The hugely scientific console reliability poll

[Shifty Geezer]

To get some little meat for the Elite (and others) console reliability discussions, I thought it worth doing a B3D poll. It'll be a public poll so we can check names of potential ne'er-do-wells, and it'll give exactly a comparison between owners of problematic and not problematic hardware. It doesn't take into account long term problems, so of course there's a possible issue there - PS3's could all die horribly in 13 months... But for now, an immediate snapshot of how things are, I think this is the best we can do. Best I can do, anyhow

Edit : A few clarifications

You should vote on all applicable answers.
You should vote for multiple units of the same type. eg. If you have bought two Wiis (and where on earth did you find them?!), and one died and the other is working fine, vote for those two options - 'I have a working Wii', and 'I have a dead Wii'
Where you have received a replacement for a dead console, do not list it as a working unit - only vote for units you have bought or been given, and not replacements.
Minor Issues cover things like disk read errors that can be solved, or are sporadic, or otherwise that you get along with without the console keeling over with its legs quivvering in the air.

Following Paul_G's post, rare arbitary crashes don't count. If a game just doesn't work once or twice, that doesn't count; it could well be a software problem. Only if a problem is persistent and repeatable, even if irregular and infrequent, should it be considered an issue.

 

[Todd33]

I've had lockups and disc read errors on my 360, it will get a BB exchange before the 2 years is up. My PS3 is fine so far.

I had a Xbox with many many read errors which got exchanged and a PS2 that was still working up until my EB trade in last week.

 

[NRP]

Other than being a little noisy, no problems with my 360 so far. It was manufactured in February 2006.

 

[Paul_G]

Nice idea shifty. I personally have had problems I wouldn't even qualify as minor with my 360. I've had - since i bought it about 15 months ago - a couple of crashes, but in my time owning consoles, i don't think i've ever owned a console that didn't crash at some stage. If we considered a crash as a minor problem i don't think we'd ever have ones with no problems.

Anyway I think I know where this is going, while I disagree with what others on the web have said in terms of xbox reliability, I don't doubt it is the least reliable. There'd have to be some sort of conspiracy for the Wii or PS3 to be less reliable than the 360, because they're keeping very quiet if that is the case.

What's more worrying is that i've heard of certain games seemingly causing meltdown, and this has actually caused me to think twice about buying those games. That is not a good situation. Consoles are supposed to just work, not have even more problems than the PC version might have.

Well I will be interested to see what results you get

 

[Diamond.G]

My launch unit died on me in december of 06. I had to wait till after the new year to get a replacement though. I have had no issues thus far with my replacement (well other than not being able to play DLC on my system without being logged into Live).

 

[mrcorbo]

Bought my original 360 in Nov of '06. It had problems with disc read errors from the start and finally it began to have lockups in Feb. Shortly after, it died. Took it back to BB (like Todd33 I also bought the $50 extended warranty) and exchanged it on a Sat. On that Sun night there was an electrical storm. This killed the power supply on that 1st replacement unit. So back to BB again for a 2nd replacement (along with a UPS). This unit has been running with no problems whatsoever since.

Can't recommend that BB warranty enough, though.

For comparison; I have a 1 week post-launch XBOX that is still running. I guess the odds had to even out.

 

[mrcorbo]

Where you have received a replacement for a dead console, do not list it as a working unit - only vote for units you have bought or been given, and not replacements.

Now ya tell me....

 

[patsu]

Have to mention that I have left my PS3 on since I bought it in end November last year (so 5+ months now). Only rebooted it due to game freezes and booting into Linux. So far the top feels somewhat warm but not hot.

I have encountered 2 cases of controller acting up about 3 months ago, but hasn't happened since then. Also no Blu-ray freezes. About a month ago, I noticed it became louder... but after cleaning up the air vent and restart, it's back to quiet. Based on this, I expect it to run louder than its quiet self in Summer, but we shall see.

Have been folding like mad when I'm not gaming, listening to music or watching movies. Overall, a very happy customer but a bit jealous at people who got into the Home beta. Bah ! I'm getting busier anyway

I'll be flying off tomorrow for 2 weeks again. Hope to see WAN Remote Play someday due to my travel schedule.

 

[dobwal]

Where you have received a replacement for a dead console, do not list it as a working unit - only vote for units you have bought or been given, and not replacements.

What about replacement plans like the ones for BB? They give you retail units off the shelves.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

My launch unit (X360) is working perfectly.

 

[rbushner]

This is not exactly a valid comparison. Wii and PS3 have not been out near as long. The 360 will show a higher failure rate, even if it is the same as the others.

That being said, I find the MS 5% number very, very hard to swallow.

I have two 360s, one was a launch 360, that died, was replaced with a new one from EBGames (which is now having issues here and there). The other 360 was bought in Dec. 2006 and is currently at MS for repair (Three Lights).

Anecdotal, but I have six original Xboxes, two are from a month after launch, four from the year after, and only one had some disc read issues (fixed with a replacement laser). All are running and used now.

 

[NERO]

This is not exactly a valid comparison. Wii and PS3 have not been out near as long. The 360 will show a higher failure rate, even if it is the same as the others.

U...You're talking about rates?
A rate is a rate. Do you mean that more numbers will likely come out over time?

 

[dobwal]

U...You're talking about rates?
A rate is a rate. Do you mean that more numbers will likely come out over time?

A failure rate isn't very relevant and can be very deceiving if not quantitated and reported with the inclusion of time.

A 3-5% failure issued by MS can very well be true, but very deceiving and disingenious if calculated using a very small window of time such as using the window period of the initial original warranty (three months).

Judging the failure rates of the 360, PS3 and Wii without normalizing time would be very biased in favor of the Wii and PS3.

However, the noise presented by the internet over the first three months after introduction of each console is reliable enough determine that the 360 has a relatively higher failure rate.

The problem is trying to calculate a percentage for that failure rate. Just because a bunch of internet polls from gaming sites say 30% of all users had their units fail does not mean that number is indicative of the actual failure rate of the 360s sold to consumers. It could be higher or lower depending on the circumstance.

 

[rbushner]

Do you mean that more numbers will likely come out over time?

360s had more time to fail than PS3 or Wiis.

My answer would have been different last year. Now I have two dead and one minor issues to add to the list. Compared to one perfectly working last year.

Edit: In other words all of what dobwal said!

 

[SugarCoat]

A failure rate isn't very relevant and can be very deceiving if not quantitated and reported with the inclusion of time.

A 3-5% failure issued by MS can very well be true, but very deceiving and disingenious if calculated using a very small window of time such as using the window period of the initial original warranty (three months).

Judging the failure rates of the 360, PS3 and Wii without normalizing time would be very biased in favor of the Wii and PS3.

However, the noise presented by the internet over the first three months after introduction of each console is reliable enough determine that the 360 has a relatively higher failure rate.

The problem is trying to calculate a percentage for that failure rate. Just because a bunch of internet polls from gaming sites say 30% of all users had their units fail does not mean that number is indicative of the actual failure rate of the 360s sold to consumers. It could be higher or lower depending on the circumstance.

agreed, this is anything but scientific given the lack of exposure. Give the PS3s and Wiis 15 months and see how they do in their own poll then go back to this one for comparison. Even then you'll have issues if owners of certain brands of consoles are smaller or larger then others. Obviously your chance of finding someone with a problem out of 50 people who have Brand X is greater then finding someone whos had a problem in a group of 20 who have Brand Y.

If you really wanted to make a mockery of this and prove dobwals point, add the PS2 to the list, it will undoubtly look like the biggest peice of junk of all because so many people own them and im willing to bet have had issues at one time or another. Does that mean, percentage wise, the PS2 unit had a higher chance of failure compared to another console? Absolutly not. Nothing scientific about this poll.

My launch PS2 lasted 6 months then decided it didnt want to read games anymore. I know people who have gone through 3 or 4 of them but people knew that they were being made and sold by the millions. I never saw a fuss being made nor do i now see the same objective stance being used on the 360, like the fact that its been out 12 months longer and is unquestionably leading the pack in terms of number of owners/exposure.

 

[Todd33]

However, the noise presented by the internet over the first three months after introduction of each console is reliable enough determine that the 360 has a relatively higher failure rate.

Even if you take the current 360 rate and divide by four you still are at about 10%, which sounds ball park to me.

MS's 3-5% was pure PR crap IMO.

 

[infinity4]

i sold my 360 due to

- scratching discs
- occasional slowdowns

making me to worry that i will be screwed.
does this count???

 

[woundingchaney]

I havent had a problem with my consoles.

 

[dobwal]

Even if you take the current 360 rate and divide by four you still are at about 10%, which sounds ball park to me.

MS's 3-5% was pure PR crap IMO.

If I took the current # and divided it by 40 or 1 and reduce the rate to 1% or keep it near 40%, it wouldn't mean much. Neither does dividing by 4 because arbitrary division that helps augment your perception isn't an established practice for reliability.

 

[Headstone]

First xbox got graphical corruption. Replaced within 2 weeks. Second one has had no problems.

No probs with either the ps3 or the wii yet.