Xbox 360 250GB Spring Value Bundle

I needed to replace one of my XBOX 360 S units and found this bundle on Amazon at a terrific price. The newer XBOX 360 E models have less connectivity options so the S models are still the ones to buy. The S has 5 USB ports, where the E has 4. The S was the last model to feature the "AV Connector". The E drops this port in favor of a separate HDMI port and composite (ugh) out port. The E also has no optical audio output. The E model hard drive is slightly easier to remove, although it is still only replaceable with official Microsoft replacements. The upcoming XBOX One will not be backwards compatable meaning it will not play any older games, a deal killer for me at least for the next 3-4 years as I have alot invested in XBOX 360 games and Rockband periphials. XBOX 360 WIFI works awesome, this bundle includes an extra controller which is a nice bonus as you can never have enough spares, trust me. I would recommend buying the rechargeable controller batteries as they seem to eat AA,s pretty fast. Kinect games are a good way to get a workout without investing in a bunch of equipment or gym memberships. Buying direct from Amazon has always worked out great for me with fast shipping and a no hassle return policy.

I purchased the Xbox 360 Slim to replace my Xbox 360 Elite. To put it simply, I am blown away by how much Microsoft has improved the console. Firstly, it is way, way, way more quiet than the Elite. The comparison I use is that of a motorcycle running (the Elite) versus a motorcycle turned off (the Slim). Even when you're playing a game, the sound of the disc spinning in the drive and the hard drive scanning are quieter. It is just so quiet that if the ring were not illuminated, you might not know it was powered on. Secondly, it is smaller than the original 360. Numbers wise, the difference my be small but visually the size difference is huge. Thirdly, it has a matte black finish like the Elite. I thought all Slims had glossy black finishes so I was surprised to see it has the same finish as my beloved Elite. Fourthly, the power brick is now smaller as well. Also, there is no bright orange/amber light when you turn off the device. Fifthly, Wi-Fi is included with the Slim. You do not need to purchase an over-priced Wi-Fi dongle from Microsoft to access Xbox Live via wireless. And lastly, the hard drive is huge. After transferring my data from the Elite, I still had over 100 Gigs of space left on the Slim. All in all, the Xbox 360 Slim is practically a different device than the original Xbox 360 and Elite from all the improvements. If you're looking to upgrade from an original 360 or Elite then this is the way to go. If you're waiting for the One then I suggest you hang on to your money till November 2013. NOTE - I was considering buying the similarly priced Xbox 360 E (the 360 that looks like the Xbox One) but decided against it after watching a review of it on Cnet.Com. In the review they showed the optical audio out was removed, that it is noisier than the Slim and a tad larger as well. In addition, this Spring Bundle comes with two games (one on disc, Darksliders 2, and one via download code, Arkham City) and the 360 E does not. UPDATE 9/28/13 - After using the Xbox 360 Slim for over a week, I have noticed a potential issue: this device runs hot. Like lap top battery hot, if not hotter. So, you need to make sure all the vents on the Xbox have a decent amount of space around them to create good circulation. Other than that, I've had no problems or complaints about the Xbox 360 Slim.

I don't know why I waited so long to buy one of these. Was debating between one of these and the dying Wii-U, and so glad I chose the xbox360 w/ Kinect instead. Played a Wii at a friends house, and the controller was so limiting --and difficult for our almost 4yr old son. The kinect, however, has been great. We use this almost exclusively for kinect games and exercise games (Kinect Sports, Adventures, Dance Central, Nickelodeon Dance, etc). My wife, son and I can enjoy family time and be very active at the same time. We live where it's very hot and there are lots of mosquitoes, so having this to stay active indoors is great. I'm the only one in the house using the Nike+ program, but I really like it. Tracking is great except for one exercise. I've been consistently using it for about 3 weeks, and I'm definitely already slimming down and getting more toned. Much cheaper than the Xbox One and with way more titles for the kinect. And although the 360 has been around for a number of years, they'll be releasing new titles for it for a few more years.