Xbox 360 Elite officially announced

The $479 Xbox 360 Elite includes a 120GB hard drive and an HDMI output

(Credit: GameSpot)

The rumors were true: an upgraded Xbox 360 will be hitting stores later this spring. As reported at Gamespot, the Xbox 360 Elite will feature a black finish, a 120GB hard drive, and an HDMI output. The new unit will be available in North America on April 29 at a cost of $479. The Xbox 360 Elite will include a wireless controller, a wired Xbox Live headset (both in matching black), along with all manner of relevant cables: HDMI, Ethernet, and the combination composite/component A/V cable for connecting to standard and high-def TVs that lack an HDMI jack. Despite earlier speculation, the Xbox 360 Elite does not include an HD DVD drive or a Wi-Fi adapter. Likewise, the Elite is said to utilize the same underlying hardware as the current 360 models. That would seem to mean the rumored cooler-running 65nm CPU isn't quite ready for prime time, though its eventual appearance will be more of a cost-saving measure for Microsoft rather than something that offers a tangible benefit to the consumer.

The Xbox 360 Elite will be a permanent addition to the product line, not a limited edition product. Moreover, the $299 Xbox 360 Core System (which includes a wired controller and no hard drive) and the $399 Xbox 360 Premium will remain in the lineup. However, the 120GB snap-on hard drive will be sold as a separate accessory for $179, allowing current and future owners of the step-down 360 models to upgrade at their leisure. Also, the add-on drive will include a data cable to transfer everything from the old 20GB drive to the replacement model.

For prospective owners of the Xbox 360, getting HDMI compatibility and a hard drive that's six times as capacious is well worth the extra $80. Current 360 owners know that the 20GB drive gets quickly filled up with demos and Xbox Live Arcade games, as well as movies and TV shows from Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace. The HDMI output, meanwhile, offers the potential for somewhat better video quality and wider 1080p compatibility with a wider array of HDTVs (compared to the VGA and component output options on the current 360). For anyone who already owns a 360, however, reinvesting in a whole new system will be a much harder sell.

How does the Xbox 360 Elite compare to the PlayStation 3? The $500 PS3 has a much smaller 20GB hard drive, while the $600 PS3 adds built-in Wi-Fi and a 60GB drive, plus a multiformat flash card reader. But both PlayStations work as fully functional Blu-ray movie players, and both have HDMI outputs (though Microsoft, unlike stingy Sony, is at least including the HDMI cable in the box). Still, it's likely to be the lineup of games that will determine which console consumers buy.

We'll have a full hands-on review of the Xbox 360 Elite as soon as it becomes available.

[DarkHawke]

Oooooh, Doctor!

Which is what I said on seeing this official shot of the new 360! Still with the odd-ball curves and hump, but damn, what doesn't look better in black?! It's unfortunate that they chose to price it up, but 80 bucks isn't *so* bad. I hope that they addressed the noise issue as well, which this article implies may not be the case. And I wonder if they'll offer a HD-DVD add-on in black as well. It'd look very strange if they didn't. Still, way slick. Way slick indeed.

[Chiba5]

What a waste!!

Ok, is Microsoft serious?? This new xbox was pretty much made for people who don't have a 360 already. There is no point for any existing 360 owner to run out and buy one of these. An current 360 owner who knows about 1080p resolution knows that the $30 hd-vga cable is the solution and not spending another $500 for a new system. The only justification is that your 360 has the red ring of death (again - 2x for me) and you need a new one. So let's hope that if that happens, these new ones have a longer life.
If you buy it just for the color, you're crazy!! Don't be a Microsoft sucker and let them realize that we are not all dumb consumers!!!

[paindoc66]

Stupid Microsoft

Other than the cool black look, I was expecting the system to come standard with HD DVD. Wasn't that the purpose to compete with playstation's blu ray? How else can they narrow the gap unless the system came with HD DVD compatability out of the box.... For those complaining about the hard drive not being large enough, start deleting junk downloads you never use. What a waste...

[paindoc66]

Stupid Microsoft

Other than the cool black look, I was expecting the system to come standard with HD DVD. Wasn't that the purpose to compete with playstation's blu ray? How else can they narrow the gap unless the system came with HD DVD compatability out of the box.... For those complaining about the hard drive not being large enough, start deleting junk downloads you never use. What a waste...

[jkda]

Typical Micorsoft

While Microsoft was first to the market with the current generation of gaming platforms, there decision to release an "Elite" version of the Xbox 360 is just their way of acknowledging that the PS3 is a better system. Hopefully, those who purchase the so called "Elite" Xbox 360 will have a better experience than those who purchased the defective Xbox 360s that were initially released to the market. I also hope that Microsoft will learn the next time around that there is a distinct difference between being first with something and being the best. Sony is the best at making gaming platforms, which is why I don't believe they will be releasing an "Elite" PS3.

[JustinGN]

Why is everyone complaining?

I love how the internet is seemingly imploding with the howling of crushed
Xbox fanboys, since apparently they have no idea how the wonderful world of
electronics works. If manufacturers included every possible feature in their
products since day one, then we wouldn't see yearly models and eventually
the companies wouldn't be able to stay afloat. Likewise, you don't see
Panasonic or Sony offering upgrade plans for their latest and greatest TV sets
every year, even though they may have added a major feature or somesuch.

As for the lack of built-in HD DVD, I'm glad they didn't go that route yet.
Sony is taking a huge financial gamble by including BluRay players with every
PS3 system, because if BluRay flops, then Sony is in deep trouble with their
customers, gamers, developers and publishers. Microsoft made the right
choice of keeping it as an external, optional add-on, because that way the
only people who buy it are the ones who will use it and understand what they
are getting into format-war-wise.

As for MS releasing it because "PS3 is the better system?" C'mon, I thought
those of us here at CNet had a much more level head on our shoulders than
the various community forums out there. I've got myself a launch-day 360, a
launch-day Wii, and after purchasing the new Elite System as well as a
seperate 120GB drive for my old 360 (which will soon serve duty as a media
hub in the basement theatre), I'll grab a PS3 as well once there's a game for it
I want to play. Each system has its strengths and weaknesses, and no single
system is "The Best". They each have their own crowds they are appealing to
with feature sets and game titles, and everyone will choose whichever they
think suits them best. That's all.

Frankly Microsoft, it's about time for an HDMI port and bigger Hard Disk.
And while I'm slightly miffed at having no upgrade path for HDMI for the
previous 360 consoles, it's also understandable. But $180 for a 120GB Hard
Disk? Ouch, that stings.

[Ultimo01]

All I Can Say Is I Argee

I agree with everything that Justingn said about this article and the fact that there is no such thing as a 'better' console it is whatever the consoles have that 'tickles' the customer in the right way.

All consoles have exclusives I want and features I want (not deciding on Blu-Ray or HD-DVD), but I'm playing the waiting game because this is usually whats happens as what Justingn said about the major upgrades. I wouldn't doubt that PS3 will come out with a new model sometime in the future just like they did with the slim PS2.

What is just trying to be said that everything is true like Justingn said and I couldn't explain it any better than he did in how I feel about this. This is an excellent item based on given information and something I may buy in the near future.

[BCF1968]

You are wrong

"As for the lack of built-in HD DVD, I'm glad they didn't go that route yet.
Sony is taking a huge financial gamble by including BluRay players with every
PS3 system, because if BluRay flops, then Sony is in deep trouble with their
customers, gamers, developers and publishers. Microsoft made the right
choice of keeping it as an external, optional add-on, because that way the
only people who buy it are the ones who will use it and understand what they
are getting into format-war-wise."

Sony's gamble is paying off. Blu-ray disks are selling many times what HD-DVDs are. This was MS chance to have HD-DVD actually compete. HD-DVD is now offically dead in the water.

This system is supposed to be "Elite". Then fine include HD-DVD. If you don't want HD-DVD by a Core or Pro 360. I fail to see the point of the HDMI without HD-DVD.

[ikcizokm]

Good move by Microsoft

I'm not an MS zealot by any means, but I think they're doing a good thing here. Unlike what lot of posters here are speculating, their decision to release an Elite Xbox 360 is NOT in any way admitting that the PS3 is somehow superior. How do I know this? Because they aren't changing any of the core components of the Xbox, namely the processor, memory or video. As the article says, it's "the SAME underlying hardware."

From a technology, performance and graphics standpoint, X360 is on par with PS3 in almost every way, so there's no need to "improve" anything. This is exactly what MS is advertising it as: a feature upgrade, not a re-design or re-model.

The reason MS is doing this is to keep pace with consumer demand. The Xbox 360 was out for almost a year before 1080p became commonplace in HDTV's. 1080p is the new big thing in home theater, and everyone wants to appeal to the customers who are seeing 1080p everywhere and think they need it. Good for them. MS is smart to give their customers choices here. Want 1080p? Get an X360 Elite. Happy with your existing X360 but want that larger hard drive? Then buy just the drive. It's a win-win.

[ZephyrCurse]

My thoughts, enjoy them or not...

I really do think this is a good 'idea' by MS but I don't believe they pulled it off very well. The HDMI is important if they do want to continue to trump the PS3 graphically (as the PS3's Core processor remains largely untapped, so far the 360 still looks better on those multi-platform games). Another part of the Resolution war is of course the HD generation, so it does seem stupid to me that they would not add HD DVD to the new system, its not that 'Elite' without it. They could have really made up for the stupid looking add-on that they sold earlier by putting it right in the system. They also could have shut the PS3 down by adding a TRULY fully-functional HD DVD in, by having one that offered upscaling. The fact that PS3 is Sony's only Blu-Ray player that doesn't upscale DVDs is disturbing and a bit lazy sounding.
Yes 120 GB is fun and nice with all of the available downloads online. I have a Wii and I can see that if I put as much money as I would like to into the Virtual Console, that I would quickly run out of space. No WiFi is upsetting as the Wii makes excellent use of it, and PS3 does a decent job (would be better if Firmware wasn't so slow to D/L). WiFi is becoming a new standard today and really should be on the 'Elite' version.
For the price though, complaining is hard to do. Still quite shy of the 60GB PS3 price the differences may be easier to understand, and it does come with the headset that makes great use of the superior Xbox Live.
If they tried to add a 6-axis controller, I would have shot myself out of pity, the PS3 failed that one miserably I'm really happy they realised that if your going to do motion you need to go all the way like Nintendo. I appreciate both sides of games, but I do think that if Nintendo put the horsepower into the Wii that the other two Next-gen systems did, it would be a stronger competiton to the 'core gamer' class. Even so, the sales and demand of the Wii are high, and PS3's are terrible. You can't find Wii points and accessories very easily, but the EB stores in my area are all making trade and save inscentives to get rid of their PS3 overstocks (they told me this themselves). When I buy my next console I will find it hard to choose, right now however I would 360 it hands down even though I hated the original Xbox. I love sony but untill the must have games come, I see no reason why I would buy it, especially when as posted earlier the slim (under the current 5kg weight would be nice) PS3 will be much more attractive.
As per what BCF1968 said about HD DVD being dead in the water, they are way off. It is true that they have already hacked out HD DVDs but it will happen with Blu-Ray if it already hasn't. Also with MS's new excuse for an OS is out, Blu-Ray drives don't work on Vista because Microsoft has taken sides. If you havn't noticed there are alot more PC's running Windows than OS X or Linux or something else (ALOT more). This gives HD DVD a fighting chance, and the name itself is easier for geriatric folks to handle. HD DVD sounds like a natural progression from DVD for the older people who don't yet understand DVD's or the internet. Another thing is, when I move up to the new generation I will buy a combo player like LG is making to play both formats.
As a last note from this rant I would just like to say, for the price, the HDD is enough, but you get a few extras too. I wouldn't market this as Elite though because of the lacking capability in HD DVD and WiFi, and save that name for a better version that was smaller and had these bonuses as well as the better CPU. I wouldn't go much farther then calling it Premium Plus+.
Sorry about the rant, but when I seen people complaining about copying the PS3 I needed to b*tch. Microsoft does it to everybody, Vista is a clear example when you look at 2 year old Mac OS's. The PS3 copied the Wii anyway, and failed in one department but gave it a nice backhand with the soon to come Home avatar system. I still think the 'Elite' is worth a buy for new owners, and thats about the last of my ranting.

[nobody_knose]

Xbox as a cheap media center?

OK, please pardon my non-gamer ignorance, but looking at the specs it seems like this would be a cheap way to get a media center in my living room.

Am i right on this? Is there a better solution for someone who just wanted easy access their 40 GB+ MP3 collection in the living room? I know there are plenty of media extenders, but I don't want to have a PC running 24/7 in the other room just so i can access my tunes from the couch.

[.Throwdown.]

X360 Elite black: for how long?

i'm not sure weather its truth or not, but i have heard that the X360 elite will only be avilable in black for a limited time. if this is true, the elite will sell in large numbers simple for the appeal of saying 'yeah, ive got a black elite.' i know for a fact that i am already hoarding cash for the black one. i already own a 360 with 20GB harddrive and live, i would gladly dish out the $480 to please my inner nerd. but my only question is, will the X360 elite be available in black in limited quantities?