How-to buy an 360 with a limited budget?

[orimarc]

Hi, friends. I need your help. I am thinking about buying an Xbox 360 but I have a...rather limited budget.

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Data:

1) My initial budget is 250€ (350$), although the number may increase to 350€ (490$) or even 400€ (560$).
(That depends on someone else, so don't count much on it.)

2) I have a VGA monitor and router, but I can also use a TV if it's necessary.

3) I want to get: The console, Forza Motorsports 2, a Xbox Live! Gold subscription, connection to my VGA monitor and my router.

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My plan is:
Buying second-hand:
360 Core or Arcade, the Forza Motorsports 2 and VGA cable.
Buy new:
1-year Xbox Live! Gold subscription.

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My questions are:

A) To plug the 360 into my router, will I need to buy some cable or will it come with the console? What kind of cable?

B) Will I get all with my initial budget of 250€ (350$)?

 

[Perfect Balance]

You can get a new Xbox 360 for 200 bucks or so. If you can't buy a game and a few wires with 150 bucks you need to find another store.

 

[orimarc]

You can get a new Xbox 360 for 200 bucks or so. If you can't buy a game and a few wires with 150 bucks you need to find another store.

Yeah...but I haven't seen prices yet. You know, here we have a stupid 1$ = 1€ conversion, so 250$ turns to be 350$ when it's selled here. Still, thanks for the quick response.

 

[TB]

My questions are:

A) To plug the 360 into my router, will I need to buy some cable or will it come with the console? What kind of cable?

Buying something used (at least in the US) is a take what you get deal. I'm sure it will come with the power and component cables, but anything after that is unlikely. As for what cable you'll need to connect to the router, it's a CAT 5 network cable.

B) Will I get all with my initial budget of 250 €?

Again, due to buying it used, it's going to be hard to say, especially since I'm not familiar with the pricing there. Based solely on gamestop.com's price for a used 360 at $170 and google converting, it comes out to 122€. The VGA cable can be had for $6 US and a used copy of Forza is $13 (new is $20). With an Xbox Live gold card clocking in at $50, that makes a grand total of $271 (I added in 10% for shipping, also) with converts to 193€.

Please remeber that, again, I'm not the least bit familiar with pricing where you are. I'm only taking the prices here and converting them. Ultimately, you'll just have to go shopping and see what you can find. I hope I helped at least a little, though.

 

[orimarc]

Wall of text

Thanks! A lot! You didn't have to make the price converting, but thank you. Only thing I need, is a VGA splitter so I can connect the PC and the 360 to the monitor, and I'm off to play! Thank you!

 

[TB]

Thanks! A lot! You didn't have to make the price converting, but thank you.

Not a problem. I'm just sitting here putting off cleaning up the kitchen and watching The Dark Knight anyway.

Only thing I need, is a VGA splitter so I can connect the PC and the 360 to the monitor, and I'm off to play! Thank you!

I'm sure I'm just missing something, but it looks like the only thing I can find that fits the bill for 2 inputs to 1 output is this. Anyone else know of a better option? You can get the opposite of what you need for next to nothing, but not the one you need.

 

[tfujiwara]

Buying something used (at least in the US) is a take what you get deal. I'm sure it will come with the power and component cables, but anything after that is unlikely. As for what cable you'll need to connect to the router, it's a CAT 5 network cable.
Again, due to buying it used, it's going to be hard to say, especially since I'm not familiar with the pricing there. Based solely on gamestop.com's price for a used 360 at $170 and google converting, it comes out to 122€. The VGA cable can be had for $6 US and a used copy of Forza is $13 (new is $20). With an Xbox Live gold card clocking in at $50, that makes a grand total of $271 (I added in 10% for shipping, also) with converts to 193€.

Please remeber that, again, I'm not the least bit familiar with pricing where you are. I'm only taking the prices here and converting them. Ultimately, you'll just have to go shopping and see what you can find. I hope I helped at least a little, though.

But If you buy it used....dont you also have to buy the memory unit? another $30-$40? I think,

 

[Eric.]

Not a problem. I'm just sitting here putting off cleaning up the kitchen and watching The Dark Knight anyway.

I'm sure I'm just missing something, but it looks like the only thing I can find that fits the bill for 2 inputs to 1 output is this. Anyone else know of a better option? You can get the opposite of what you need for next to nothing, but not the one you need.

Here's monoprice's available VGA switches.

But If you buy it used....dont you also have to buy the memory unit? another $30-$40? I think,

Yep, which is why I'd suggest looking around to find a used Premium version to get a hard drive, as a $50 512MB memory card is ridiculous.

 

[TB]

Here's monoprice's available VGA switches.

I must have missed them. Much better price, too! 👍

 

[orimarc]

Hi everybody! Sorry ofr missing these days, I've been work...ok, I've been playing with my 360. A lot. I love Forza Motorsport 2. I would write a longer post, but that would cut playing time. Bye.