Elite?

Well, it may be months away but the boyfriend's birthday is coming up and I need to think of something to get him. It's always hard to find great deals on Xbox 360, PS3, Halo 3, and other game related merchandise, but there are solutions. There are some really great websites out there that cut prices enough to make it worth buying online instead of going to stores like Gamestop or EB Games, which charge full price for every new game or console. We always want new electronics, of all the things to buy used I know that video game consoles are at the bottom of his list. Which is quite understandable, unlike a used car, you can't really ever tell what was wrong with a used console. Or why that person is selling it.

They might have the same problem that my boyfriend (J), has. Having to send in your Xbox 360 3 times because of problems (most recently being the dreaded red-rings)is not comforting. And while he has been able to do it for free, since it's still under warranty, it's still a big hassle and I know how sad he feels during the times when the 360 is in the shop.

Which is why he's thinking about trading in the ol' Xbox 360 normal and getting an Elite, which has better hardware attached to it. And the nice black colour doesn't hurt either.

So, I think I know what I want to get him, but well, Elites are rather expensive you know? Finding one that comes with a bundle online for a discounted price is my goal. Which is where TechlineStore comes in.

It has a bunch of good categories specifically pertaining to Xbox 360s, and primarily focusing on hardware instead of games. Which, in my case, is good. The games they offer are discounted, so I might want to check back later if I feel the urge to browse...especially the DS section of the store.

While discounted prices on bundles are great (the 360 Elite is about $350 cheaper through TechlineStore than in a retail shop), I do wish I could navigate the site a little easier. This is honestly a very big pet peeve of mine and I do feel the need to point it out, as I hope it can help advise shoppers planning on visiting.

The categories on the lefthand side of the screen are very useful in telling me what exactly is featured for sale here, but unfortunately, they are very hard to actually click. I know they're links because of the mouseover highlight effect, but I simply cannot click them. Also, having categories called "Electronics 1-5" is far to general for someone who comes shopping knowing exactly what they want to look for. There is no specific tab labelled "video games" and this left me a bit confused.

I do enjoy discounted items, no matter if the navigation of the site is a little iffy, and I love to browse all things electronic. Like Ipods, cell phones, t.v.s, and other random items. This site seems like an especially good resource for small hardware pieces, like cables and computer guts, that are a pain to buy elsewhere.

I'm keeping this bookmarked for a while...maybe I'll surprise J with a lovely new Elite to replace his poor, battered Xbox 360.