[Brogan]

I need some help in purchasing an Xbox and accessories.

The last console I owned was a PS2 several years ago and I know absolutely nothing about the Xbox or PS3.
What little I've read would seem to imply that PS3s are used mainly for DVD playback and as I'm looking for a pure games console then I presume the Xbox is the better choice?

What therefore should I be looking for?
Are there different processor speeds and hard drive capacities?
What standard accessories are included and what are considered the required upgrades?

I want to be able to connect it my HDMI switch so I can feed both plasma and projector.
Does the Xbox have an HDMI socket and is it HD and DD capable?
I vaguely remember reading something when they first came out that they weren't actually outputting HD without a mod' of some sort?

TIA

[Moogle]

Check the 360 FAQ. It should answer all your questions.

Frequently Asked Questions: Xbox 360 FAQ v7.0

Only the newest SKU called the 360 Elite comes with HDMI capability and wil be released Friday next week.

[Brogan]

Thanks for that.

After quickly reading through that it would seem that I need an Elite if I want HDMI connectivity.

As they're not out yet, I suppose I can expect to pay a premium or wait a few months until the frenzy has died down.

[Moogle]

Originally Posted by Brogan

Thanks for that.

After quickly reading through that it would seem that I need an Elite if I want HDMI connectivity.

As they're not out yet, I suppose I can expect to pay a premium or wait a few months until the frenzy has died down.

Like I said in my post above they are out on the 24th of this month which is next Friday. The price has not been confirmed but it seems like it will be £299.99 to £329.99. They should be readily available and you shouldn't need to pay anything above the MSRP.

Before making a decision you should probably look at the capabilities of both the 360 and the PS3 and their pros and cons as well as look at what kind of games you like to play. The 360 certainly has a better games catalogue as it's been out longer as well as being cheaper and having a far better online service all be it not free. In general it's not as reliable as the PS3 although the newer models have been revised internally to make them more stable. The PS3 also has it's strenghts and weaknesses.

[Brogan]

Originally Posted by Moogle

Like I said in my post above they are out on the 24th of this month which is next Friday. The price has not been confirmed but it seems like it will be £299.99 to £329.99. They should be readily available and you shouldn't need to pay anything above the MSRP.

Yes I saw your edit after I posted.
I'm surprised they will be available - it's normally impossible to get a console at launch unless you've pre-ordered.

Before making a decision you should probably look at the capabilities of both the 360 and the PS3 and their pros and cons as well as look at what kind of games you like to play. The 360 certainly has a better games catalogue as it's been out longer as well as being cheaper and having a far better online service all be it not free. In general it's not as reliable as the PS3 although the newer models have been revised internally to make them more stable. The PS3 also has it's strenghts and weaknesses.

I will also look into the PS3 but as I'm just after a pure games console and nothing else, it's the games catalogue that is of most importance.
I was aware of the reliability issues with the earlier Xbox but I would hope that this latest incarnation doesn't suffer from the same problems.
Then again, it is Microsoft...

Thanks for your input, I'll go and read the PS3 FAQ now.

[Moogle]

Originally Posted by Brogan

Yes I saw your edit after I posted.
I'm surprised they will be available - it's normally impossible to get a console at launch unless you've pre-ordered.

Well this is just a revision of an existing console and not a new console launch. Whilst it was in short supply initially in the US I don't think the same will be the case here.