Microsoft Unveils Xbox 360 Elite to hit stores by April

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

StrangerGuy

Diamond Member
May 9, 2004
8,443
124
106
Microsoft has shot their own foot from day one by not bundling a hard drive with the 360 Core. Fragmenting your own market is utterly stupid.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,758
602
126
Originally posted by: StrangerGuy
Microsoft has shot their own foot from day one by not bundling a hard drive with the 360 Core. Fragmenting your own market is utterly stupid.

Agreed. That move was idiotic. Doesn't that mean all xbox360 games have to be designed with the assumption that the user may not have a hard drive? That has to be limiting for some titles. They're doing well with their console, but thats mainly because sony botched its own execution much worse. Sony has a lot of rabid fans, and Sony's execs seem to have been pissing all over them.

Does anyone else feel that all manufactors (sony, MS, nintendo) overestimate the demand for media center features on a gaming rig? I know they all want to break into other markets using their console as a springboard...but I wonder if the target demographic for media centers even wants a jack of all trades machine. I just feel like most people buying a game console just want to play games, and maybe watch a few movies. Sony's case is particularly odd...they tie their blu-ray format to the console, driving up the selling price and increasing sony's loss per unit.

As for the xbox360 elite...does this even offer any features for the gamer? It looks like it just has things needed to download movies. How much space do live arcade games even take up?
 

videopho

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2005
4,185
29
91
"but I wonder if the target demographic for media centers even wants a jack of all trades machine. I just feel like most people buying a game console just want to play games, and maybe watch a few movies. Sony's case is particularly odd...they tie their blu-ray format to the console, driving up the selling price and increasing sony's loss per unit."


Good point!
Nintendo gambles by having Wii unable to play DVD format movies but who cares anyway since most households have at least one or two dvd players laying around. Keeping the cost down is one huge factor which makes Wii becoming the #1 seller console today.

On the other hand, from an videophile viewpoint, the PS3 is a true bargain (bordering a steal, imo) but the fact of the matter is most average Joe gamers cannot afford to shell out ~ $600 and up in order to play just games. The only thing can save Sony's PS3 right now is unless it has already started doing so is that it'd better off come up with new idea/design to strip off or scale down the current model features in order to compete with other consoles.
Keep in mind that PS2 is too selling very well for Sony for the time being.
 

nZone

Senior member
Jan 29, 2007
277
0
0
Originally posted by: potato28
Originally posted by: Kromis
What a stupid move for Microsoft, IMO

At that price, it *really* should include an HD-DVD ROM...

Oh well...let's see how this turns out...

The only reason why Microsoft hasn't choosen the HD-DVD ROM for the primary is the fact that it's still fighting against Blu-Ray.

The comment here is irrelevant. Blu-Ray is still fighting HD_DVD (nothing conclusive yet) and Sony included Blu-Ray anyway for a $20 more. hmmmm.
 

nZone

Senior member
Jan 29, 2007
277
0
0
Originally posted by: Kromis
Originally posted by: CrystalBay
I agree it should include a HDDVD drive...

Oh well, Microsoft said it was about giving consumer choices.

LOL; give consumer choice with BIG profit in mind!

The consumer choices would be:

1. Plug any wireless adapter; it works (not $99 for wireless)
2. Plug any external usb hd; it works (not $179.99 for 120GB)
 

nZone

Senior member
Jan 29, 2007
277
0
0
IMO:

MS Xbox360 (including peripherals) = overpriced.
Sony PS3 = expensive.

It is a joke that existing customers have to pay $179.99 for the 120GB while new customer(s) pay additional $79 and get HDMI; 120GB; and a black paint job. Good deal for potential new customers but at the same time shafting existing customers. However it is not a good deal when compare to PS3. Don't say xbox360 has better games/live; these don't constitute a high price for the hardware.

The 120GB Hard drive should be $79 for existing customers. This would make Premium edition equal to $479.
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,968
1,168
126
So will this going to push down the price of the current 2 models? I'd like black, but I don't care about HDMI or a bigger HD.
 

Wreckage

Banned
Jul 1, 2005
5,529
0
0
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
how is that a final blow to the PS3? for $20 more than the "elite" 360 you can get a PS3 with built in wifi, a blu ray player, and the ability to upgrade to whatever hard drive you want to, unlike with the 360 where you're stuck with the 120gb drive AND requires a $200 HD-dvd player to watch HD movies :confused:

Exactly your looking at almost $800 for the 360 to match a PS3.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,897
55,175
136
Originally posted by: Wreckage
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
how is that a final blow to the PS3? for $20 more than the "elite" 360 you can get a PS3 with built in wifi, a blu ray player, and the ability to upgrade to whatever hard drive you want to, unlike with the 360 where you're stuck with the 120gb drive AND requires a $200 HD-dvd player to watch HD movies :confused:

Exactly your looking at almost $800 for the 360 to match a PS3.

Of course the whole point is that the PS3 mostly just adds a bunch of stuff that nobody wants in that 'bargain' that it is. The PS3 is the Sharper Image of consoles, neat looking really expensive stuff that fulfills a need nobody asked for.

Maybe people on these boards are very excited about HDMI ports, wifi adapters and card readers... but most people just couldn't care less. They buy consoles to play games on, and that's it. The Wii has none of these things and is selling the best of all.

The horrible strategy of the PS3 and the 360's surprising popularity has given Microsoft an opportunity to put out this overpriced 'elite' version and soak some people with more money then sense for some extra profit. Sure it's a crappy deal, but its one that Microsoft think they can get away with.

If Sony puts out a product that is even slightly competitive, you will see the xbox's prices drop post haste. All this is showing right now is that Microsoft isn't the slightest bit scared of the PS3 in its current state. This may change in the future, but it seems that Sony is somewhat of a prisoner to the high manufacturing costs of their console right now, so I don't see it changing any time particularly soon.

BTW: I don't own any of these consoles, as right now there are about 3 games I want to play on 360, 1 on the Wii, and zero on the PS3. That's not worth $250, $400, or $600 to me.
 

ZimZum

Golden Member
Aug 2, 2001
1,281
0
76
Originally posted by: eskimospy
Originally posted by: Wreckage
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
how is that a final blow to the PS3? for $20 more than the "elite" 360 you can get a PS3 with built in wifi, a blu ray player, and the ability to upgrade to whatever hard drive you want to, unlike with the 360 where you're stuck with the 120gb drive AND requires a $200 HD-dvd player to watch HD movies :confused:

Exactly your looking at almost $800 for the 360 to match a PS3.

Of course the whole point is that the PS3 mostly just adds a bunch of stuff that nobody wants in that 'bargain' that it is. The PS3 is the Sharper Image of consoles, neat looking really expensive stuff that fulfills a need nobody asked for.

Maybe people on these boards are very excited about HDMI ports, wifi adapters and card readers... but most people just couldn't care less. They buy consoles to play games on, and that's it. The Wii has none of these things and is selling the best of all.

The horrible strategy of the PS3 and the 360's surprising popularity has given Microsoft an opportunity to put out this overpriced 'elite' version and soak some people with more money then sense for some extra profit. Sure it's a crappy deal, but its one that Microsoft think they can get away with.

If Sony puts out a product that is even slightly competitive, you will see the xbox's prices drop post haste. All this is showing right now is that Microsoft isn't the slightest bit scared of the PS3 in its current state. This may change in the future, but it seems that Sony is somewhat of a prisoner to the high manufacturing costs of their console right now, so I don't see it changing any time particularly soon.

BTW: I don't own any of these consoles, as right now there are about 3 games I want to play on 360, 1 on the Wii, and zero on the PS3. That's not worth $250, $400, or $600 to me.

QFT

The Wii is domintating them both. With far less graphics horsepower no frills to speak of, save for the Wiimote. A fraction of Sony and Microsoft's marketing budget and they are actually turning a profit on the console itself unlike PS3. The 360 only just recently began turning a profit on console after selling it at a loss for a year.

Talk about BR and HDDVD till your blue in the face but it seems that consumers dont give 2 sh1ts about either one.

"Market research firm NPD Group reports that during February, consumers bought 335,000 Wii consoles, while Xbox 360 sold 228,000 units, followed by PlayStation 3 with 127,000."

http://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=38835
 

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
18
81
i dont really think the 120gb drive for $180 is THAT bad. its a laptop drive, and 120gb is still about $120.

It probably should be more like $160, but yeah they do have to make aprofit.
 

KutterMax

Member
Sep 26, 2004
168
0
0
Originally posted by: yacoub
It does not have the die shrink for the CPU so it doesn't interest me.


I agree. One major problem I have with my current 360 is how loud it is. It doesn't really bother me during gaming but it is annoying while watching HD-DVD movies. I'd like a quieter, cooler running 360 with an HDMI connector - a built in HD-DVD drive would be a bonus.

I'm going to sit back and watch this for now. Hopefully a cooler running box will appear later this year.
 

jim1976

Platinum Member
Aug 7, 2003
2,704
6
81
Originally posted by: KutterMax
Originally posted by: yacoub
It does not have the die shrink for the CPU so it doesn't interest me.


I agree. One major problem I have with my current 360 is how loud it is. It doesn't really bother me during gaming but it is annoying while watching HD-DVD movies. I'd like a quieter, cooler running 360 with an HDMI connector - a built in HD-DVD drive would be a bonus.

I'm going to sit back and watch this for now. Hopefully a cooler running box will appear later this year.


QFT.. I agree..
I prefer and actually own a XBOX360 though because it offers greater variety for the consumer.. You can buy separately the HDD, the HD DVD player and in terms of gaming it has better potential architecturally wise.. Though the game developers are these who will decide what console is their "favorite"..
In PSX3 you might get a good price for a console with Blue ray but you need to look at it the other way as well.. It is not good to have the same drive for watching movies and playing games.. We have examples like this from their past..
OTOH Xbox360 suffers from heat and noise issues and a significant portion of these consoles are getting RMAed, especially the first part.. That's why it would be wiser if they had delayed this elite version so that they could include a die shrink.. But we know M$ as well.. It will release 2341 versions of XBOX360 just like it did with original XBOX..
I'm very happy with mine for now, no reason to get an elite version for the time being..
 

schneiderguy

Lifer
Jun 26, 2006
10,801
91
91
Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Originally posted by: Kromis
What a stupid move for Microsoft, IMO

At that price, it *really* should include an HD-DVD ROM...

Oh well...let's see how this turns out...

Uh no.

the PS3 can include a blu ray player for $20 more, why shouldnt the 360 have a HD dvd player? :confused:
Because it doesnt need it to sell unlike the ps3?

I still havent gotten a response to why a $20 blu ray player is a BAD thing like some people are making it out to be ;)
 

ronnn

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
3,918
0
71
Originally posted by: KutterMax
Originally posted by: yacoub
It does not have the die shrink for the CPU so it doesn't interest me.


I agree. One major problem I have with my current 360 is how loud it is. It doesn't really bother me during gaming but it is annoying while watching HD-DVD movies. I'd like a quieter, cooler running 360 with an HDMI connector - a built in HD-DVD drive would be a bonus.

I'm going to sit back and watch this for now. Hopefully a cooler running box will appear later this year.

Exactly what I was wondering. Was thinking, if this thing is quieter I might buy one.
 

AmdInside

Golden Member
Jan 22, 2002
1,355
0
76
Since my Xbox 360 broke (second one to do so), it's PSWii for me. I hate the Xbox 360, mainly because I wasted my $400 on a stupid machine that broke twice on me. Hope my PS3 and Wii last longer.
 

MrWizzard

Platinum Member
Mar 24, 2002
2,493
0
71
I have multiple of both.

Each has it's advantages.

One thing that does bug me about PS3 is there online stuff, yea it's free but they discontinue some game support after a while. That does not make me happy. The interface has never been really that smooth either still akward.

As for the 360, the thing is way to loud......the DVD drive is just too noisy; the PS3 is whisper quite in comparison. That and I have had my X360s had to be RMAed. Their build quality is rather frightening to me why does it keep happening.

Each is good in it's own way.

I don't have a wii might not ever get one only reason I might is the RE series next game might have an exclusive for it.
 

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Originally posted by: Kromis
What a stupid move for Microsoft, IMO

At that price, it *really* should include an HD-DVD ROM...

Oh well...let's see how this turns out...

Uh no.

the PS3 can include a blu ray player for $20 more, why shouldnt the 360 have a HD dvd player? :confused:
Because it doesnt need it to sell unlike the ps3?

I still havent gotten a response to why a $20 blu ray player is a BAD thing like some people are making it out to be ;)
where are you finding blu ray players for 20 bucks?