This is an exceptional value.
I recently purchased an XBOX 360 Arcade, and I got into XBOX Live with the free month of Gold. I loved it so much I began looking around for some good deals on Live 12 month Gold cards on Amazon. I stumbled across this bundle, and decided that for only $8.99 more than buying a year of Live Gold directly through my 360 - I'd give this a shot because of all of the great extras.
Let me run down the items included and what I think of them:
12 Month Gold Subscription Card:
This is not a 12 Month + 1 free card like the other sold on Amazon - this is strictly 12 months, which is fine by me, I got my first month free of charge just for signing up.
XBOX 360 Live Chat Pad:
This device clips on seamlessly to your XBOX 360 controller, and sits in a position that is very convenient and accessible to use. It is back lit, and works very well for typing messages, or communicating with MSN Messenger contacts if you are using XBOX Live Gold on your 360. It even has a shortcut button to pull up your messenger contacts so you can start chatting right away. The buttons have a nice tactile 'click' to them, but they're not too firm. The device also has a headset connector port on the bottom for use with the included XBOX 360 communicator headset. (NOTE: this chat pad headset port will not work with the original launch model communicator headsets that had the mute and volume controls on the connector).
XBOX 360 Communicator Headset:
I have no issues at all with this headset. I also have a launch model one without the inline volume control and mute switch that this newer model has, and I have to say I much prefer this newer model. Not only does it have a better appearance without the bulky connector, I like the ability to clip the controls to your shirt, and I also hear a notably higher volume level that is available on this model compared to the the launch model headset I also have. It's much easier to hear my friends on Live with this headset.
Project Gotham Racing 4:
For a free pack in, this game is excellent. The graphics aren't the most outstanding on 360, but they are very well done. It's a fun game to play with friends, and even a good experience as a single player title. I found it to be yet another great reason to choose this bundle over buying just a 12 month gold subscription. This edition comes in a normal green 360 package, not the silver/gray platinum hits packaging.
NOTE:
This package also (at the time I purchased it) includes a Netflix trial subscription so you can stream movies to your 360 using your Gold account.
Closing comment:
For only $8.99 more than just buying a 12 Month Gold subscription, you're getting PRG4 (a $19 value), a Chat pad ($24 value), a Live Communicator headset ($19 value), and a free netflix trial. If you haven't got these items already and you need a year of live - this deal is hard to beat. Xbox 360 Live 12 Month Messenger Gold Pack
Just when my subscription to Live! was about to run out, I caught this little bargain. Snap it up quick while it's still around. For slightly more than the years cost, you'll get the chatpad, (AWESOME) a new (And DIFFERENT) headset and a game. I didn't think I'd like or use the chatpad, but oh yes, I like it! It lights up so you can type in the dark with absolutely no problem, and you'll text as quick as you can talk with just a few minutes practice.
A real bargain!
I was going to buy the live card and headset seperately for my nephews birthday, which wouldve costed me around $60.00. Spending an extra $10.00 he gets a game and the text pad. This is a great package for you xbox live gamers, gives you everything you need for a great price.
I was back and forth over whether to buy this pack, or the one with the camera, but in the end I figured this out to be the best deal. You get 12 months of Xbox Live, the messenger keypad, a headset, AND PGR4. Just the Live and Messenger would be about $60 - $70 alone. Not that PGR4 is a must have game, or having the messenger is mandatory for anything. I would rather have PGR4 then the few little arcade games you get with the camera bundle.
If you price out the individual items in this kit it is well worth the price. MSRP on a 12 month Live subscription is $50 alone, so for another $20 (MSRP of $70) to get a headset, keyboard, and Project Gotham Racing is a steal. Of course Amazon's price is better than MSRP so you save even more. Even if you aren't interested in the game, you still get a great deal for the Gold membership, keyboard, and headset.
Trying to play a voice enabled game without a headset is torture. It is extremely frustrating hearing other players and not being able to talk back to them. Typing a message is also painfully slow using the on-screen keyboard. If you're going to play on Xbox Live, you need this kit to start out with as it will get you started with everything you need at a very good deal.
This package is the best deal I've found for renewing my XBOX Live account.
The keyboard is SOOOOOO much better than the annoying onscreen one. I have no idea why I didn't get one sooner. PGR 4 is a great racing game and the headphone really just seals the deal. If you need to renew your XBOX Live account this is a great way to do it. :)
Okay, so I will start out by giving you a little background here. I am a gold member of Xbox Live previous to purchasing this package. My subscription was running out early 2010 and I needed to renew. I got an email from Microsoft (M$) regarding an automatic renewal using the credit card I have on file with them. I like to buy the points to purchase DLC (downloadable content to those who don't know all of these acronyms yet). I am not a fan of auto-renew, not because of the ease, but because M$ is not the best deal in town for their own service.
Generally, you can find 12-Month subscription cards for less than the $49.99 M$ will charge you. In fact, Amazon and Walmart (am I allowed to say that?) had a price war recently where the 12-Month card went all the way down to $30! So, I figured if I was going to spend that kind of money, what else can I get?
I found this package and figured it was time to add to my xbox toys. I had a headset already, as well as PGR 4 (Project Gotham Racing 4, but the 12-month card and the text pad were new to the collection. So, I purchased the bundle. Overall, if you don't have any of the stuff in the package, it's a great thing to have. I am going to break it down piece by piece for future buyers:
-12-Month Subscription - Xbox Live is great. I can't say enough about it. The only negative is the yearly price. Others do not charge to use their system to play games online. M$ does. I feel it's worth it still, but I have hopes that one day it will be closer to that $30 mark direct from M$. This is why the package did not get a 5-star rating.
-Headset - This is the same headset you get with every console. It's your basic headset but it does the job. It's certainly not a Turtle Beach headset, but it's good!
-Text Pad - If you have friends on xbox live, this is well worth it if you pass messages back and forth. I prefer this over voice messages. The text pad is great and allows you to type and use symbols quickly. Also, it's light and does not interfere with using the controller unless you hold it in the middle somehow. It's backlit too for those who game in the dark. Big fan!
-PGR 4 - I would read a separate review for it, but for the price you get it for here, it is well worth it. PGR is one of my favorite series. It includes high end sports car manufacturers as well as motorcycles this time around. It also has a more arcade race feeling versus a simulator, which makes it more fun for those who like to drift and button mash their way to the finish line.
Overall, 4-stars, but closer to 4.5. - Video Games - Xbox Live - 360 Messenger Kit - Xbox Live Card'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
