My lad is 13 and has expressed an interest in a secondhand x box with his savings… Any pitfalls anything to look out for etc etc?
Thanks
Richard

Yes, you will lose your lad.

Get xBox live too.

My lad is 13 and has expressed an interest in a secondhand x box with his savings… Any pitfalls anything to look out for etc etc?
Thanks
Richard

Where’ve you been fir the last decade… 😉

Seriously tho, brilliant machines and even better with XBL. You’ll be able to get one for cheap nowadays too, unless he’s on about the new Xbox One, then that’s another matter.

Xbox Live Gold is £30/year if he wants to play online with his mates. Well worth it IMHO.

Get one with a hard disk, it’s crippled without one and you’ll end up forking out more for the additional disk.

Avoid the very early ones, they’re likely a) to die soon, b) be really noisy and c) might have been blacklisted from Live.

I got mine a couple of years ago, and because it is a newer generation one it has been fine, but I know MANY people who have had them konk out on them. One guy is on his fourth! If he is going to get one, get a newer one for sure and be aware they can just crap out for no reason. if you can afford a new one, it will have a warranty too.

Also, the new XBox180 is coming out in a month or two. Take this one of two ways.

Xbox online is going to be getting quieter, and the games will stop being produced gradually (in a year or so).
Having SAID that. there is a MASSIVE back catalogue of amazing games you can pick up for peanuts! (that’s why i got mine)

I myself am saving myself for the 2014 Steam Machines release.

Valve (who own steam) are about to kick seven shades out of the computer games market. Depending on how much money he has it might be worth looking into getting a Steambox!

http://store.steampowered.com/about/

ALSO! The online play is Awesome. Battlefield is really REALLY good. Online gives you access to iPlayer, 4OD, Love film, next flix etc etc.

However there ARE some amazing offline games too. Game of the Year edition (with the expansion packs) Skyrim will keep him busy for MONTHS. cant recommend it enough.

Skyrim will keep him busy for MONTHS

It’s a 15 cert and PEGI 18, mind. Might not be wholly appropriate for a 13yo.