New version of the Xbox 360

[Matt34]

A new $479 black, HDMI-enabled, 120GB version of Microsoft's latest console will arrive on April 29. I'm still haven't made up my mind which console I'll get if any.

http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/xbox-360-elite-to-support-hdmi-larger-hd.html

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6168182.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;1

[j_garcia]

PS3 man. I read that the "Elite" version is limited and will eventually become another option in the range (or they will drop the current lower version). And since it still doesn't have the HD-DVD drive built in, where is the benefit? It made sense with the current unit to have it separate for people who weren't interested in that capability, but if you are going to have a "top" model with HDMI why not build it in? That doesn't make sense...and at $479 + the HD-DVD add on, well might as well get a 60G PS3 with BluRay and wireless built in.

[avaserfi]

It really depends how much you will use the console for gaming and if wireless is a big deal to you or not.

The elite model will eventually become the premiere once the special edition elites sell out but the 360 will still be missing wireless functionality (the add on costs around 100 bucks).

The biggest reason, and possibly only, as I see it to pick 360 over PS3 is the gaming library, but that is only because the 360 has been around for so long. I have a wii but plan on waiting to decide if I want to get a ps3 or 360 right now the 360 library is enticing but I am sure the ps3 will get some good stuff too.

[majorloser]

PS3 man. I read that the "Elite" version is limited and will eventually become another option in the range (or they will drop the current lower version). And since it still doesn't have the HD-DVD drive built in, where is the benefit? It made sense with the current unit to have it separate for people who weren't interested in that capability, but if you are going to have a "top" model with HDMI why not build it in? That doesn't make sense...and at $479 + the HD-DVD add on, well might as well get a 60G PS3 with BluRay and wireless built in.

But it won't be able to play Halo 3 :mad:

[Clint DeBoer]

I am surprised it doesn't yet support HD DVD

[Matt34]

I've had both the previous generations of PS and enjoyed them but my biggest factor to jump to the 360 is Xbox live.

[j_garcia]

But it won't be able to play Halo 3 :mad:

I can't stand Halo personally. But it doesn't play Gears of War.....though Unreal IS coming to the PS3..... Yes there is a MUCH better title selection, but we were playing my brother's 360 this weekend and I have to once again say, the graphics on the PS3 are noticeably better.

PS3 online is just getting started, but it is already pretty darn good and it is free. I didn't expect it to be a big feature for me, but I have been using the Playstation Store a LOT.

I am surprised it doesn't yet support HD DVD

They said they did that to keep it separate for people who wanted it primarily as a gaming only system. Still doesn't make sense to me why they wouldn't just add it in, since it would mean far greater storage for games....DUH.

[JackT]

In my humble opinion, this "breaks the rules" that have been an implicit rationale for console gaming until now. Consoles are supposed to provide a stable, standardized gaming platform. With PC gaming you traditionally have had to chase hardware performance to enjoy newer releases. Not so with consoles, until now.

By releasing an XBOX 360 with an HDMI port that older XBOX 360s cannot add as an accessory, this model is violated.

[j_garcia]

But one of the major complaints about the 360 has been the lack of HDMI...I think they held back because they wanted to be sure about the version they put on there, and it may have cost them. In reality most people are probably fine with component.

[Matt34]

I can't wait to actually see a PS3 in person, they released them 2 days after I left to come back off R&R.:(

[avaserfi]

When the features of the 360 where being released a few years ago microsoft clearly stated they would not be including HDMI funcitionality for a simple reason at the time Sony claimed they would not be using it. I cannot remember where I read this interview but their answer went something along the lines of if sony doesnt have it neither will we. I am sure they are kicking themselves now by doing this but if it sells systems they will do it.

[Rob Babcock]

MS has stated point blank that they'll never include an internal HD-DVD drive to the 360/Elite/whatever.

[davo]

MS has stated point blank that they'll never include an internal HD-DVD drive to the 360/Elite/whatever.

Goes to show how much confidence M$ has in winning the format war. Imagine the humiliation they will suffer when they acknowledge Sony was right to include Blu-ray IN the PS3, not as an add-on. :D

I can feel the flame wars begining to arise.:D :D

[Matt34]

Goes to show how much confidence M$ has in winning the format war. Imagine the humiliation they will suffer when they acknowledge Sony was right to include Blu-ray IN the PS3, not as an add-on. :D

I can feel the flame wars begining to arise.:D :D


MS is playing it safe. Sony has a history of trying to push new formats with not so great results. Can we say mini-disk or UMD?

[mikeyj92]

This blows for everyone who already owns a 360, especially those who bought one since the Holiday season '06. I just got mine in January '07.

I paid $400.00.

If I want to add the 120GB HDD (which I do), M$ is making me spend $180.00 for it.

$180.00 for a 120GB HDD. Insane pricing. Should be $80.00. They are legitimizing it because they sell their 20gb HDD for $100 (which is even MORE crazy).

So, my total cost for just my 360 and the 120gb HDD will be $580.00, which is $100 MORE than the Elite will sell for, plus the Elite has HDMI output.

My arse really hurts today...$20.00 more and I could've just got the PS3 I really wanted all along...and here I thought I was being more fiscally responsible.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Meanwhile ...... been waiting 5 months to buy a Wii now. Seriously, this has got to be some kind of joke.

[avaserfi]

MS is playing it safe. Sony has a history of trying to push new formats with not so great results. Can we say mini-disk or UMD?

Pretty sure they also made a huge push with the dvd and the ps2, so its not always a mistake. The difference was the dvd was in a more solid spot when sony made the final push while blue-ray isnt.

[majorloser]

Pretty sure they also made a huge push with the dvd and the ps2, so its not always a mistake. The difference was the dvd was in a more solid spot when sony made the final push while blue-ray isnt.

Let's not forget Betamax tapes :rolleyes:

[jeffsg4mac]

Let's not forget Betamax tapes :rolleyes:

Or the Super Audio CD

[j_garcia]

I get the feeling SACD and DVD-A will be replaced by just plain lossless.

[placebo473]

I am surprised it doesn't yet support HD DVDAs long as the add-on HD-DVD drive is $199 why would anyone be disappointed. I like the idea of it not being built in. Think of it as a game console of seperates. I'm thrilled. And even more excited that I didn't buy a PS3. The PS3 looks like it elongs on a car's dashboard and although the DualAxis controller is what most gamers are used to, it's not as ergonomic as XboX's. Microsoft hs just hit a home run for less than $500. Yes!

[darien87]

As long as the add-on HD-DVD drive is $199 why would anyone be disappointed. I like the idea of it not being built in. Think of it as a game console of seperates. I'm thrilled. And even more excited that I didn't buy a PS3. The PS3 looks like it elongs on a car's dashboard and although the DualAxis controller is what most gamers are used to, it's not as ergonomic as XboX's. Microsoft hs just hit a home run for less than $500. Yes!Wow.

You're the ONLY person I've come across that feels this way. Hey, as long as you're happy with a lesser machine, more power to you.

[Wafflesomd]

Goes to show how much confidence M$ has in winning the format war. Imagine the humiliation they will suffer when they acknowledge Sony was right to include Blu-ray IN the PS3, not as an add-on. :D

I can feel the flame wars begining to arise.:D :D


I doubt they really care all too much about the format war, I mean, who does. Either format is useless right now.

Man, you guys really need to mod your consoles. You can already expand the 360's hdd.... Just wait for some team xecuter to release some good mod chips. Install a new dashboard, done.

I mean come on, all my freinds buy cores and just add their own hdd's.

[GlocksRock]

Even if the format war ends and Blu-Ray ends up being the winner, MS could still benefit by having the HD-DVD drive built in since they could just put games on HD-DVD and have much higher storage capacity than the current 0 gig DVDs they use now. I don't care to have the add on drive simply because it doesn't support the new DTS and DD 7.1 formats, and obviously it has no analog outputs.

[Rob Babcock]

I think MS's goal was to knock the Playstation franchise off it's pedestal; the 360 was built to win the Console War, not the Video Format War. They assert they won't build an Xbox with a built-in HD-DVD drive because they don't want to "fragment the market." There's a lot to be said for that approach, but add-ons for consoles have historically been fairly unpopular. Given that only 1 in 10 'Boxers is a buying the HD-DVD drive seems to validate the MS position.

But then again, Gates also claimed we'd have HALO3 on the exact day the PS3 was released in the US...and that clearly didn't happen. So regardless of what they claim they'll do, we won't really know until we wait and see.

[Josh784]

The BlueRay drive in the PS3 is definitely a bonus BUT it does add a substantial amount to the price tag. Personally I can't justify $600 for a game console, but I can justify $400.

First and foremost, the 360 and PS3 are game consoles. Sure the ability to play HD movies is a really nice feature, but it doesn't affect the gaming aspect of the consoles in the least. The size of current dual layer DVDs is plenty large enough for games. The compression algorithms that game developers use are pretty crazy, and they can fit a lot of game onto a single DVD. I doubt we'll see a need for larger discs in the next 3-4 years. If we do, Sony was right and Microsoft was wrong. One thing worth mentioning however, is that the BlueRay drive in the PS3 is slower than the DVD drive in the 360. If I remember correctly, the 360 reads at around 16mb/sec while the PS3 sits at 9mb/sec. That means the 360 can load games faster.

Technologically speaking, I've read several articles that declare the 360 a more powerful system than the PS3. The gist of it is that the Cell CPU in the PS3 is an incredibly powerful CPU, but absolutely sucks when it comes to games. If the PS3 had been built to crunch numbers, run SETI, basically do supercomputer type stuff, it would run circles around the 360. As it stands, the 360's CPU is a much more efficient design for games. The GPU in the 360 is also more powerful, featuring a 10MB z-buffer that the PS3 does not have. I have yet to see a PS3 in action, so I have no idea how these claims work in practice.

Josh

[Seth=L]

I will say this to those that think the 360's sole use of DVD as its game medium being a limitation, it isn't. What else are you going to do with a 120GB HDD, put you favorite CDs on their, I don't think so. How about some multidisc games loaded on the HDD, the format does not limit the machine.

Note: I am completely neutral in the format war and console war, I do not take sides with either, and their is no clear victor on either side and that cannot be predicted at this point.:)

[avaserfi]

Note: I am completely neutral in the format war and console war, I do not take sides with either, and their is no clear victor on either side and that cannot be predicted at this point.:)


I think that quote is perfect for the situation. Any lead either side has in either of the wars is minimal and short term enough to not be definitive.

[Rob Babcock]

I will say this to those that think the 360's sole use of DVD as its game medium being a limitation, it isn't. What else are you going to do with a 120GB HDD, put you favorite CDs on their, I don't think so. How about some multidisc games loaded on the HDD, the format does not limit the machine.


The 120 gig HD will rock; one of the best uses for it will be to store downloaded HD movies. I don't have a PS3 or 360 yet but my brother downloads quite a few movies for his 360. The large drive will be handy for that.

Once I get moved (within a month) I'll replace my current PJ with an HD model. Then I imagine I'll buy a PS3. To me the fact that it plays games is just gravey: right now the PS3 is the cheapest BluRay player on the market, $100 cheaper than the next cheapest model. Even if I never play a game it's a good deal.

[Seth=L]

Right now the PS3 is the cheapest BluRay player on the market, $100 cheaper than the next cheapest model. Even if I never play a game it's a good deal.
Assuming Blu-ray wins, sure no big deal.:D (it probably will win though;))

[davo]

The 120 gig HD will rock; one of the best uses for it will be to store downloaded HD movies. I don't have a PS3 or 360 yet but my brother downloads quite a few movies for his 360. The large drive will be handy for that.

Once I get moved (within a month) I'll replace my current PJ with an HD model. Then I imagine I'll buy a PS3. To me the fact that it plays games is just gravey: right now the PS3 is the cheapest BluRay player on the market, $100 cheaper than the next cheapest model. Even if I never play a game it's a good deal.

I'm right with you on that one, I LOVE gravey (maybe not ON the PS3). Am also waiting a little bit to buy PS3.

The hard drive add-on that MS is selling is a total rip. You can buy stand alone units with much higher storage for less right now.

Anyone that bought X360 would have to be spewing at the moment but don't worry, MS will still accept more of your money!!:D

[Wafflesomd]

PPl, mod your consoles.

[Matt34]

How difficult a job are we talking about when it comes to upgrading a harddrive on the 360?

[Seth=L]

How difficult a job are we talking about when it comes to upgrading a harddrive on the 360?
Finding someone who has hacked it is the probably hardest part. I don't know exactly how it is done, but I would think it would be some kind of firmware deal, putting a disc that enables the 360 to accept other HDDs.:D

[dem beats]

Here is the point of view i see from microsoft. It's evil but the right move.

The xbox has never, ever made a dollar in any quarter since it's been out(unless there was a change this past year) either model actualy. Xbox live is the key I beleive, that and you can run your microsoft media PC right through that maching. The software and expandability is limitid though. As I see Bill G not beign stupid and just wanting a machine in the war, I think he must have a plan. I think that plan is world domination, in form of our media experience. Contol you digital cable through the Xbox. Control you're downloadable content through yoru xbox. Eventualy it will be conroll your whole AV experience through the microsoft software/pc type machine.

Bill wants to be in your living room. He has controll of the majority of the PC's in the world. Vista even has new software put in it that will scan your machine and connect to microsoft and if you have any software or media that it can't verify to be legit it will wipe it from your machine without even asking you for permision. It's about control. He can see eventualy down the line Sony placing themselves to have control in the livig room. Nintendo makes games and gaming consoles, and amazing inovation. They are not trying to dominate anything else. the Sony and Microsoft empires see it a bit different and are battling for who will be the "easiest choice" to control out media experience on our TV's, not for just games but cable and satalite and everything else.

I am a 360 owner and that was a choice based on it can run games movies and they do have a better grasp on what live game play should be. I do not connect it to the net ever accept for the update everyonce and a while and to download a Game or extra oblivion content etc. That may change some day though. And I do intend on getting the PS3 at some point but for me as the user it's about ease of getting enjoyment, I'm not going to skrimp and save and kill myself over getting a machine, and there is nothing in the form of games to make me run over to ps3...yet. The capability of the cell processor is incredable though, and manufacturing them will go down in price soon. And Sony will then have the r&d dollars to expand their network and software library.