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In these troubled times ⁽¹⁾, video games – specifically, consoles – are supposedly the stocking stuffers of choice this winter. The theory goes that money that would have gone to vacations and gasoline are instead funneling into the more mundane home entertainment sector; that is, people are looking to buy new TVs and things gadgets that hook up to ‘em.

Of course, It helps that HDTV prices have followed the stock market’s lead, and the season of excessive shopping starts with everybody’s favorite overcrowded sale-fest, the soon-to-be epic Black Friday. Since I’ve had a few friends ask me about TV’s and consoles recently, I figure I should write a console purchasing guide, for those who are confused and intimidated by the machines lined up in the store.

I was going to do one big post, but realized there was so much to put down that I split the original into three big posts.

And for those who don’t like reading (spoilers!) – the final, conclusive recommendation for a console this winter is…It depends.

XBox 360

We’ll start out w/ the Xbox 360,  Microsoft’s beast of a machine best known for its distinctive purr, giant power brick, and fatal Red Rings of Death. Points to consider:

• The 360 was the first console to come out, and has great developer support. By no incident it has the most games and the largest variety, from shooters to RPG’s to racers to sports games.
• Beyond boxed games, the 360 boasts XBox Live Arcade, a large collection of smaller, simpler games available for download for $5-$20. The library is made of mostly retro titles and ported Flash games, but has a few really good original games as well.
• The “Red Rings of Death” refers to an error code shown on the front of the 360 when it fails. It was a real problem a year or two ago when a huge number of machines failed, but failures have supposedly gone down with hardware revisions. Microsoft offers a three-year warranty specifically for this issue.
• The 360 features a well-integrated online component, resulting in a very active community. To play against other people online you’ll need to pay for the Live Gold service, which is about $50/year. (the free Silver membership lets you do everything else online)
• Microsoft sells movies and TV shows in its Marketplace. Bought media is downloaded to your hard drive. Alternatively, the 360 can stream videos and music from a PC, or integrate directly with Windows Media Center.
• Netflix also offers streaming video to your 360, free of charge, with a Netflix subscription and Live Gold membership.
• Microsoft just released a new (and much slicker) interface, complete with characters called “avatars“.
• There are three models of the console out currently: a $199 Arcade version (w/ a 512MB memory card), a $299 Pro version (60GB hard drive), and a $399 Elite version (120GB hard drive, black paint job). MS is currently running a deal for Arcade owners to get a 20GB refurb hard drive for $30; they normally cost $100.
• 360 wireless controllers take AA batteries; battery packs, charging cables, and a wifi adapter are separate accessories. The system does come with standard Ethernet and HDMI ports, as well as a standard headset for online games and chat.

The Xbox 360 has been and continues to be a gamer’s machine. It has the essentials for playing games, a good library of movies and shows, great network and PC integration, and the best integrated online service. It’s also the cheapest (with the $199 Arcade pack) and supports HD content in games and video. The downside is really just the hidden costs: overpriced accessories, paid online play, and a heavy emphasis for downloadable content (e.g., add-ons for games you’ve purchased, exclusive themes, etc.)

Get the 360 if:

1. You enjoy games, online and off
2. You’d like to do a bit of HD-video watching, whether streaming from Netflix, your PC, or online
3. You don’t mind paying for additional features and content down the road

1. drinking game: a shot every time you hear or read these words within the next year; idea courtesy of Buzz Out Loud (↩)