Xbox 360 Elite

[DarkwingChuck]

Confirmed by Game Informer and Engadget.

What's new in XBox 360 Elite?
It's black.
120 GB HDD
HDMI port (cable included)
Still no integrated HD-DVD
Still no built in WiFi
$479!
120 GB HDD will be sold seperately for "under $200".

This new package will be called Elite, alongside Premium and Core. Elite will be in limited quantities after which (in late summer or fall) Premium will be replaced by Elite hardware in white. Price cuts may come when 65nm chips ship.

[Kire]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

I don't even know what HDMI is, so I don't care. 120 GB seems a bit excessive as well. I haven't even come close to filling my 20 GB and I have all sorts of crap on there, videos included.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

Still, it's only $80 more for something they're selling for somewhere around $200 on its own. The added capacity is for people who'll be downloading tv shows and HD movies from XBLM and to have a bigger HDD than PS3.

This is continuing the trend of 360 and PS3 offering pretty much the same thing and splitting the market, leaving Wii to grab the biggest market share by a wide margin. But Wii is doing it's own thing and many of the "hardcore" games can't make it onto its limited specs unscathed. Wii60 or PSWii FTW!

[Ivalice]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

Wait...so the point of the "Zephyr" is just the HDMI thing and a bigger hard drive?

I thought it was to have HD-dvd crap included?

[John Mora]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

You don't know what HDMI is? It's the cable that lets you see things in HD.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

Wait...so the point of the "Zephyr" is just the HDMI thing and a bigger hard drive?

I thought it was to have HD-dvd crap included?

According to a source at MicroSoft, high-definition movie playback is being withheld from the 360 because the "format's still unproven."

Translation: HD-DVD isn't selling as well as Blu-Ray and they're hoping the people who really want it will still buy the $200 add on. If they did include it they'd probably push the price above PS3 which would've defeated the purpose.

[Misty]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

Interesting. If I ever wanted to get a 360, I'd go for this model.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

You don't know what HDMI is? It's the cable that lets you see things in HD.

Yeah basically it's the way for video companies to have something like the Macrovision protection on their digital videos. Basically it's a DVI cable merged with audio hookups and a few extra pins. Then shrunk, and expensive as hell, though of course DVI cables are not all that cheap either.

As for the 120GB harddrive I don't think it's all that necessary, but I take it this means the game companies do not allow for external USB harddrives. Since you could buy a 120GB internal HD for about $60 then buy an external enclosure for around $20. Lot cheaper and more versatile, and you can use it like a gigantic memory card.

Still odd they didn't include HD-DVD, seems Microsoft would want to push the new DVD standard they're backing more.

[Jeroak Nelave]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

Its not being included because the developers of HDDVD have pretty much already admitted defeat. Because of the PS3, Blu Ray will very likely be the winner. I'll try and locate the article about it.

[Valkysas]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

I don't believe that at all. the adoption rate for the PS3 is way too low to influence anything.

I'm guessing whoever said that blu-ray will win because of the PS3 is attached to either Sony, or the blu-ray format.

I think the only reason HD DVD wasnt included in this is because it'd bring the price up too much. Neither format is proven yet. its possible HD DVD will fail, it's possible Blu-ray will fail. its possible BOTH will fail. Just because sony feels like adding in support for an unproven media format doesnt mean microsoft should. its a very risky business decision.

[Vonwert]

Re: Xbox 360 Elite

The biggest problem with HD with either format, is that not enough people have HD tvs to even consider buying the dvds.

[Valkysas]

Re: Xbox 360 Elite

Oh, funny thing about this new version of the system. Many Gamestop store managers got to see the thing a few days ago. MS reps were bringing pictures (or in some cases even the system itself) in to show them.

[Jeroak Nelave]

Re: Details on Xbox 360 "Zephyr" from Game Informer

I don't believe that at all. the adoption rate for the PS3 is way too low to influence anything.

I'm guessing whoever said that blu-ray will win because of the PS3 is attached to either Sony, or the blu-ray format.

I think the only reason HD DVD wasnt included in this is because it'd bring the price up too much. Neither format is proven yet. its possible HD DVD will fail, it's possible Blu-ray will fail. its possible BOTH will fail. Just because sony feels like adding in support for an unproven media format doesnt mean microsoft should. its a very risky business decision.

Oh yeah, you are right Valk, but they did concede that the PS3 is one of the main reasons they are trailing. And the article mentioned that BD is outselling HDDVD by about 3 to 1.

[Magus]

Re: Xbox 360 Elite

WHERE IS THE ARTICLE?

[Jeroak Nelave]

Re: Xbox 360 Elite

Trying to get the link, someone posted it at another board, searching for the actual post again.

here