410°

120GB 360 HDD worth only $100

With the drive cracked open and exposed, we can finally see the wondrous, ultra high-tech hard drive that justifies Microsoft's $179 price tag. Or can we?

It turns out that the drive inside the plastic case is in fact a Fujitsu MHW2120BH 2.5" laptop drive. Shindakun.net did some Google searching and discovered that these drives generally cost around $100.

Not long ago, Aaron Greenberg stated that the drive in the Xbox 360 is comparable to a self-powered external hard drive for a PC. Alright, so there must be some sort of additional work that justifies an $80 increase above retail, right? The thing is, according to Shindakun, the 360 drive isn't self powered. You have to shut down the console to install it, because it's just an SATA drive with a proprietary connector.

So, where does the extra cost come from? The plastic casing isn't that nice. Granted, there are R&D costs to consider, but $80 extra per unit seems a little steep. Without a direct explanation of the costs from Microsoft, we can make only one conclusion: we're getting ripped off.

Buyer beware.

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xbox360fanboy.com
FordGTGuy6232d ago

these HDD are purpose built and have pre-installed software that allow it to work with the Xbox 360 among other things.

Cutnell6232d ago

You seriously think that is worth the extra $80? Not to mention that microsoft undoubtedly gets a major deal over the $100 online retailer prices cited in this article...bulk=much cheaper!

Also, if MS had made the drive upgradeable from the beginning, the software required to make it work with the 360 would be unnecessary....basically, they designed it so they could maximize profit, not in the interests of their consumer. It's business, so no surprise here, but don't try to justify the extra cost!

weekapaugh6232d ago

"You also have to add in that these HDD are purpose built and have pre-installed software that allow it to work with the Xbox 360 among other things."

bwaaaaaaahhh, please tell me your being sarcastic. MS just continues to milk peeps.

ASSASSYN 36o6232d ago

Man even I have to disagree with that statement. Despite what is or isn`t operating in the Elite 360 people are still going to buy it. And history as it usually does is going to repeat itself when sony follows suit and builds a larger harddrive system.

techie6232d ago

But it would be nice if it was cheaper though right?

FeralPhoenix6232d ago

and it would be nice if the 360 itself was cheaper, if the PS3 was cheaper, if the official 360 racing wheel I just bought was cheaper, hell it would be nice if a night at the movies and popcorn were cheaper....but its not. -The funny thing is I don't NEED any of these things, but I CHOSE to pay for them all because I figured I would enjoy them enough that they would end up being worthy of the cost.

-Now Deep, whats even funnier is that despite what I just said Iam fully aware that I STILL sit here, wishing that the 120gig HDD was cheaper.
-lol, did any of that make ANY sense?

techie6232d ago

Well I'm saying that sitting back and praising a company for high prices is not a good thing. You need to be unhappy or complain your asses off.

The PS3 is waaaayyyyy too expensive and I won't buy it until there's a further price drop.

XGamer defeding the pricing of any multimillionaire company when it's clearly too expensive is quite sad.

We need to boycott them all. Prices down please. People don't complain enough.

zonetrooper56232d ago

I do want this hard drive but we gonna be ripped off here in Britain which will really suck.

TheXgamerLive6232d ago

Just b/c the wannabe ps3 is a big flop, doesn't mean ya gotta take it out on the Xbox 360.

sony and the wannabe ps3 is your problem, not ours. Were happy with what we've been given.

masterg6232d ago

Why do you bring Sony into this..
Its about Microsoft... Damn these fanboys are getting old

Robotz Rule6232d ago (Edited 6232d ago )

XGamer,saying things like that makes you sound like a Xbox fanboy!oh wait.....

Show all comments (89)
180°

Why Xbox believes it must cut costs and close studios

Companies, particularly public companies like Microsoft, need to grow.

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eurogamer.net
gold_drake5h ago

i mean its pretty simple, they spent close to 30 billion in acquiring activision, they thought they'd make it bk no problem, and that didnt happen.

its just shit that because of MS's miscalculation alot of people lost their jobs.

Jingsing2h ago

This is exactly what many people said would happen including the CMA and FTC. Lies lies and more lies and they allowed a $69 billion buy out to happen.

gold_drake2h ago

oh yeh it was 70 billion. that was my bad haha even worse.

thesoftware7302h ago(Edited 2h ago)

gold,

You can't be serious, right?

Do you think that MS thought they would make 80bill in a year & Half? They haven't even released titles under MS yet, lol.

But in fact, that A/B revenue is already paying off, look at the last earnings call. That $80 billion is long-term money, my guy, no sane person/company would think they would make that back in any short-term situation, it's a long-term investment.

Let's play silly then. If MS's reason for laying off staff and closing studios was due(which it really was not) to the A/B deal, tell me what Sony's reason was for past studio closures, the recent 900-person layoffs, closing Sony London, shutting down Dreams, and closing Japan Studio? Zipper? Psygnosis? cuts at all their internal studios.

Keep in mind, you are claiming MS's reason is because of the A/B deal; please explain Sony's reason.

Hofstaderman2h ago

You actually still defending them? Sheesh.....

gold_drake2h ago

this is not a sony vs MS debate. dont make it something it isnt.

and of course not, but im pretty sure they thought they'd make more money after the deal. they didnt, and closed off some studios.

its pretty insane to think there is any other reason for the closure of studios in this case.

romulus232h ago(Edited 1h ago)

(It really was) due to the Activision Blizzard deal and the loss of physical sales due to gamepass. You keep bringing up Sony in all your posts about this, stop deflecting and trying to change the topic, this is about MS and what they are doing.

BehindTheRows1h ago

Has nothing to do with Sony. Stay on topic.

notachance1h ago

once in a while you see someone too invested in their make-believe console war that everything happened has to be connected to said war…

a bit of banter between fans is normal, this crusade you’re doing now isn’t.

Chevalier1h ago

Wow idiotic. You bring up very old closures not that there haven't been recent ones from Playstations, but, seriously stop deflecting. This has NOTHING to do with Playstation.

Does Playstation got $3 trillion behind them and daddies wallet? No they don't so stop making a fool of yourself.

Xbox has never been profitable really and they just keep losing money so between their worst hardware sales, terrible 3rd party sales and now terrible 1st party sales.

Gamepass numbers that are no longer being announced shows their numbers after 3 years of missed targets has flatlined. Plus their recent gains up to 34 million were ONLY because they folded Gold members in too. Absolutely take your idiotic rhetoric out of here. Keep on topic without deflecting.

S2Killinit1h ago

Ayayayay with these xbox/MS excuses.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
anast2h ago

They are going to use AI for a large portion of the game development process. Upper management need bonuses and the shareholders need more money. So, people will lose their jobs.

Skuletor2h ago

Maybe they were already using AI to make business decisions, which would explain why they closed Hi-Fi Rush's studio, then said they need more games like Hi-Fi Rush not long after that announcement.

Crows901h ago(Edited 1h ago)

They shouldn't have bought any studios. Some is okay...but they went on a shopping spree...stupid

Einhander19721h ago

The better question is why did Microsoft buy publishers for a service they were subsidizing they knew couldn't support.

And why are so many websites trying to make people feel sorry for Microsoft instead of truly criticizing the fact they are closing studios and killing jobs that would have been fine if Microsoft themselves hadn't gotten involved.

Quit feeling sorry for Microsoft and start feeling sorry for the industry and the all the gamers who are actually losing out.

THIS IS MICROSOFTS FAULT.

RNTody1h ago

The first thing that happens after any major acquisition or merger is a consolidation of the whole new portfolio, which includes cutting any excess, bloat or portfolios that don't fit the larger MO of the big boy. So far, it's been par for the course with Microsoft and that's why gamers have been so against this acquisition. Tango Gameworks is the beginning. You think Microsoft wants to pay to keep small timers like Ninja Theory in business?

There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest that Microsoft will improve any of these studios, but plenty to suggest that they will get rid of what they don't need and hold onto the IP. The real agenda of the acquisition was always to acquire The Elder Scrolls, Diablo, Fallout, Call of Duty, Candy Crush etc. that will create millions in passive revenue stream for Microsoft regardless of where the games release. Microsoft simply wants their cut.

Because of Games Pass Microsoft has no interest in investing in new IP which is risky and requires creative talent they can neither nurture nor manage. Game Pass has also not grown in the way Microsoft expected it to, even post acquisitions. Therefore the logical thing to do, without serious money makers to release, is to cut as much cost as possible.

110°

7 Deserving Games That Never Got Backward Compatibility

Backward compatibility works for many games on newer consoles, but titles such as The Simpsons: Hit and Run have been left out.

90°

20 Best Survival Games of All Time

From base building to swinging willies, here are the best survival games around, which include a couple of less than obvious picks.

Read Full Story >>
culturedvultures.com
Vader821d 5h ago

No 7 days to die is criminal