Xbox 360 Users: Reliability Impressions?

[Maclarny]

My Xbox 360 broke down yesterday. It started freezing on FIFA 07 and College Hoops 2k7 where it had run them flawlessly before. Also got the red circle of death a few times. Froze on the load up screen a few times. Seemed to run GOW and Virtua Tennis fine but froze a lot otherwise. I called customer service the same day and am sending it in for repairs. I've had the console since December and it had never had these symptoms before.

360 Users, please tell me that my experience isn't the norm! I'd like to hear from all of you who own an Xbox 360 about your impressions of its reliability, good or bad.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I got my girlfriend an Xbox 360 for her birthday in February last year – we experienced the freezing problems after a while, the red circle of death as you describe it too. In the end we sent it off for repair under the manufacturers warranty – inspection of the serial numbers shows we actually got sent a brand new machine. We got it back just after Christmas and haven't had any issues with freezing or anything, it's run perfectly since – in fact, it's a lot quieter too in terms of the fans and CD drive.

So we've had two machines, each different in terms of reliability. Hopefully once you yours back from repair you'll end up with a reliable unit. Fingers crossed and all that.

 

[Foxglove9]

Just about everyone I know who has a 360 has had to get it repaired at some point. That's at least a dozen friends. Just recently one friend had his just 2 months and he already had to send it out for replacement (the red light issue). I don't personally know anyone who hasn't had to get it fixed.

However, I had mine since December and it has been working for me. It does crash sometimes during games (usually the "dirty disc" message), so maybe that's a warning sign for me. Also I don't play a whole lot so maybe that could extend its life too.

 

[magicjames92]

I bought a 360 in march 06(?) and havent had any problems. i love my 360.

 

[x Shadow Dragon]

i got mine in august and i only got te red lights once, it was thunderstorming but i just got oblivion so i played and the power went out and i got the three red lights but it still worked i never had to send it back

 

[risc]

4 of my mates and I bought 360s at launch, all of theirs failed and had to be replaced. Mine worked fine until they day I sold it (it is still working now).

 

[applekid]

Well, I bought mine yesterday, and I think it's working great at the moment.

Cheeky comment aside, I recommend getting an extended warranty if it's affordable. The Target one I got last night was a mere $29 for 3 years. Well worth it, I think.

 

[0098386]

Ours broke. All my friends 360s have broke.
I'm fixing a semi-Ring of death 360 at the moment... I'd hate to put all this effort in just to have it break on me

 

[johnmartin78]

My 360 just broke down today as a matter of fact.I was pretty pissed about it being only 4 months old.However I must say,I was pretty impressed with the costumer service when I called.They are replacing it.I still think the thing is a giant hunk of trash though.So many people having problems with them.Too bad I've invested so much on the games.

 

[slick316]

I have a launch day system, and it hasn't skipped a beat yet (knock on wood).

I want a new one, but with my 360 still working, while seeing countless reports that people have bricked/broken 360's, I kind of want to keep mine

I guess its the luck of the draw, some break, some don't, and mine don't

BTW, my main complaint with my 360 is the DVD drive, its loud, very loud! I drown out the noise while gaming, but its still there, noticeably.

 

[Foxglove9]

I want a new one,

If it still works why do you want a new one? Because of the newer fans?

So what are you doing different than others that it has lasted so long? Any special ventilation, perhaps you use it horizontally rather than vertically?

 

[Kosh66]

I bought mine about 2 months ago. After buying it I found out it's apparently the norm for it to break down. After hearing this I phoned Microsoft customer service about the extended warrantee and purchased it for a little over $50 CDN. A little peace of mind, although if you asked me, Microsoft knows there is an issue with it and should replace it free of charge within the first 5 years. A gaming system shouldn't break down within a year.

 

[polishmacuser]

i love my 360 never had problems with it even though my dad by mistake unplugged in from the power while on but it was alright. And I got it in December.

 

[mrkamputee]

Got a system on launch. Died after two months with those cheery red lights. Got a replacement with no questions and it's run without any real problems since, though when I had Gears Of War it did crash a few times at specific points in the game.

 

[millsy]

I've had my xbox 360 since thanksgiving of 06 and i havent had any problems. the only game it has ever freezed on is Rainbow Six: Vegas every now and then, but everything else has been just great.

I would however recommend getting an extended warranty now. I know Microsoft has extended the warranty to 1 yr after purchase, but i know i'll have this system to use for a long time after just 1 yr so get a good extended warranty.

People seem to forget that video game systems now are basically specially designed desktop computers and that with these thing there will be failure (more so than a Sega Genesis or even PS2)....but that does not get Microsoft off the hook for having such massive problems with failures throughout the first year and even now......

 

[0098386]

People seem to forget that video game systems now are basically specially designed desktop computers and that with these thing there will be failure (more so than a Sega Genesis or even PS2).

What? The 360 is the only video game machine we've ever owned that has broke down. One of our imported PS3s had a problem with the power adapter (fixed by a standard electrician). The Wii has no problem, the Xbox has no problems, the PS1 and 2 needed replacement lasers but even a hamster could replace them.

It's not "People forget", it's "MS has ****** hardware quality".

My Amiga was one of the first computers disguised as a console, after 15years all them graphics cards, memory chips, hard drives etc haven't packed in yet.

 

[Mackilroy]

I got my Xbox 360 January 1, 2006, and haven't had a single problem with it. No red lights, nothing. It's awesome.

 

[2nyRiggz]

Well I'm still waiting on my replacement 360...which I know won't be my original model. I played the 360 only on weekends for short periods of time but yet it still died on me.

I had the thing ventilated well....matter of fact I seperated it from all of my consoles(it had a stand for itself) and it still choked. Its a well known issue with the 360 but this is something we have to deal with...yes it sucks.


Now I'm waiting on two consoles to come in from repair...Wii(graphic card melted ) and the infamous 360.



Bless

 

[zelmo]

I got my 360 in July or August of 2006. I was scared away for a while by all the h/w horror stories right after launch. Other than occasionally having problems getting a disk to read [usually opening/closing the tray is sufficient], it has worked fine. Noisy, but fine.

 

[wwooden]

I got my Xbox 360 January 1, 2006, and haven't had a single problem with it. No red lights, nothing. It's awesome.

Same here, got mine on Jan. 7th 2006 and no problems yet. Only had a red light once because I didn't seat the video/audio plug in all the way. I've had it freeze probably once in the year and a half.

My disc drive does make a clunky sound as it opens and closes but doesn't seem to affect performance at all.

 

[MRU]

I have two.

1 360 from launch Dec 2005 - no problems
1 360 from Jan 2007 - no problems

 

[DarkNetworks]

So far apart form the Dirty Disc Errors (Fifa 07') and random freeze during Fifa 07' it has been working well so far. Btw, is it possible to get a replacement if my 360 drive is scratching discs? I bought a DVD yesterday and after watching it from my 360, I noticed that the disc came out scratched. I went back and checked, almost all my games discs have scratches as well.

 

[0098386]

So far apart form the Dirty Disc Errors (Fifa 07') and random freeze during Fifa 07' it has been working well so far. Btw, is it possible to get a replacement if my 360 drive is scratching discs? I bought a DVD yesterday and after watching it from my 360, I noticed that the disc came out scratched. I went back and checked, almost all my games discs have scratches as well.

I believe some European standards agency is looking into it as we speak. Microsoft are to make an announcement regarding this problem in under a week and whether or not you can claim and get a replacement 360.

 

[coffey7]

I use mine everyday and even use it for movies and its fine. Not a single problem. I have had it since 4 months after release. Mine also is not loud at all.

 

[coffey7]

What? The 360 is the only video game machine we've ever owned that has broke down. One of our imported PS3s had a problem with the power adapter (fixed by a standard electrician). The Wii has no problem, the Xbox has no problems, the PS1 and 2 needed replacement lasers but even a hamster could replace them.

It's not "People forget", it's "MS has ****** hardware quality".

My Amiga was one of the first computers disguised as a console, after 15years all them graphics cards, memory chips, hard drives etc haven't packed in yet.

Every video game store I have have ever been in had wall to wall broken Ps2's. Those same game stores did not have even close to the same problems with the cube or original xbox. With the PS2 you needed to buy 2 so when one was in the shop you had a spare. The xbox was sealed so the dust would not just blow right through.