What is the best Xbox modchip available today?

This is a frequent question I receive.  It seems every week a new chip  or an "updated" version of an old one hits the market.  This serves to confuse the consumer and create an assumption that with so many out there there must be one better than another.  Keep in mind my I am promoting products I offer so take this for what it is worth.  I can offer any of the popular chips available today but I choose to offer value priced chips.  I

The variety of chips is immense, some with multiple bios banks, exterior LED's and LCD's, Solderless, even OS'es.  Unfortunately the un-educated consumer often falls to the stance of "well I really don't know, so I'll just buy the one with the most checkmarks in some modchip comparison grid".  Or "well I guess the most expensive one must be the best".  Or everyone says chip XYZ is good so I'll get one of those.  So here I am with my point of view on the subject.  Save your money!

The core function of every chip is to replace the factory bios with another, in this every Xbox modchip is IDENTICAL  (yep, worth repeating.... IDENTICAL).  Many sites out there claim the features of the bios as features of the chip (plays all imports, region free, plays backups etc)  This is a misnomer, the chip just loads a bios.  The cheapest and most simple chip (homebrew 29 wire or original CheapMod) can make the same claim this as well.  Remember the modchip is only active during the first 10 seconds of boot up.  The rest of the time the bios has been loaded into memory, the chip can even be removed from the system with out affecting anything!

History of the Xbox modchip

In my mind the simplest chip is the best.  I want 100% reliability, it should be easy to use and install.

THE ORIGINAL CHEAPMOD Why spend $50 or more when you can load the same bios with a chip that's around $10?  Now that the CheapMod works on the 1.6  it is again the "Best Chip" (Not easily compatible and not recommended for 1.3-1.5 console versions)  The CheapMod's bullet proof reliability and ease of install make it a favorite of educated  installers and consumers alike.
Pros: Cheapest, Simpilest One wire and header pins to install.  Bios flash support while connected to console
Cons: not a good choice for 1.2-1.5 consoles, additional work for 1.6 consoles, enable/disable requires external switch

Aladdin Advance XT, all the features of the CheapMod plus enable/disable via the power button.  Easily compatible with 1.0-1.5, header pin install plus 4 wires.  1.6 compatible with LPC rebuild (same as any other 1.6 chip)
Pros: Reliable, simple, can be flashed after installed via software, no external switches to enable/disable.  Chip changes the color of your Xbox power LED to indicate enable disable.  Makes power LED work as a hard drive activity light.
Cons: 3 additional wires to install

Team-Xecuter series of chips all I have seen have been good quality save for a solderless version which I rarely have anything good to say about anyway.  If you have to go with a name brand chip there are none better, I have nothing bad to say about the quality.
Pros: Excellent quality, reliable widely used and supported
Cons: Expensive, extra switches/LED, programmer ports protruding outside your console

Features-
Enable/Disable- every chip can be disabled, it is a matter of installing it properly with an external switch to disable.  Enable/disable via the Xbox power button is a feature that is worthwhile in my opinion (Aladdin series of chips etc).
Onboard Flashing - Must have, allows you to update bios files as new ones become available.  All current chips offer this abiliity.
Solderless Installation - AVOID they never work for the long haul, you have to keep opening the console and adjust them every few months to keep them working.  (solderless installation on the newest 1.6 consoles is currently unavailable 10/17/04)  I use solderless chips on my work bench to work on boards and they serve a valuable function on the bench but as a long term solution they are less than desirable.

What do you want your chip to do for you?  Do you need 4 banks with 1MB of storage, enable/disable external LED's ect... um no... no you don't  The reality is many are out here looking for their first chip, my advice is to get the cheapest chip you can find that is compatible with the version of console you have and supports the features you want.  

Comment on my jaded thoughts on the subject in our Xbox Forums