Black XB360 120 Gig HDD + HDMI = $479

I dont think the problem with an HD-DVD drive is not just a price or marketing concern, its also a technical one. Remember, 360 games need to run without a HD, which means that devs need to be able to count on a minimum performance level from the optical drive. IIRC, the HD-DVD drives do not perform as well as the current DVD drives on DVD's. The impact to games on a lower performing optical drive could be dramatic, especially those that rely heavily on streaming data.

 

I would be indifferent to the $479 price if the current Premium/Core systems got a decent price reduction ($50+).

Elite: $479
Prem: $349
Core: $249

Edit: Since the Zypher is a limited run (according to engadget) maybe it'll have the 65nm chips? Start out as limited production and ramp up as the Zypher transistions to become the prem sku?

 

It's a tough situation I think. Introducing a 120GB accessory is fine, but then it begs the question of why the larger HDD is not in the so-called Premium. At the same time, it costs more than the 20GB (I'm only guessing as it is a 2.5" SATA ), so a price reduction would hurt them if they reduced the price of the replacement hardware. As for the consumer... yes, it sucks that the "premium" doesn't get a price reduction, but it seems the only way to avoid a third permanent SKU and have an excuse to keep that price point.

Introducing the elite edition now with HDMI and the 120GB will create the sense of value by the time it replaces the Premium edition later on in the sense that you'll be getting that same hardware for $80 less.

 

I wonder if any goodness falls thru to Core tho. If you're going to add value to Premium and defend the $399 price point (which if you have your eye on Sony, you certainly can), then what do you do with Core? It's internals are getting cheaper too. Are you going to cut the price on it and open a bigger gap between it and Premium? Or do you add some value to it as well and defend at $299?

 

I read that the Core price was going to be $229. If so, MS can get a lot of sales from people looking to play Halo 3 and GTA 4 this year. It's really past time for the Core system to be a worthwhile product.

 

Could be a way to test the market and see how people take to it.

 

One SKU to take on Sony and the other to take on Nintendo? Maybe. If they're really hot on that streaming video thing, maybe they add a HD instead. Or split the difference, some to a HD and the left over to a price cut.

 

I don't think MS is interested in streaming video with the 360 at the cost of losing marketshare, and I think that's what would happen if they tried to go with any HDD for the Core system. Make the Core cheap. That's its point. Set yourself up to be the no-brainer purchase for those who want GTA 4 or Halo 3 but don't have a console yet. It's practically begging to hit that market, IMO. Going with an HDD would maim all that.

What MS needs is to hit a new section of the market, and a cheap Core would do that. A Core with an HDD would hit no new market.

 

Besides, as much as MS would like everyone to buy streaming video from them, I'm sure they know many users don't even connect their consoles to the internet.

 

Not if this HDDVD drive is only used in the premium offering with a premium price tag. This still leaves core to clean up the cheap end of the spectrum in the <$200 crowd.

....

Regarding the speed of the drive, this would have to be addressed either through a faster HD-DVD drive or multiple lasers (ala first gen dvd)... Or seeing as this device would be a premium offereing with a standard HDD, it could just load to the HDD and stream from that (ala ps3). It is "premium" afterall.

 

the purpose of existence of core system is to sell accessories at high profit i believed

 

"Premium" doesn't rightly mean having to wait around while your games install while other users can play straight off the disk.

 

It would be a drawback, but then it is merely one method of the three I listed.

Besides, who said the entire game needed to install before you could play? Streaming to the hdd in the Background while the current region has loaded isn't exactly brain surgery.

Ps3 gamers are used to loading games by now aren't they? I thought this was a "feature"?

 

You didn't suggest it as a feature, but rather as a workaround for a slower optical drive.

 

Correct, along with the other two options.

 

HD DVD drives could read DVDs at 12X, just like DVD drives could read CDs at high speed.

 

I don´t think the speed of the drive should be a problem, the DVD drive in the 360 is not exactly sexy fast, so it should be feasible to have a HD-DVD drive that can match that speed in DVD mode.

 

they should lower the price of the core and at least throw in a memory card

 

Do 2x HD-DVD drives exist? Are they fast enough for DVDs? Are they cost-prohibitive? I dont think we can just assume the existence/availability of the technology.

Games today dont natively support "install to HD to compensate for slower optical drive in black LE model" so i dont see how that could work, unless MS is going to provide a utility for putting the DVD image on your HD....yeah right.

 

The HD DVD drive doesn't need to be 2x. All that's needed is it supports 8x DVD speed. The only reason for wanting 2x HD DVD is for games which ship on HD DVDs. That's not gonna happen. Games will remain on DVDs, so an embedded HD DVD drive with suitable DVD transfer would work okay in the limited edition XB360. Of course, that would fly in the face of MS's claims to be 'neutral' and offer end consumers 'choice'...