Microsoft's Xbox 360 Elite a Slap in the Face for Gaming Industry

A complete breakdown on what's broken about Microsoft's Xbox 360 Elite, and why the entire third model and strategy may be nothing more than a slap in the face for the entire gaming industry.

[Ignorant Fanboy]

Thats not so bad, my hip brace only cost that much, and it keeps me upright.

[Diselage]

No idea why people complain about 80 more bucks when you get 80 more gigs and an HDMI port. If it was a PS2 in white people would pay $80+ over retail for it.

[23478ueyur_938223]

What if you WANT an Elite? What if you WANT HDMI, a bigger HDD and a black casing?

Why the hell shouldn't you buy one?

This is a pretty dumb article. $80+ isn't outrageous at all.

[D3acon]

You're paying an extra $80 for things that should be no more than the current $399 premium. You're paying a lot of money for substandard parts. When the 360 launched I knew it was mistake just because it didn't include a lot of things it should have, hd-dvd being one. I thought at least it would be using the new 65nm chips but no it still uses the standard, it in the article he states that they are using outdated HDMI port, 1.2, not 1.3.

The things microsoft is pedellling is indeed a lot more than they should be and they are charging the consumer a lot more than it costs to produce. Basically they are selling you the same box for a bigger cost and that is why the article calls you an idiot for buying a 360.

I suppose the costs is not a problem if you don't own a 360 but if you have one and switch it out for this garbage then you would fall under the articles suggested label.

[power of Green]

Its a good deal no matter how one tries and spin it. 120 gig drive for $40 and HDMI/cable for $40 thats the best way to look at it. The i think the Elite's great and i think the Elite's a bad idea is getting old fast.

Don't be shocked if a PS3 fanatic post this story lets hope its just a 360 fan that has some how felt cheated.

[Ignorant Fanboy]

:)

[gta_cb]

completely agree its not a bad deal, i ONLY wish we had the 1.3 HDMI rather then the older 1.2 HDMI but then again im sure they will simply just do a slite mod on a futer version of the 360, but for the mean time, i am completely happy with my componant HDTV :D (although i do have a HDMI slot on my tv, i just dont have the elite.

i would like to have an elite, but i am going to wait till IPTV comes out, and then hopefully the 65 chips will be in the elites/premiums :D then i would be very happy :D

P.S. good feedback for you :)

[grifter024]

POG .. I agree. 80 bucks isnt that much.. But it would have been better if it was implemented in the beginning.. This guys rants and raves about things making it seem like the glass is half empty.. You dont have to buy a HDD for 180.. Just get a 3rd Party and connect it via usb.. Thats what im going to do when I start to run out of room.. But the best comment I saw was this and I quote "So I asked earlier “Who is Microsoft trying to appeal to with the Xbox 360 Elite?” Did you figure it out? The answer is “idiots”" When reporters or journalists call random Consumers IDIOTS thats when I lose all respect for them... Who gives this guy the right to call anyone besides himself an Idiot??? Its a game console and if someone wants to buy it let them do so .. Wow .. Thats when you know this article was just an attempted bash.. 450$ for a 360.. Why dont you bring out a new article and say the ps3? 650? If hes all mad about price I bet his blood pressure went up seeing that price tag..

[snoop_dizzle]

if you're a new customer this is good.

I for one don't really want or need the elite, but lets keep it a little more fair.

[scarlett_rg]

Meh... wrong Reply.

[TheMART]

I hate black colour on equipment, it's so 80's. That's why I will never buy a PS3 (well for more reasons then its colour but well) and an Elite.

I like the white Premium too much.

I don't really need HMDI because I just saw the comparison between component and HDMI even on 1080p and it was hardly noticable. Unless you have a screen above 42 inch.

Third: I am still fine with 20 GB's of hard disk space. I delete old stuff because I never watch it. There is no use like the PS3 with a slow BluRay player to install 5 to 10 GB's per game that wants to use speed up processes.

So really. If this Elite can get techcrazy gamers that want HDMI and a large HDD and otherwise would have bought a PS3 just for that now switch to an Elite that's fine with me.

Only thing I agree with: it could confuse the consumer. Three SKU's is too much. They should cut the core, drop the premium to the cores price and then it's fine

Premium 299 Euro
Elite 480 or 399 Euro

[Raist]

Your avatar is so 80's :/

^^

[bamdad]

liked your comment raist ,a bubble for you

[InMyOpinion]

My avatar is mega 80's! It's b!tchin' and totally rad! I'd drop the core as well. Word up!

[elliot_]

THEmart talks again....

ThEmart should be quiet AGAIN...please man get a life

[scarlett_rg]

Lol... they have the "boomerang" controller in that pic posted by elliot_.

[NextGen24Gamer]

Excellent point. 80 dollar difference and you get....

HDMI built in $26

160 more gigs than the premium $26

HDMI cable $26

Thats 80 dollars more than the Premium....

Its a Good deal for anyone who needs or wants those extra features...

BTW....I konw I have said it before but.....HDMI output on the Elite is a slight difference if you have a 720p or 1080i tv....

But if you have a 1080p tv....Its a very notible difference....I have compared with my Elite and I absolutely love it. The picture in 1080p is Much more crisp...The colors are deeper and more vibrant as well. I'm very happy with my purchase and I would highly recommend it if you have hdmi or intend on getting a tv with hdmi inputs. WOW

Also...TheMart....To be honest...I like the look of the white 360 over the black 360....I agree with you there...but for me the performance difference is what I was after with the inclusion of HDMI....My HD dvd movies look much better now and the games look notibly better as well....But thats "ONLY" because I have a 1080p 61 inch DLP TV.

[MikeGdaGod]

160 more gigs?

[Arkham]

Bah, the quibbles are nothing more than growing pains. The bottom line is that the Elite is probably the best choice for new 360 owners. If/when I decide to get one, it certainly won't be an iPod-white one, and it won't be a 20GB model, esp. with the ludicrou$ HD-upgrade path.

It's a great machine, but I don't like how they've segmented the market so early in the 360's lifespan.

[23478ueyur_938223]

Well, if I were to get a 360, I would want the Elite.

I prefer the HDMI connection and the black look (hate the white), and I have a pretty big TV where component difference is noticeable.

I fully understand that the Elite is useless in some cases, for people who don't need the extras.

[Hayabusa 117]

I don't know much about HDMI and Wi-Fi implementation, but if what he says is true about the those being included for practially free (somehow I doubt it) then that's a bummer.

I do feel that Microsoft need urgent about making their console cheaper, and resolving hardware issues. They've got an advantage because of the PS3's high price, but it feels like Microsoft have in turn become complacent and haven't jumped on that opportunity. I'll have to wait and see the price difference between the Premium and the Elite to know whether it really worth it, but the I feel the Elite is so scant on extra stuff, that it wont be long before the next SKU comes out.

I'm not really attacking the Elite as bad value (those who buy it can decide that...) but I feel need to be more costumer-centric in their stratergy.

[23478ueyur_938223]

The HDMI implementation is great if you ask me, but WiFi isn't included.

[Ashira]

I feel like I'm inclined to agree with the article. $400 is too much for the console and $480 is just even more. And Microsoft is charging a ridiculous amount of money for accessories. For WiFi, was it about £80?
Bigger hard drive, no wifi, hdmi, no fixing the previous mentioned problems... too hot, too noisy, red ring of death... plus no 65nm, does it really qualify for that price? I think not.
The 360 Elite (which really isn't Elite, by the way...) was just a big mistake! ...Or so I believe.

[BIadestarX]

OK, then... Why don't you make you own console and sell it to us for $480 and make sure it comes with the specs the 360 has + year guarantee on all repairs including shipping and handling in case the 3 rings of death apear. I think the PS3 and the 360 are both great value for the cost they are charging. Try making a PC that performs or can play the games they play with what they cost.

I think you should go more straight to the point and simply tell people to buy the console you love(PS3) and save yourself the trouble of trying to convince people that the 360 is not worth the $480. I spend more than on breakfast every morning ($6) because I am too lazy to make it myself. All I have to do is a small change and I can buy all consoles and not feel it.

[StrboyM]

3 sku's

the core hinders gaming development... as stated by dev's from GTAIV and as we all know DMC4 wont live up to its potential because of it...

the premium doesn't do much better as xbox live has HD content but not nearly enough space to save it. earlier on MS had stated that HDMI wasnt necessary but it seems

now on to the "elite"
HDMI and 120 GB..nice. but its the first time in console history i can remember a system going "UP" in price...OMG..and the feature set is no where as robust as the competitors...its also very confusing to decide where im spending my money... i mean if i want a system that does everything...its still none of the three...I will stiill have to purchase a hd-dvd drive.../sigh

i know what the reply will be....choice right...lmao.

[FFVIIFan]

If you don't own a 360 already, and HDMI/bigger HDD is important to you than the Elite is very appealing. So for those two reasons alone I think the extra $80 is justified. However, I would have loved to see more improvements in the Elite, which is what a lot of people are disapointed in. A lot of people were hoping for a 65mm chip, I know I was. And I still don't understand why they didn't have the quieter BenQ drives. My Elite has the other one, the Hitachi I think :(. And the motherboard was only slightly improved. So two really great features were added, but the Elite didn't really improve on anything that wasn't already found in the Premium or Core.

[LoveHateTragedy]

which 360 is selling the most. He says people who didn't own one before (and were waiting out) are getting the Elite's only. Not many are trading in their Premiums for this new model.

[power of Green]

You're full of Sh8T DMC4 doesn't live up to what folks wanted because the devs did not innovate; has nothing to do with the core(they already put two killer games on the 360). I know you were kidding i was gonna call you an idiot before i realized your jokes.

Has there actually really been any real announcments of GTA5 or just info from a PS website?. lol Remember they said both consoles are problems according to the original rumor not the twisted one Sony fanboys use.

[Juevani]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Ashira]

@Bladestar:
No unfortunately, I have no PS3. But even so... for $500, $20 more you get... a Blu-ray drive, beefier specs, quieter machine, no red lights of death...
Albeit a smaller drive, the PS3 is superior in features and it costs just $20 more then the elite! Now you tell me if the elite is worth the money? If I had to choose, I'd rather have a PS3.
Though as it stands, even if it's worth it feature-wise, I'm not eager to spend so much money on something I don't need. The games are all that I require and nothing else.
And hey, you even pay for a machine that doesn't have wireless built-in (which I do use! - and I'm not keen on paying £80 for wireless) and need a prorietary hard disk. The PS3 can use any 2.5 SATA disks...

So Xbox 360 Elite vs PS3 - it's really lacking. And if I could get a such superior machine for just a little more, then is it really justified at its price? I think not.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't like PS3 either for that matter.
In the future, should I get a Xbox 360, it would probably be an Elite, since I'd get HDMI (digital!) and a bigger hard drive and not have to purchase an outrageous price for a proprietary hard drive. But the Elite is far too expensive right now. And the problems it has does only add to the woes that it's too expensive.
As if the Premium wasn't bad enough for its price, the Elite is even worse.

[TheMART]

Wrong! The PS3 superior? It's not.

The GPU of the 360 is more powerfull then the PS3 one. The CPU of the PS3 on paper is a beast, but in reality... The main core/SPU has 2 threads. The other subdies/SPU's have their own threads but all have to use the main core+2 threads. WHere the 360 CPU has 3 cores with 2 threads each at the same time. The best proof is: the multiplatform games look best on the 360, besides Oblivion that looks a tad better on the PS3 because they had a full year extra to work on it and polish it up.

BluRay? No standard. Not needed for gaming. Only wearing your drive out with watching movies so it dies earlier and the games won't play anymore... bummer!

When you have a 120 GB HDD, you don't need other HDD's. Plus WiFi, well for gaming it's not optimal, wired is much more stable, less lag etc.

I won't say the price is right, the only thing that should lead to a choice to buy one would be the best gaming device with the best online service. Which is the 360. Remember, for 500 Euro you are not ready with the PS3. There is no HD cable included, there is no headset inside the box (how are you going to talk to your online buddies?) etc.

The 360 is HD out of the box, plus online including unified friendlist plus TALKING to them right out of the box.

The comparing is useless, because the PS3 doesn't have the same step in with ease and play with your friends co-op like the 360.

Tell me, any PS3 game where you play single player, your friend comes online and jumps in without the games stops? ANY?

I play Gears, Crackdown and more games like this. Suddenly the computerplayer is taken over by my best friend he just joined. WOW crazy stuff

You can't beat the 360 experience and that is priceless

@ Bamdad

"man you a highschool drop out?
you know, PS3s GPU can do 2 TERRA FLOPS/SEC thats 4 times the last Nvidia...DO YOU READ ME?"

Nope dude, two times masters degree, and you? BTW, do you chew on anything that Sony tells you???

Sony has never released the real specs of their GPU. It's stated to be a standard PC Nvidia 6800 card or so. They first though the Cell could do the GPU tasks, found out it was too weak for that, got a bag of money and knocked on Nvidia's door. What can we buy for this? They got a standard GPU with old tech already.

That shows because it can't do 4 x FSAA and HDR/dynamic lightning effects at the same time. The 360 can do that, even with AA for free because of it's extra 10 MB extra fast embedded Ram/die on the main die using the other RAM.

Did you also buy the Sony nonsense with TFLOPS from the PS2? If we may believe that, it would be stronger then the XBOX, the Gamecube and the Dreamcast combined. BUT IT DIDN'T.

So stop reading numbers without knowing about the GPU, that sound so kindergarten. What are you, barbie Kens son? DO YOU READ ME??? Or haven't they already learned you to be able to use stuff you read instead of being Sony's handpuppet?

[BIadestarX]

"But even so... for $500, $20 more you get... a Blu-ray drive" actually this is no longer true... there is no $500 sku for the PS3. So the way I see it the elite is $120 cheaper than the PS3, has 2 times the hard drive space, comes with hdmi cables. I'm not trying to put down the PS3 on any way... but if you don't care about blu-ray or the format war... the 360 look great on paper + has more games as of today.

[bamdad]

you know, PS3s GPU can do 2 TERRA FLOPS/SEC thats 4 times the last Nvidia...DO YOU READ ME?

[InMyOpinion]

I can see on your avatar that you are blind. The Ps3 looks good on paper, the 360 looks good IRL...

[naturalgamer]

theMART is so funny.

[elliot_]

why all the X2pids Xbots have to attack a person opinion?
(oh your avatar say it all...common)

everyone who have a brain and eyes...knows that ps3 is a much better deal than an elite...oh games games xbox have games...yeah?
i think all the 3 nexgen console have games...of course there are only 2 new consoles...and after 1 year and a half...x360 only have shown the GoW...for a huge game...so don't compare...i like the sony console...because it have the GAMES that i used to play...and i think ps3 will not disappoint...

tell me the first 2 years psone best game...

[TheXgamerLive]

The Elite is an excellent idea, as it continues to give MS/Xbox 360 fans a more creative choice. Also w/the IPTV coming along some will want this version. It's not a slap in the face, it's more a pat on the back, saying since we've done so great, since were number 1, here's another version for thos that want it, if not no problem, your still getting the same great gaming.

[Bigmac573]

a hunk of sh1t. nuff said.

[Sashy]

Give me ONE reason to buy an Elite when I alredy own a Playstation 3.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

Games.

[BIadestarX]

HAHA! You should ask those kind of questions. Hopefully it does not take you a while to come up with an elaborate comeback.

[23478ueyur_938223]

I am personally only interested in a limited amount of 360 games, otherwise I would have bought the Elite to complement the PS3.

Really, the truth is, it depends on what games you want and how you wish to see them (HDMI 1.3, HDMI 1.2, component, or maybe composite if you lack an HDTV). <-- I'm referring to when deciding which SKU to purchase. For myself, I would always go with HDMI.

[bababrooks]

to play the games that are only for the 360. could I be rude and ask your age?

[Premonition]

If the 360 is so beastly why is it that still today we see screen tearing and when ports come to PS3 we dont see that problem. All I see you do is paste and copy instead of doing your own research, this debate has been going on forever and you still post what he say she says from where ever you get your whack sources from.

[Boink]

it's the core that wasn't. they should have included a hard drive with every unit, especially when the last gen xbox did.

[techie]

one little question...why is it HDMI 1.2, when everything is moving to 1.3?

[BIadestarX]

I can tell you. Simply because the new features added to HDMI 1.3 will not be used by the 360 or the hd dvd drive.

Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

For example, previously, the maximum pixel clock rate of the interface was 165MHz, sufficient for supporting 1080p at 60Hz or WUXGA (1920x1200), but HDMI 1.3 increased that to 340MHz, providing support for WQXGA (2560x1600) and beyond across a single digital link.

Will xbox 360 games or hd dvd movies need to or will be displayed at 2560x1600?

How about these other features?

Increases single-link bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps)
Optionally supports 30-bit, 36-bit, and 48-bit xvYCC with Deep Color or over one billion colors, up from 24-bit sRGB or YCbCr in previous versions.
Incorporates automatic audio syncing (lip sync) capability.
Supports output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers.[9] TrueHD and DTS-HD are lossless audio codec formats used on HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. If the disc player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, then HDMI 1.3 is not necessary, as all versions of HDMI can transport uncompressed audio.
Availability of a new mini connector for devices such as camcorders.[10]

See? So, though it looks great on paper(having HDMI 1.3) in reality the PS3 nor the 360 will be able to use any of it's features... well at least in nothing that anybody here can think of. So, why charge more to implement a tecnology that will not be use, or that it's not currently supported by 99% of the tvs, or that only 1-2 product in market have (PS3 being one of them).

@Deep, "If the disc player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, then HDMI 1.3 is not necessary, as all versions of HDMI can transport uncompressed audio." Microsoft uses their own codecs and compression technologies and therefore as stated by the quote it's not necesary at leat for the 360.

TO EVERYONE: I noticed lots of people complaining about the 360 not having HDMI 1.3. Please read the link I provided above, read the differences between the 1.2 and 1.3. And tell me why do you need 1.3 and how you will benefit more compared to HDMI 1.2. It's obvious that most people here dont understand the difference between the two, and simply see a highter version and figure that it's what they want. Why? Which figure from 1.3 will you be able to use on your PS3? If you don't understand the difference between both HDMI versions and wheather it's even possible to even use some of these feature let alone notice any difference then you are a victim of PR marketting. (i.e. Paying $20,000 more for a car that runs 200/mph to drive it in the city at no more than 35/mph... yeah.. lots of people do things like that.... mmm.. interesting..

[techie]

"HDMI 1.3 adds support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams; this can be accomplished in HDMI 1.2 if the player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, but unfortunately neither the Xbox 360 nor HD DVD add-on support it."

Deep Colour difference may become apparent in the future...not for a while though.

[elliot_]

haha..i think you shut him up...

[THAMMER1]

Ya know I see where M$ said HDMI was not needed as much as Sony said it was. But atleast they were decent enough to include a HDMI cable in the box. I was in best buy to take a look at the cost of HDMI cables and those things run from $25.00 - $200.00 depending on length and brand. The HDMI cable in the 360 is 3 - 5 feet long at best buy it was $$60.00 for a 6 foot long HDMI cable. So I think including the cable alone justifies the upgrades.

[Lumbo]

Because as its a digital system, a $5 HDMI cable will do the same as the $200 Cable at best buy. the $200 cables are there to rip off clueless customers.

i could place an xbox360 Elite in a shop, glue an "ultra-elite" sticker on it and offer it for $2000, and it would be the same gain in "worth" than the $65 cables over the $5 cables: none

;) Expensive cables make sense in analog environments, digital systems don't suffer from signal loss within specs

[tehcellownu]

Microsoft just loves ripping people off..their defective rate is so high that its just to unbelievable..every single day someone 360 breakin down..and top it off you spend so much money on it..and they overprice everythin..xbots microsoft always try to make it seem that you guys are payin less this gen.just wake up and see that you are goin to be spendin over 700 dollars on your xbox360..you better off with the PS3..you get the fully elite system..

[aaquib2]

Why try improving on xflop 180? they both suck !

[Diselage]

The Elite is $80 additional dollars for 80 more gigs, an HDMI port and a Black finish. When Sony came out with the White PS2 in Japan they were charging an additional $40 for just a color upgrade? Is a simple alternate color worth $40?

[BubblesDAVERAGE]

Thats good for the new customer but old custmers its a slpa in the face..and this is a xbox article why do u guys bring up ps3..Yet the real rip would be the wii and we all agree on that.

[Cartesian3D]

Good price with HDMI and more space..

How funny they said ppl dont need HDMI .. and now they sell it with HDMI..

anyway it has a good price and help 360 for selling better.. and ELITE can stay more than Premium ( about a year )

[ironwolf]

But I, for one, don't need it. My launch day Premium is perfect, I've had my big hi-def TV for years, it doesn't even have HDMI, 1080i is good enough since that's what most of the networks are broadcasting in (the ones that don't use 720p). The small HD's in the bedrooms aren't used for games (so HDMI is still irrelevent). I had the house wired for ethernet when I built it, so I don't need WiFi (though I have it for my laptops). I won't buy a hi-def DVD player until the format war is settled. The only thing the Elite has that I covet, is the 120gig hard drive, and I plan to pick one up in Seattle this week.

[Eldon3]

I agree with everything this article has to say, so sue me.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

you've been sued

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

Its nice to hear some people which have a 360 can finally enjoy HDMI(for those who have a tv capable of using it), but they really should have added WiFi or at least implanted 1.3 rather than 1.2.
But, yeah it really depends on your preferences. If you want HDMI,Movies, and everything else the 360 has to offer getting the Elite is a good choice, but if its only for gaming I would stay with the Premium since it already has what you need.
But i disagree with the point on the price, It should be increased, but not by that much after all recently i purchased 500gb harddrive by seagate for only 120$.

[Marriot VP]

first off, love the picture

but HDMI and 1080p are a non-issue and microsoft knows that. I'd say maybe 3% of consumers even know about HDMI in the first place. How much will that change in 3 years, not that much. HDTV's and next gen consoles aren't selling that well because their too freakin expensive. Also the Wifi thing isn't a big deal because anybody who has access to wifi, the select few, can just buy the accessorie off ebay for 70 bucks. Either way consumers have the choice and aren't forced to buy anything they don't want or didn't need. But that choice makes upgrading a little more expensive. That's business.

[dodgefate]

It is soo cute reading some of these you can really tell who the fanboys are if its not protecting xbox or thrashing ps3 you guys keep me going on them lonely nights.

You can preach all you want about xbox cause when you dish out so much for add-ons or a all new system just to think you got better.

The PS3 already had all of it in it for 1 price an about the HDD my ps3 has 160GB in it atm an can put up to 500GB if I felt like it.
(without breaking the warranty)

[Ashira]

I stand by that the system is overpriced.
$80 for HDMI + 100 GB more space doesn't justify it for me, especially with all the problems with the console.
I also find it stupid not to not support HDMI 1.3. The newest specs should always be incorporated. Heck, there should only be one connection and that's a digital one. Everything else should be deprecated.

[OneBubbleBastard]

Why won't XBOTS accept the obvious... The elite was a desperate BAD decision.. It's another common unreliable garbage from Microsoft and on TOP of that more expensive?? commonnn.

M$ is raping you all while you smile.. Talking bout being blind over a crappy product..

PS3 is BETTER in every aspect..

The only thing better about the 360 is that you can use it in winter if you can't afford a heater.

[kewlkat007]

One Bubble of choice, One Console ever of choice, One stupid Logic after the Next of choice.

The Elite is what it is, I never seen so many people that will never purchase the damn thing Care so much, about waht MS spends its money and as well as thier Fans. If SONY comes out with a new 80 GIG drive, why would I care? If you feel like MS has raped you, then I'm sure your not alone.

The ELITE is really not needed, if your a Video/movie guru then you will do whatever to get the best picture/and watch plenty of saved content. It is not forced upon you. You can always Upgrade the HDD. The premium is fine Folks.

Of course these same Fans, I talk about, are the ones actually enjoying great games.(with more to come)

I rememebr before the the PS3 was out, remember the "go play your 360 and stop commenting on PS3 thread dabble?"

Why can't some gamers do the same, now that their only console of choice has been out?

Oh I might have an Idea why....STOP FOLDING will ya.

[WilliamRLBaker]

Wahhhh wahhh Microsoft released the elite, now i want it but im pissy cause i just purchased the pro....
Thats basically what i got from that article.

[ironwolf]

...

[slugg]

Microsoft made a smart choice. Once again, if you don't need/want/ like the color, specs, HDMI 1.2 vs. 1.3, etc., well, then DON"T BUY IT. No one is forcing people to upgrade from a pro to an elite; personally, since my HDTV does not support HDMI and I've never even used all the space on the 20GB drive, I feel no desire to buy an Elite. But in the future, if I get a new 60 inch HDTV with HDMI inputs, for example, I COULD buy an Elite if I want to, because now it is available.

[gta_cb]

i like the elite and will look into getting on (upgrading my premium or giving my premium to a younger brother and buying the elite) when IPTV is out and the 65 chips are in the console

[MikeGdaGod]

as a premium 360 owner, this article basically read my mind for the last few months. some of my favorite points:

1) "They’d rather sell you and me known-substandard hardware to keep from spending a little bit of money and implementing the 65nm chipsets and just extend their warranties. If you have to extend the warranties due to the high failure rates, you might just want to bite the bullet and move onto the new hardware. Furthermore, they’ve done absolutely nothing to address the complaints of the system actually increasing the room temperature or being too loud."

2) "After trying to wrap my head around this for several weeks, off and on, I still cannot for the life of me understand why Microsoft decided it necessary to implement a third version of the Xbox 360 to add features that should have just been added to the existing 360 Premium."

3) "even the likely strategy of trying to entice new buyers with these decidedly high-definition features doesn’t make sense with how Microsoft chose to pursue it. You still have to purchase an HD-DVD drive for $199 extra"

“Who is Microsoft trying to appeal to with the Xbox 360 Elite?” Did you figure it out? The answer is “idiots”. Microsoft is trying to appeal to idiots with the Xbox 360 Elite. Idiots that would spend $479 for a crippled HD system. Idiots that would spend $479 for a new color and hardware inclusions that shouldn’t have required a new, higher-priced package. Microsoft has extorted its userbase long enough."

idiots

[pjfan91]

idiot

[PinkPrincess83]

Ok. For some of you people. Obviously you dont know anything about the elite. IT HAS 120GB hard drive, not 100, not 160, but 120GB. Why do you people not do your research before you say something?

[GamerDude]

I am really glad that my TV does 1080p over component cables. It works great. I have never even come close to filling up the 20Gig HD so no need to upgrade there.

[level 360]

Yes, it is a slap in the face for everyone who have just recently bought ( a white premium xbox 360 ) and had never anticipated the release of this black elite console. They would surely feel betrayed by MS for suddenly coming-out with this model when before this they kept releasing statements over theirs' and other websites that this was only a rumor and will definitely not build this console, which was all totally false in the end. Imagine the horror of all their fans' wishes ( definitely the black colour, HDMI connections, 120gig hard drive ) and not having these features on theirs' unless they buy this one - ( not swap!, which is just not a good business sense on MSs' part. ) As for all the new and upcoming buyers though, this all does'nt concern them one bit.

[LoydX-mas]

They release a new SKU with better features(larger HDD,HDMI,new color, and cables) that cost more!

It is a win,win for MS:
-they make up for the extra cost of hardware
-recent 360 prem buyers don't feel taken because it does cost more
(not alot though)
-It still costs less than the PS3

I also keep reading that NOT having HD-DVD drive was a bad idea because it makes the Elite less of a home media center. What?!

Remember people, MS is starting up IPTV and they want people to buy HD movies from LIVE and put it on that new 120g hdd. MS doesn't make money on HD-DVD discs. This is good business, like it or not.

[Maddens Raiders]

who gives a rat a$$? In a year and a half MS will have another box to come out with to make up for the gap in disc storage capacity implemented in Blu-Ray, motion controllers, better folding@home capabilities, Built in HD-DVD, all proper codecs and support like Dolby TrueHD, and IBM's Cell technology inside which we all know will power all of our lives in the near future - from the kitchen to the garage. Anywhooo

Oh wait...that's already happening. Nevermind.

[sovietsoldier]

sony did the same crap with the ps2. 3-4 models later still selling like hot cakes. so in the long runn microsoft my have the last laugh.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Gee I wonder what kind of fanboy this guy is?

[sovietsoldier]

i hope your not talking about me!