Trying to decide between a Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation, or Microsoft Xbox360 for a gift this upcoming holiday season...or for yourself?
Besides just the obvious differences in graphics and games, it turns out the machines are also quite different when it comes to the chance of them breaking down.
Surprising Failure Rates
Everyone has a favorite...whether its a
Wii...
PlayStation... Or
Xbox.But own a certain one, and you have a much better chance of having it freeze up, according to a survey of 5,000 gamers by
Game Informer magazine.
The survey (available by subscription only, not line) found:
- The Xbox 360 has a 54.2% failure rate, meaning half will lock up at some point.
- Sony's PS3 has just a 10.6% failure rate.
- The Nintendo Wii has a very low 6.8% failure rate.
My advice? Dont panic if you own an Xbox360: Microsoft is now backing the xbox with a $1 billion, 3 year extended warranty.
Doesn't that Stink?But from the Doesn't that Stink files...The fact that Microsoft admits the Xbox is trouble prone.
The company does not deny the survey's finding that as many as half of Xbox players have had their machines freeze up with a red ring on the control panel.
Indeed the Xbox 360 is the only game console famous for a common failure ....known worldwide as the
"red ring of death." However, just because a video game system has reports of failures... that doesn't mean you should avoid buying it. Microsoft has set up an excellent extended warranty for its system. Everything fails over time, including TV's, DVD players, and digital cameras.
But this is still good information to know, so you don't waste your money. Im John Matarese.
