Xbox360 price drop - $50 drop for the Premium

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: lupi
I'll look at the 360 once the final internal hardware revision has been and and determined to be sound and the upfront goes a bit lower so the total price is more in line with others.

There is no such thing as a 'final internal hardware revision' with consoles. They are constantly updating and making it smaller to reduce costs.

Right now it is Falcon (debuted last fall) - 65nm CPU and 90nm GPU.
This Fall is Jasper - 65nm CPU & GPU
Next Fall will be Valhalla which could be a 45nm chip revision and/or a single unified CPU and GPU.

Same thing with the PS3. They will be constantly reducing the size of their chips. They just went from 90nm to 65nm with the 40GB PS3. The 80GB still uses the 90nm I believe.

I'm sure Nintendo will be doing the same but I can't imagine them reducing the size of the case much. It is barely bigger than a DVD as it is.

 

[hdeck]

Originally posted by: Queasy
Target is showing the price drop and a $25 gift card with purchase.

nice find queasy. i know where i'll be buying mine now🙂

*edit* someone should post this in hot deals so everyone can get in on it.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: hdeck
*edit* someone should post this in hot deals so everyone can get in on it.

You are more than welcome to. 😛

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: lupi
I'll look at the 360 once the final internal hardware revision has been and and determined to be sound and the upfront goes a bit lower so the total price is more in line with others.

There is no such thing as a 'final internal hardware revision' with consoles. They are constantly updating and making it smaller to reduce costs.

Right now it is Falcon (debuted last fall) - 65nm CPU and 90nm GPU.
This Fall is Jasper - 65nm CPU & GPU
Next Fall will be Valhalla which could be a 45nm chip revision and/or a single unified CPU and GPU.

Same thing with the PS3. They will be constantly reducing the size of their chips. They just went from 90nm to 65nm with the 40GB PS3. The 80GB still uses the 90nm I believe.

I'm sure Nintendo will be doing the same but I can't imagine them reducing the size of the case much. It is barely bigger than a DVD as it is.

Final for the 360 is whenever they are both 65nm (or smaller) and I no longer have to worry about my percantge chance of sending it in for repair.

 

[Queasy]

Already showing on Target.com - No change in the Elite or Arcade prices.

 

[spittledip]

When they do the die shrinks, do they get a price drop at those times also? I am not buying an Xbox until they do the next die shrink, so a price drop at that time would be nice 😛

 

[dwcal]

Not a real price drop, just a clearance deal on the discontinued 20GB. Amazon had a deal for a $50 gift card with Xbox 360 and GTA4, and I ended up getting the Arcade.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: spittledip
When they do the die shrinks, do they get a price drop at those times also? I am not buying an Xbox until they do the next die shrink, so a price drop at that time would be nice 😛

If all they are doing is moving the 20GB down to $299 to clear it out and introducing the 60GB at $349.99, I imagine there will be a real price drop sometime before the holiday. The new chipset is supposed to come out this fall.

In reality, the mainline 360 should be around $250 right now. MS screwed up with the RROD though. They are trying to come up with mainstream average consumer casual games but their console isn't it at a mainstream average consumer price yet.

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: spittledip
When they do the die shrinks, do they get a price drop at those times also? I am not buying an Xbox until they do the next die shrink, so a price drop at that time would be nice 😛

If all they are doing is moving the 20GB down to $299 to clear it out and introducing the 60GB at $349.99, I imagine there will be a real price drop sometime before the holiday. The new chipset is supposed to come out this fall.

In reality, the mainline 360 should be around $250 right now. MS screwed up with the RROD though. They are trying to come up with mainstream average consumer casual games but their console isn't it at a mainstream average consumer price yet.

Will the die shrink fix the RROD? I mean, is the RR heat related?

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: spittledip
Will the die shrink fix the RROD? I mean, is the RR heat related?

RROD is heat related. As far as I know, what happens is that the CPU and GPU generate so much heat that they slowly warp the motherboard over time, until it breaks the solder connections and causes the RROD. Falcon 360s have a much lower failure rate, partly because they have a much improved heatsink system than before, and partly because the CPU got a die shrink to 65nm. The GPU is the same, though. The Jasper version that will come out later on will put the GPU on a 65nm process as well, which should all but eliminate the RROD issues.

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca

Originally posted by: spittledip
Will the die shrink fix the RROD? I mean, is the RR heat related?

RROD is heat related. As far as I know, what happens is that the CPU and GPU generate so much heat that they slowly warp the motherboard over time, until it breaks the solder connections and causes the RROD. Falcon 360s have a much lower failure rate, partly because they have a much improved heatsink system than before, and partly because the CPU got a die shrink to 65nm. The GPU is the same, though. The Jasper version that will come out later on will put the GPU on a 65nm process as well, which should all but eliminate the RROD issues.

Whoa that is hilarious!!!

Yeah, I am gonna wait for the Jasper 😛

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: spittledip

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: spittledip
When they do the die shrinks, do they get a price drop at those times also? I am not buying an Xbox until they do the next die shrink, so a price drop at that time would be nice 😛

If all they are doing is moving the 20GB down to $299 to clear it out and introducing the 60GB at $349.99, I imagine there will be a real price drop sometime before the holiday. The new chipset is supposed to come out this fall.

In reality, the mainline 360 should be around $250 right now. MS screwed up with the RROD though. They are trying to come up with mainstream average consumer casual games but their console isn't it at a mainstream average consumer price yet.

Will the die shrink fix the RROD? I mean, is the RR heat related?

Repeat after me: the problems are fixed. The Falcons don't fail any more often than the PS3 or Wii - both of which, I should add, have had their fair share of problems.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: erwos
Repeat after me: the problems are fixed. The Falcons don't fail any more often than the PS3 or Wii - both of which, I should add, have had their fair share of problems.

Mayne. maybe not. The GPU is allegedly the cause of RRoD and it won't be fixed untill Jasper.

No one except Microsoft knows the current failure rate, but an alleged ex-softie reportedly alleged in a rumor that the Falcon failure rate is still 10%, which is many times higher than the rates for PS3 and wii. And you can take that alleged rumor to the bank!

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: erwos
Repeat after me: the problems are fixed. The Falcons don't fail any more often than the PS3 or Wii - both of which, I should add, have had their fair share of problems.

Mayne. maybe not. The GPU is allegedly the cause of RRoD and it won't be fixed untill Jasper.

No one except Microsoft knows the current failure rate, but an alleged ex-softie reportedly alleged in a rumor that the Falcon failure rate is still 10%, which is many times higher than the rates for PS3 and wii. And you can take that alleged rumor to the bank!

Yes, and that same _anonymous_ person left before Falcon and explicitly stated that it was hearsay on his part. Seriously, re-read the interview.

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: erwos

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: erwos
Repeat after me: the problems are fixed. The Falcons don't fail any more often than the PS3 or Wii - both of which, I should add, have had their fair share of problems.

Mayne. maybe not. The GPU is allegedly the cause of RRoD and it won't be fixed untill Jasper.

No one except Microsoft knows the current failure rate, but an alleged ex-softie reportedly alleged in a rumor that the Falcon failure rate is still 10%, which is many times higher than the rates for PS3 and wii. And you can take that alleged rumor to the bank!

Yes, and that same _anonymous_ person left before Falcon and explicitly stated that it was hearsay on his part. Seriously, re-read the interview.

Either way I want a part that produces less heat.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: erwos

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: erwos
Repeat after me: the problems are fixed. The Falcons don't fail any more often than the PS3 or Wii - both of which, I should add, have had their fair share of problems.

Mayne. maybe not. The GPU is allegedly the cause of RRoD and it won't be fixed untill Jasper.

No one except Microsoft knows the current failure rate, but an alleged ex-softie reportedly alleged in a rumor that the Falcon failure rate is still 10%, which is many times higher than the rates for PS3 and wii. And you can take that alleged rumor to the bank!

Yes, and that same _anonymous_ person left before Falcon and explicitly stated that it was hearsay on his part. Seriously, re-read the interview.

Since Microsoft isn't saying what the failure rate is, I really don't think we can guess what the failure rate of the Falcon 360s is. But it does have a 3 year warranty against RRoD, so if you bought an Xbox 360 today you would presumably be safe until the end of this generation, with the possibility of some time without your 360 here and there. Hopefully the Xbox 720 has full backward compatibility, so after this generation we need never speak of the horrible RRoD again.

I bet Microsoft will use audible error codes instead of the quadrants of light next generation. 😛

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: mugs
I bet Microsoft will use audible error codes instead of the quadrants of light next generation. 😛

I can hear it now

With the warranty there's no reason not to buy a Falcon now if you need some new games to play. My pile keeps growing faster than I can play them so I can afford to wait for Jasper.

 

[CasioTech]

hah bullshit target is sold out (as if they had any) and no rain checks at my store for the GC. They may or may not restock this week.

 

[CasioTech]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: erwos
Repeat after me: the problems are fixed. The Falcons don't fail any more often than the PS3 or Wii - both of which, I should add, have had their fair share of problems.

Mayne. maybe not. The GPU is allegedly the cause of RRoD and it won't be fixed untill Jasper.

No one except Microsoft knows the current failure rate, but an alleged ex-softie reportedly alleged in a rumor that the Falcon failure rate is still 40%, which is 100 times higher than the rates for PS3 and 1,000 times that of the wii. And you can take that alleged rumor to the bank!

:thumbsup:

 

[CasioTech]

I don't think they can fix the problem anymore, they'll just drop this system and spend the money to develop a better one. But since they'll rush it and put poor R&D into it, it will have it's own set of problems. Maybe they can hire Sony to make their next console.


There is no way to fix this 360, there is just no way, the design is so poor.


Those who bought a 360 are content knowing it's just one big video game machine rental, just like blockbuster used to rent out the snes.

Just like ordering a game from netflix or gameflyz you have to keep sending the system back for another used one.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: CasioTech
I don't think they can fix the problem anymore, they'll just drop this system and spend the money to develop a better one. But since they'll rush it and put poor R&D into it, it will have it's own set of problems. Maybe they can hire Sony to make their next console.

Yeah, it only took Sony 3 tries to get it right. :laugh: In the rumor section of this month's EGM, there is a rumor that MS is actually looking to license the Xbox 360 hardware, so other hardware makers could make Xbox 360-compatible systems. I don't believe that rumor, because I think it's too late in the Xbox 360's lifecycle for other companies to jump in the game. They'd also pretty much have to follow MS's lead on pricing, which would be risky. Microsoft has revenue from game sales to supplement their system sales. A third party hardware manufacturer needs to make a decent profit on the system sales.

 

[Queasy]

Gamestop is already taking preorders on the 60GB 360. Comes out on 8/1. $349.99 - boo

Amazon has the Elite 360 for $399.99.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: CasioTech
There is no way to fix this 360, there is just no way, the design is so poor.


Those who bought a 360 are content knowing it's just one big video game machine rental, just like blockbuster used to rent out the snes.

Just like ordering a game from netflix or gameflyz you have to keep sending the system back for another used one.

:roll: You're right. Reducing the die size which reduces the power consumption and heat production would do nothing to solve the 360s problem which is poor heat management. Nothing. :roll: Stop being such a troll.

 

[Queasy]

Official MS announcement.

Redmond, Washington?Microsoft is giving consumers more gigabytes for their buck. The company today announced an Xbox 360® console with triple the storage space of the original console, but for the same price of $349 (U.S.) estimated retail price.

Available in retail stores in the U.S. and Canada starting in early August, the upgraded Xbox 360 will include a 60GB hard drive for storing the growing wealth of digital entertainment available for the console, including music, movies, television shows, and game content. In addition, Microsoft today dropped the price of its 20GB Xbox 360 console in the U.S. and Canada to just $299 (U.S.) (ERP) while supplies last, a savings of $50.

"We know consumers need more and more space to store the amazing digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we're giving it to them at no extra charge," said Albert Penello, Xbox director of product management at Microsoft. "No one device offers the depth and breadth of entertainment that Xbox 360 can deliver, and now you'll have three times the storage to manage all that great content."

Xbox 360 is just one of three Xbox 360 gaming and entertainment systems Microsoft offers. Microsoft's Xbox 360 Arcade, which comes with a 256MB memory unit and five Xbox LIVE Arcade games, is a value for the whole family for $279 (U.S.) (ERP), and the premium Xbox 360 Elite console is available with a 120GB hard drive for $449 (U.S.) (ERP).

Yeah, you might want to go ahead and drop the Arcade $30. It is already the weakest seller. Why anyone would buy it with the 20GB sitting there for $20 is more baffling.

 

[hdeck]

no one is going to buy the arcade until stores are out of stock of the 20 gb which i assume will occur before they roll out the 60gb in august.