Very, very cheap isn't everything. Some people are so cheap-seeking that they obtain cracked copying software and wonder why it goes wrong!

I recommend avoiding external mod-chips because they can't do everything that is useful. The most versatile modchips on the market to the best of my knowledge in order of versatility are OrigaChip (15), NEO4 (44) and NEO2.2 (8) - figures in brackets are the number of wires. NEO2.2 will do everything with a swap trick except play import originals; NEO4 should do everything that NEO2.2 does, some of them without a swap; OrigaChip does all that NEO2.2 does and plays import originals without a swap.

When Messiah is released (might be before XMAS), it'll do all that OrigaChip does and backups without Swap.

The USB mods need patches to make some games (esp. EA) work. The internal chips play games straight off if copied with CloneCD on 100% compatible burner.