Xbox 360 Elite dropping to $299 (finally)?
The end of the Xbox 360 Pro is nigh.
(Credit: Kotaku)Treat this right now as very likely, but still a rumor--a photo of a catalog page posted to Kotaku shows the 120GB hard drive-and-HDMI Xbox 360 Elite going for $299. The Meijer catalog (a Midwest store chain) in question is slated for August 30, which would mean a nice holiday surprise for future Xbox 360 buyers.
Other rumors have it that the price-dropped Elite and the bare-bones, hard-drive-free Arcade system will be the only 360s left on the market. It's a move that makes sense, since 120GB is not exactly a luxurious amount of storage space anymore, and is far more suitable for the mainstream than a fine-in-2005-but-now-piddling 20GB.
The 360 wasn't the system that most needed a price drop, after all. But then again, Sony might be following close behind with a cheaper (and redesigned) counterpunch of their own.
This leaves the Xbox 360 Elite at a price that's only $50 more than a Wii. And, for that price, you get a system that streams Netflix, plays DVDs, has robust online gameplay, and has far more storage than Nintendo's white box (even adding in a mountain of SD cards).
While we have absolutely no problem with getting more Xbox 360 for less, this raises a rather sharp sticking point with the prices of Microsoft's proprietary Xbox hard drives. An impassioned rant from Gizmodo accurately and appropriately skewers the currently ludicrous $160 retail cost of the 120GB hard drive. When half a terabyte can be had for the same--and when Microsoft, after all, wants us to buy more downloads than ever before--this hardly seems logical. Then again, maybe hard drive price drops/capacity increases are also on the horizon. In fact, wouldn't that be expected? If 120GB is the mainstream, there has to be a larger capacity to upgrade to.
Or, even better: Wi-Fi built in, and a slimmer, more reliable 360. How about that?
(via Kotaku)
Scott Stein, a New York Jets fan and CNET senior associate editor, has written about tech, entertainment, video games, and viral culture for outlets including Laptop, Wired, Maxim, Esquire Online, Asylum, and Men's Journal. He also appears on the Digital City podcast. In his spare time, you might see him performing improv in New York City (when he's not being a dad). 
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check this link out, including the editor..
http://www.laser-hl.com/news_details.php?id=455
Logically, I think they would milk it and sell 250GB stand alone drives. That way they can charge thier markup on the 120gb drive when you buy the system and get you again when you buy the upgrade. This is M$'s game.
There's no reason why they couldn't FULLY support portable HDDs if they chose to. Would be nice to see a console with an e-sata port.
..So after the PS3 fails I'm thinking I may sell mine... somehow... since I'm getting about no games I can't get on the cheaper 360... not like there's a difference in graphics anyway. (Yes... the PS3 does have a better graphics engine... that's far too complex for developers to use to it's full potential cost effectively.)
I have a PS3 - I use it as a media extender and blu-ray player more than anything else... my father in-law has a 360 - the shear volume of decent games on that console is pretty staggering... and I can see no visual difference between the two consoles.
how can you say the ps3 is not the most disastrous PR record for Sony? ps3 took sony from top selling video game console company to the lowest, behind nintendo, and microsoft. and sony continues to suffer from the high price of the ps3 - barely anyone buying that PoS in this economy, developers wanting to drop support, and a crapload of other problems.
hey moron. do the math. Sony's sold 24 million PS3s in 2+ years, MS 30 million in 3+ years. Which console is selling at a faster rate? if it was such a failure then why is Sony pushing more units each month? lets not forget about all the retard MS loyalists who have purchased more then one Crapbox so they can have one on hand while the other(s) are being fixed. You Xbots are like Obama cultists. You dont like FACTS. \
what, are facts hard???
Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/ghostbusters-on-ps3-lags-behind-360-version-developer-explains/
You call him a moron, but don't do your research very well. The 360 has been hammering the PS3 in sales this year, at about 60% more consoles sold per month. PS3 had a big spike after the HD war was done and people bought it as a blu-ray player. This is easily seen in a lot more people buy games for the 360 and the PS3 is used as a blu-ray, because they aren't selling near as many games.
Except that it isn't.
Over this past month alone, from Jul 5 to Aug 8 of this year, VGChartz reports that the total worldwide PS3 sales was just over 395,064 units. For the same period, total worldwide 360 sales was 495,756 units. That's over 100,000 more 360s entering into homes, over 25% more than what the PS3 had done. With that kind of sales performance, how exactly is the PS3 supposed to catch up to the 360? (btw, the Wii for that same period sold 1,076,640 units, thereby effectively spanking both of the others).
Considering the utter dominance that the PS2 had over the original Xbox and Gamecube, indeed the PS3 has indeed been a sales disaster for Sony given that they remain at the bottom of overall sales...and month-to-month sales. They haven't transferred the sales traction they once had with the PS2; in fact if anything they've lost even more of it. A year and a half ago they had passed the 360 in month-to-month sales only to see that regress again to being the 3rd-place doormat (no doubt courtesy of Microsoft's price drop back then).
We'll have to see what sort of sales bump a PS3 Slim will have, but unless Sony goes balls-out crazy with a massive price drop--something they're not known for doing with ANY of their product lines, at least until it comes to closing out discontinued items--no one should count too much Sony absolutely dominating the Console Wars anytime soon.
(And as an aside: considering just how many Wiis have already sold, if ANYONE could afford having a huge price drop it's Nintendo. The Wii has easily paid for itself many times over by now...and its own sales pace HAS slowed quite a bit recently. Things aren't getting any easier for Sony, skinny PS3s notwithstanding...)
You can spin it however you want but if PS3=Fail, then 360=Fail as well.
You spelled Meijer incorrectly in your piece. You spelled it Meijir. And for those needing help pronouncing it is said "my errrr" with the "errrr" sounding like burr.
Cordially,
The Midwest
Lowering it to $299.99 is smart for Microsoft, however I can't stop think but if the PS3 slim is slated to be at that same price BUT-you'll get more for your buck for the PS3 (wireless, bluetooth, Blu ray + DVD upscale player, multi media photo slideshows, plug in keyboard and mouse for some games, etc. so Xbox should really consider lowering the elite to $249.99 unless they plan to add what the PS3 has.
Mind you, I'm not playing the fanboy game here I'm just saying that if you take the name brand out, compare let's say M console and A console with each of their own exclusives at $299.99 but one has blu ray player and upscale dvd player + more stuff included, seriously, which would you buy? The one with more for your buck.
I still think PS3 is a great system. ( have both an Elite and a PS3)
Sadly, my Elite just got RROD (kinda my fault, didnt vent properly and heat was going back in) but it gave me a good year and a half.
I use my PS3 for blueray and Media. I have very little games for it mainly for 2 reasons. 1) Multiplatform games end up getting DLC faster on 360. 2) The controller is really weird. This is something everyone argues. But Sony took a controller that was not that great and recycled it. Buttons are awkwardly placed and playing shooters just doesn't feel as natural as the 360 controller
Disclaimer!!! I AM NOT A FANBOY OF THE 360. JUST RIGHT KNOW, ITS THE BETTER CONSOLE.
PS3 library is woefully weak of 1st party or even 2nd stringer games.
PS3 UI and Online service is an utter joke... reason its freeeeee
Does PS3 even have multiplayer gamers who play on their crippled service?
so yeah PS3 was a great deal!... I'm so fortunate they sold me a linux dev kit..WOOOHOOOO
$299??? Sounds like a fire sale to me. Maybe to make room for a new Xbox??? With Microsoft, you never know.
If Sony drop the PS3 to $299, then you would literally have to be insane to buy an Elite given the much superior PS3 game lineup these days too.
First off it would be a hundred dollars cheaper than a PS3 at the current price and that is a big incentive for people to go with the 360. And yes the PS3 has WiFI built in and yes it does make a good Blu Ray player, BUT there are quite a few people out there that either do not want those features or cannot use them. There are still quite a few people that do not have a wireless network set up in their households and do not need the built in WiFi. And the same may be said for the Blu Ray. Not everyone wants a Blu Ray player. As for the online service, well you seem to forget that there are quite a few people playing these consoles offline. Plus you get what you pay for when comparing the two.
Now you do have a point that it costs extra to upgrade the Xbox 360. But that's the consumers choice if they decide to do it at a later date. Where as Sony takes that choice away from you and makes you buy it all bundled up front.
I agree with the your comment. However, if both systems are priced the same, it doesn't apply. You would be in effect getting these other options, whether you need them or not, for free. So no harm, no foul.
If it's not hurtin' inside now, it will do when most of the games everyone is talking about this season isn't on your console, and it will hurt even more when the 360 finally packs up (and lets be honest here, it's not a case of IF, it's a case of WHEN).
Wow dude. Let it drop already, I understand that you like the PS3 over the Xbox 360. But that's your opinion, especially when talking about games. Each to his own you know. You seem to have some sort of vendetta against the America consumer and Microsoft. Both systems have their pluses and minus's and it's up to individual taste as to which system someone wants, or like myself buys both.
AND CAN SOMEONE PLZ TELL ME WHY XBOX LIVE IS BETTER BCUZ PPL KEEP SAYING IT BUT NEVER LEAVE ANY SUPPORT FOR THEIR REASONS.
FYI - I have both systems. Realy like both systems, and if you view my posts above you can see that I'm also willing to point out the PS3 advantages when appropriate. Also if I had to guess, I'd say that I play my PS3 more than my 360.
For me the main advantages of XBL are:
1: Information layout - in terms of downloadable content, XBL is much easier to browse than the PS3 store. This does not include general menus where I prefer Sony's XMB layout.
2: Available downloadable content. For non exclusive title, XBL tends to have more downloadable content available faster (think Fallout 3, GTA 4, Elder Scrolls Oblivion, etc)
3: Online events. XBL has more online events for disc based titles like Call of Duty and downloadable games such as 1 vs 100. Feel free to laugh about the 1 vs 100. I did before I played it. Now my wife and I play about once a week.
4. Netflix??? I use PlayOn to watch Netflix on my PS3 so I'm not sure if this should realy count.
Do you have both systems or have you even tried Xbox Live? Other than just bashing and insulting one system can you debate the merits of one over the other?
As for the one main reason why I prefer the XBL over the PSN: Voice communication. All Xbox Live games support this. And for me that is the reason I play online on a console. Add to it easier to navigate friends list and being about to have a party chat with multiple people while not everyone may be playing the same game. Easier Match making set-up support for games too. Being able to access your friends list and send Party or game invites while in a game. Ect. Is it worth 50 dollars? For me and my friends it is. For smooth online action and 100% voice support Xbox Live is the best console online experience so far. The PSN has gotten a lot better, but I have to be honest when a cross platform game comes out and I know I want to play online I pick it up for the 360 because of the Xbox Live experience. I would happily pay that same 50 dollars a year to Sony if they had the same online performance.
Yes I did have live and everthing you mention PSN does except for the privite chat in game. I don't comment on things unless I had them at one point. When my 360 wasn't out for repair I did use it. Like I said before my main issue with the 360 is reliability. Why would I back up a system that messes up on me 4 times. Never had a worse system.
- by douggdangger August 13, 2009 4:42 PM PDT
- "All MS accessories are overpriced."
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- by jwilson61904 August 14, 2009 5:49 AM PDT
- The 360 accessories are overpriced from the rechargeable batteries for the controllers, to the wifi adapter, and especially the harddrive. I agree that the Sony memory cards are overpriced and unnecessary since most companies have moved to sd, but what does this have to do with the PS3? I've had mine for several years and never once needed one. The harddrive on my 360 gets used everytime I turn it on.
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- by Byteme2009 August 14, 2009 6:15 AM PDT
- @ douggdangger
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (62 Comments)Yeah, specially the 8mb memory cards that Sony sells for the PS3 for $20. Hmmm... I can buy an 8gb micro sd for $20.
"Selling full games for download would make consumers buy their HDD."
Or Sony requiring you to install PS3 games since their bluray drive falls behind in reading the data. Ask 20gb PS3 owners and see how they feel.
"MS sure knows how to make money. "
Too bad Sony no longer knows how.
I'm not trying to say one system is better than the other, just that there is no reason for the 360 accessories, especially the harddrive to cost that much given that you can upgrade the PS3 hardrive to 500gb for less than it costs to purchase a proprietary 120gb harddrive for the 360.
What the heck is a 8mb memory card for a PS3?
As for having to install the games on the PS3, I hear this argument a lot. I have a 160gb so it isn't an issue for me, but to be honest I didn't even notice it was installing the games until I picked up a copy of Ninja Gaiden Sigma for $10 at Walmart. It is not like you have to sit there for two days while it installs the game. For every other game I have had it has either been seamless or quick enough that I don't remember the install. As a result, if I had a 20gb and ran out of room and had to remove one game to install another it is not so slow as to be prohibitive. Or for the cost of a game I could go ahead and get a considerably larger hard drive and be done with it.