The Best And Worst Xbox 360 Accessories

Xbox 360 accessories can be useful, but there are also a great deal of companies that are set up just to make a quick buck off of the 360's popularity.  To really enhance your gaming experience, you should evaluate every accessory that you buy for the system carefully. 

Here's a look at a few Xbox 360 accessories that will give you more functionality from Microsoft's gaming behemoth, and a few that will simply make accessory manufacturers a little bit richer while providing you with some solid frustration.

Cooling Fan w/Switch for Microsoft Xbox 360 - Many Xbox 360 owners are familiar with the annoying "red ring of death" phenomenon.  This is caused in part by overheating issues, and you can allay some of your fears of a premature Xbox death by looking for a good cooling fan.  This particular cooling fan plugs into your wall, which is a plus.  You don't want a cooling stand that doesn't plug in, because it won't be providing any additional cooling for your Xbox 360 and it may even make things a little bit hotter inside your console. 

This cooling fan also has a switch, so you can turn it off easily while watching DVDs or TV.  This makes it less annoying to use, as the Xbox 360 is already fairly loud and many of the cooling fans on the market exacerbate this issue.  For about $14, a cooling fan is a worthwhile purchase for all Xbox 360 owners, particularly early adopters with Xbox 360 models that may be more susceptible to overheating issues.

3 in 1 Cooling Fan Stand DVD Holder - I don't think that the "DVD holder" aspect of this cooling fan is too valuable.  Really, who owns 4 DVDs?  It's also more expensive than the other fan, and forces you to keep your console in one upright position.  It doesn't do anything better than cheaper alternatives, and while it can cool your console down and prevent overheating, it's not worth the extra money unless you have a really specific reason for storing a few DVDs or games right next to your console at all times (and you feel that $10 isn't a lot of money for an Xbox 360 accessory).

Gears Of War Custom Painted Controller – I’m actually not against spending some decent cash for a good controller.  After all, we can all remember going over to a friend’s house and being forced to play with a substandard controller.  Gamers need good controllers to really enjoy games, and dropping $100 on a good wireless controller isn’t out of the question.  However, this Gears of War controller simply doesn’t look good enough to justify a $105 price tag.  Its Gears logo looks thrown on, and you’d expect to see this in a discount bin. 

Chrome Green Xbox 360 Lighted Controller – This controller looks much better, and its lit buttons make night gaming much easier.  It’s $20 cheaper than the Gears of War controller above, and for serious gamers, it’s well worth the investment.  This is a responsive, cool controller that you’ll be happy to display as your newest Xbox 360 accessory. 

When buying any accessories, be sure to consider aesthetics and practicality.  There are a lot of gimmicks on the market, but you’ll choose great Xbox 360 accessories if you take your time while shopping and compare prices regularly.