Is the 360 Elite worth the upgrade price?

WackoJako · 04-21-2007, 02:07 AM

I currently pretty much own an xbox 360. (It's actually my cousin's but he has the Wii so he rarely takes 360 back to his house. I was wondering would it be worth trading the 360 to upgrade to the elite version? I heard Gamestop was supposed to offer a special "higher trae-in value when swapping out for the elite version but I dunno for how much.

)85( · 04-21-2007, 02:15 AM

i read that the Elite was just for money or something. i'll get the story for you soon. i'm not too sure though, might be propaganda or something, i'll edit it in soon.

gamepro.com

Quote:

Feature: Eight Reasons Why the Xbox 360 Elite Isn't Elite

At the dawning of its release, GamePro presents eight reasons why the Xbox 360 version 2.0 is anything but elite.

On April 29, Microsoft will release their third flavor of 360 ice cream -- the black Xbox 360 Elite. Let's not be coy; the reason in adding a third, more expensive 360 is solely due to the existence of the $600 PS3. Since the inception of game consoles, prices have traditionally dropped with age, not increased. But If Sony can sell 3 million "supercomputers" in five months, why can't Microsoft?

The Elite was largely criticized when it was announced last month and still is today. So at the dawning of its release, GamePro presents eight reasons why the Xbox 360 version 2.0 is anything but elite.

1. Three 360s is one too many. Currently there are two Xbox 360 models available, and that's already a stretch. Yeah, it's about choice, but it's also about reducing confusion when presenting a prospective buyer with a product. Having three SKUs available to consumers makes it seem like Microsoft doesn't know what it wants to be. Hardcore gamers (like many of you reading this) are sure to do their due diligence when deciding on a game system, but keep in mind that hardcore gamers are the minority. Most gamers purchase a platform with very little research other than selecting which system supports the game(s) they want play.

2. It's still cheaper than the PS3. Cheap is a good thing. But for something to be considered "Elite," in theory it should probably also be the most expensive product on the market. Try as Microsoft may, when looking at price alone, PS3 still has the "elite" advantage when viewed by the affluent upper-class, the same class the $479 Elite is aimed at. Sure, the $499 PS3 just died and $299-399 Xbox 360 models will still prevail, but Microsoft's price advantage over the PS3 just got a whole lot smaller.

3. No wireless networking. C'mon. This is just inexcusable. Even the DS with its 12 year-old computing technology supports wifi. There's no excuse for what's being dubbed as "elite" not to include this inexpensive, widely used networking standard. Microsoft can pimp "choice" all they want on this one, but who doesn't want wi-fi? Sample: "No, I don't ever want wireless networking, so don't make me pay the $10 wholesale price of adding it." Preposterous.

4. The current 10 million 360 owners are getting the shaft. Microsoft says the Elite isn't aimed at existing customers but for niche HD enthusiasts who still don't own an Xbox 360. Fair enough, but didn't Microsoft just get done telling existing 360 owners that bigger hard drives and HDMI video were unnecessary? Why the sudden shift in philosophy? Even new Elite owners may be getting the shaft as Microsoft will continue to optimize all Xbox Live Marketplace content for the 20GB hard drives, possibly making the Elite's 120GB drive a moot point. And by further segmenting the Xbox 360 platform, no one version benefits as game developers must consider each when developing games and testing hardware. The largest common denominator typically wins.

5. It will still be really loud. By not including a more efficient, cooler-running 65 nanometer processor, we assume the Elite will continue to pump out an irritating racket when turned on, primarily due to its noisy cooling fan. Usually, loud-running consumer electronics are more akin to discount products, not the high-class "elite" as the name implies. This will totally ruin our experience while we drink Cristal and listen to Vivaldi (yes, we're audio snobs).

6. No HD-DVD bundle. Is the Elite trying to be a multimedia device or not? Not including an HD-DVD drive just feels underdeveloped, and something Microsoft could have used to juice up excitement for the Elite. Of course, we can't help but suspect that the increasing popularity of Blu-ray had something to do with the decision to exclude HD-DVD this time around. Furthermore, the add-on drive will not be released in black for Elite owners still wanting HD-DVD support. That'll look real classy on your entertainment center; the black-and-white cookie look is so in this year.

7. Someone tell Microsoft that white is the "new black." Sure, Microsoft needs to differentiate from ghostly white Wiis and pastel-colored Apple products, but white -- not black -- is where the good stuff is right now in consumer electronics. Microsoft wisely went with white the first time around, so why the change without letting Elite owners decide on a color? And don't even try to sell a monochrome variation at a premium. Since when did I have to pay more for a black car?

8. The machine isn't intended for gamers. Ultimately, the Elite has nothing to do with enhancing the gameplay experience; it's for multimedia whores. HDMI, a larger hard drive, new movies and TV content? Great. Remind me why the gamer in me cares? How will the Elite improve my games? From a game saving and demo download standpoint, a 20 GB hard drive is more than enough (hint: you were right the first time, Microsoft). After all, despite whom Elite is being pitched to, gamers are the ones really buying the product.

The only thing "elite" about Microsoft's new Xbox 360 is its price. At $480, it's just $20 shy of the once-available, now-defunct 20GB PS3. Shedding the contrarian in me, the extra hard drive space and bundled HDMI support (including cable) is nice from a non-gamer standpoint. DVD upscaling is appreciated too. But as a gamer, it's hard to get excited about the Elite. And this isn't to say it won't sell; we just wish it was selling "more" to gamers.

personly i'm getting the core system, Halo is the whole reason i'm getting the xbox. for me that game is my new 007:golden eye(N64).

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the xbox 360 will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.

WackoJako · 04-21-2007, 01:04 PM

[QUOTE=)85(;400816]i read that the Elite was just for money or something. i'll get the story for you soon. i'm not too sure though, might be propaganda or something, i'll edit it in soon.

personly i'm getting the core system, Halo is the whole reason i'm getting the xbox. for me that game is my new 007:golden eye(N64).

Thanks for the news about the Elite system, You'd think they would had this one come with a built in hd dvd drive or something, but as for 100 more GBs isn't worth the 220 dollar price difference.

As far as the Core system goes I wouldn't get it. If I'm not mistaken the controller isn't wireless, it's wired. That's not a huge deal but seriously wireless is where it's at now. It lacks the HD hookups (Ithink) which may not matter now if you don't have an HD tv but down the road it'd be nice to have instead of having to pay out of the ass for HD cables sepearately. And worst of all the Core doesn't have a harddrive, meaning you can't save any of your games as well as eliminating online altogether. So pretty much you might be the Core system now to be actually be able to fully enjoy the 360 you'll have to end up spending 100 dollars on the harddrive seperatelty. Your best bet is look around gamestop or Eb games and see if they are running any specials on trade-ins. I know when I went for the 360 I traded in the regualr xbox and got 80 for it since it was towards a new purchase.

)85( · 04-21-2007, 06:52 PM

i'm not a big fan of wireless contollers. i had one for the original Playstation and it worked really good for my Ps2 but afterawhile, i bought a regular contoller because i always had to buy batteries for it. i know i saw some that had rechargeable batteries with the kit included but i'm oldschool and keep a wired controller. and i'll never be able to use a HD tv so why bother about the HD cables? maybe in about 5 or 6 years possibly buy a HD tv, but right now, HD tv for me is like my chances of getting with Angelena Goli(tomb raider). and 100 dollars doesn't seem too bad. though geting a better system does sound good, thanks for pointing out that i don't get a hard drive with the core system, i still havn't ordered it yet. i overlooked that when i was checking the prices of the games i was going to get, and i saw that i can preorder Spider man three. spiderman three looks to be a good game because of Venom. but then i start thinking of how long i'll be able to still want to play it after i beat most of the game.

Spinoff360 · 04-22-2007, 06:18 AM

Depends on the person. For me I will have no choice but to get the 120GB HDD eventually. So if there is a trade-in deal where I can trade-in my 360 toward the Elite and have the price I need to pay be less than the HDD is alone then obviously I will go that route. If not then I will just by the 120GB HDD which will also have the bonus of not losing any game saves and being able to transfer them.

Griff0rd · 04-23-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinoff360
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Depends on the person. For me I will have no choice but to get the 120GB HDD eventually. So if there is a trade-in deal where I can trade-in my 360 toward the Elite and have the price I need to pay be less than the HDD is alone then obviously I will go that route. If not then I will just by the 120GB HDD which will also have the bonus of not losing any game saves and being able to transfer them.

I completely agree. Personally I don't reall yuse the multimedia functions of my 360, I use it basically for the gamin and that is it. So I really don't have a need for all the extra things that it has. BUt what I do like is that Microsoft gives you the choice of the alternative system for those of us like me who don't really need all the extra room on the HD so that it's affordable, unlike Sony.

As far as the report goes, remember that's a lot easier to point out the flaws of something than it is to point out all that it can do for you. Make sure to make up your own mind about it, rather than letting someone else telling you what to think. You know what you would use the 360 for, so make sure that whatever version you get is most justifiable for you.

Is the 360 Elite worth the upgrade price?

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