 which I also own the XBOX does not play the HD DVD you have to buy another deck. That outs it right up there in price with the PS3. I could have bought a HD DVD player for less but the XBOX does so much more ie)MP3, photo displays, xbox line and it plays the games, everything as high as 1080p resolution if you have a HDTV. So the only dislike I have about it would be the need to go and buy another disc player to play the HDDVD. The PS3 plays BluRays right out of the box. I don't play games much but my son and grand son do and other people that visit the cost of both the PS3 and the XBOX 360 combined is comparable to the price of the new LG DVD player that plays both formats plus you get the games so that made this a more bang for the buck purchase for me. It is very user friendly, more so than PS3 and I really like the onscreen dashboard feature as a big part of that user friendly rating. The universal media remote is another great feature, it too is much better that the PS3. As for over all performance and the resolution on games the nod has to go to the PS3 but I am very pleased with both. I bought both on ebay and I did because they weren't available in this area except at exorbitant prices and I did better than retail on the XBOX369 which was new purchase and better than retail on a package deal for the PS3.

I like them both abd both purchases went very well through ebay.Read full review...

xbox 360 elite vs. xbox 360 vs. ps3

I bought my elite because it was new, i liked the black better than the white and none of my friends have the elite so they're all jealeous. It's only better than the white 360 because of the 120GB hard drive, so if you dont need that much memory, i would tape up the cover of your white one and just spray paint it black or something. It would probably be a better cool black anyway. Compared to the PS3, there's a big difference in my opinion. ps3 has blue ray; xbox 360-- dvd adaptor sold seperatly. 60GB vs. 120GB, but that only matters if you really ganna use that much memory. They both allow you to play online. both have wireless controllers... but ps3 has an internal power supply, and with less cables it looks alot cooler when you have it set up under your sony vega high deffinition tv. The XOBX 360 ELITE STILL OVER HEATS LIKE THE FIRST ONES. Microsoft obviously didn't attempt to work on that. I think the only problem with the ps3 is the game selection. there aren't very many.. yet. But then if your a halo fan, your screwed if you get the ps3 as halo 3 is coming out on the 360.

There's many things to consider about both, and your choice between the two depends a lot on what a play, and how much you want to spend.Read full review...

solid gaming system, be sure to account for accessories

solid system with great game library. The games are slightly tend to cater to American/Western taste, a lot of first person shooting and fighting games. The small library of RPG (types that I prefer) are all great titles as well.

The $99.99 wireless network attachment is a disappointment. ($20 bucks would net you a wireless card for PC) If you technically inclined you can try to set it up with a wireless access point that might be cheaper. Also unlike the PS3 which you can attach anything bluetooth (I tried many common BT headset intended for cellphones. and a Dell branded BT keyboard). You have to buy those separately with Xbox 360 (and use a USB keyboard). Those separate accessories can quickly add to the total cost of ownership. That said, I am not saying it's an overpriced system. You can always buy them on discount or used.

One last thing is that if you buy used, you should look for the newer designs that are less prone to heat damage. Look up Falcon or Jasper. They are the code names for a newer design that causes less heat, uses less power, and therefore less prone to failure. Jasper is currently the newest design and sought after on the second hand market. However I don't think Falcon is any bad either. The system I bought off ebay is a Falcon.Read full review...

alot of concerns, but but gennerally good system

the system is great ,although my gaming is slightly dismayed by the constant fear of overheating and the RROD but the lack of a hd ( or blue ray ) player the mandatory adapeter for aiduo with hdmi the sound decible level from the dvd drive and the fans and the lack of a full web browser from microsoft , i feel still make the ps3 a step above this system, but i do like the system , every console has its one pros and cons, i personally love the gamerscore feature on it and the ability to stream netflix with out a disk, i wish the store / game downloads would use a more silpmlified system , rather then some items use points some use money, also would like to see points purchased only for what is needed ( i wanna buy a game for 400 points i want to buy the 400 points not 800 points) , also without a hi def t.v. there are alot of games that i am not able to read the instruckions ( on screen ) clearly if at all,Read full review...

Microsoft XBox 360 Elite System - 120 GB Black

The system itself is excellent. Looked for months for an Xbox 360 for my son for Christmas. This one was very reasonable and was refurbished. Warranty for 30 days. System operates great and I love the wireless remotes. I bought the rechargable battery packs for both controllers so I never have to buy batteries again.

Runs the Xbox 360 games exceptional. Will run some plain Xbox games (not many). The extra hard drive is wonderful.

Only problem I have with the refurbished Xbox is that the unit does not allow the heat to escape from inside the unit. Very poor set up. I have a small fan blowing into the unit while it is use to keep the heat from building up. I have it in the upright position to allow free air flow.Read full review...

You have a HDMI get this! Better Value than Premium!

The Xbox 360 Elite currently now is a better value than the $399 Premium console.
The premium console has only a 20GB Hard drive and Component cables, which makes
them incompatible to produce the best HD a.k.a. 1080p if you have a TV 46 Inches
or larger. The Hard Drive alone costs $200.Other than that it is pretty much has
the same specs as the premium 360, with a premium finish and wireless controller.
If you have a Standard TV, don't get this, as this only comes with HDMI cable, a
cable suitable only with certain HDTV's.
If you're still thinking getting this or PS3, here are the total values for optimal experience for both:
360 Elite:$479+$50 Xbox Live+$100 Wireless(if you're modem is not close to your 360 you need this)+$190 HD-DVD Drive(OPTIONAL, don't get fooled by others
saying the console have this drive!)
PS3 60gb:$600+$70-$150 for an upgradeable hard drive(optional)
If you missed out on this console, don't be sad, because Microsoft has announced
to make the Elite a standard, meaning these will replace the premiums that most of 360 owners have with the same price($479), same 120gb Hard Drive, white
color by the fall.Overall this is better value than premium and as of this review written, the prices on eBay are not as crazy as PS3's.Read full review...

Xbox 360 Elite Review

The good: Excellent selection of games, including many 360-only exclusives; all games are in native high-definition; user-friendly Dashboard interface; supports wireless controllers and accessories; Xbox Live service offers online multiplayer (with matchmaking and voice chat) and content downloads for most games; backward compatible with many--but not all--original Xbox titles; doubles as a superior digital media hub and Windows Media extender; online Marketplace allows easy purchases of minigames, add-on gaming content, high-def movies, and TV shows.

The bad: The Elite fails to correct most of the annoyances of the original 360 version: the noisy DVD drive and cooling fan; a gigantic, oversize power supply; no built-in wireless networking; only three USB ports; a substandard DVD player; online gaming requires a paid subscription to Xbox Live; proprietary wireless format limits third-party accessories.

The bottom line: While it's neither a must-have upgrade for existing 360 owners nor as feature-packed as the PS3, the Xbox 360 Elite's combination of top-notch gaming and digital media features make it the current game console of choice.Read full review...