Xbox 360: black, HDMI, late April, $479?

Well what do you know, Microsoft's apparently preparing to launch the 360 in black with HDMI (and an HMDI cable, ha!), and a 120GB drive for $479 in late April, as rumored. Joystiq seems to think it's not a hoax, but instead a legitimate leak from Game Informer, which supposedly had the details. Also noted, the 120GB drive will be available separately for under two bills, no internal HD DVD (duh); no word on integrated WiFi (don't hold your breath). We're still skeptical, but hey, we're still very interested, too.

[Alex @ Mar 20th 2007 12:14PM]

I guess women will prefer this one.

[Luke @ Mar 20th 2007 12:18PM]

Now I'm glad I waited. Sign me up!

[Martin @ Mar 20th 2007 12:23PM]

Its probably just a leak from the April Fools issue of some magazine. But I still hope that its real.

[CowboyGA @ Mar 20th 2007 12:25PM]

So the question is, black 360 or PS3? I know I'll be picking up a Wii, and I think the "hardcore" system to go with it will be the new 360. The PS3 is still too shaky and unproven when it comes to that extra potential.

[charlie @ Mar 20th 2007 12:28PM]

Its very hard for me to believe that:
1. MS will being selling a third SKU. That just complicates things for them more
2. MS will be selling a SKU for above $400. $479 is really close to $499 for the 20GB PS3 SKU (if it could actually be found anywhere).
3. MS will be selling some SKUs with HDMI and others without. Thats a pretty major change in functionality (because if it has HDMI it will support broadcast flag type stuff for downloadable content, which could mean that some XBLM content will only be compatible with HDMI xboxs)

Than again, maybe MS is adding HDMI to all their SKUs, and maybe they figure that as long as the $499 PS3 SKU is inpossible to find and Sony doesnt pose a price threat to them, they should try to make as much money selling hardware as they can.

[Totalfixation @ Mar 20th 2007 12:31PM]

I will never trust another game magazine in April anymore. After that street fighter incident. God i spent so many hours trying to figure out why i couldn't do it. damn you gamer pro!!!! :shake fist:

[tgernon @ Mar 20th 2007 12:45PM]

i guess in the "next Gen" consoles you never have it all... if this is real i'm a bit bummed 400 bucks for the best system and now its not the best...

[TS @ Mar 20th 2007 12:48PM]

If Sony could drop the 60GB PS3 to $499 at the same time this launches (and just drop the 20GB), I think we could start to see a shift in favor of the PS3.

Sony's launch sucked, but I think the actual potential of the PS3 is beginning to show itself, despite the best efforts of Sony to the contrary.

[Taz @ Mar 20th 2007 12:49PM]

Best thing MS could do is to retire the 'tard' pack, and move the 'premium' pack down to that slot. If they really need to, introduce an 'ultimate' pack with the black 360, internal HDD and HD-DVD around the price point of the current premium pack.
Retailers have already started dropping the 20Gb PS3 models in favour of the 60Gb models - they should do the same to the 'core' packs and force MS to drop it. I wonder what the ratio of sales is between core and premium?

[kingofwale @ Mar 20th 2007 1:02PM]

Let's assume this is true.

Big mistake by not including a HD-DVD drive. You're letting Sony win next-gen DVD format war.

but then again, if Xbox had included HD-DVD drive, it will likely push the price close to 599, which will come to direct competition with 60GB PS3. I'm not sure if that's what Microsoft wants.


here's what they SHOULD do, forgot HDMI, forget 120 HD, forget black color, just lower your current 2 models price so you're one step ahead Sony

[kballs @ Mar 20th 2007 1:20PM]

MS should keep the core system! I have the premium pack and all the accessories, but I want to upgrade to the one with HDMI and 65nm proc (cooler, quieter)... so I want an HDMI core system (don't care about bigger HDD) to drop in place using all my existing accessories (and saving $$$). I can either sell my old bare console or use it as a media center extender in another room.

[ndisi @ Mar 20th 2007 1:22PM]

A lot of you people seem to be forgetting that IPTV is coming out later this year. No doubt THAT's what the HDMI and the 120 gig HD are for.

I personally wish the HDMI was an optional add on but hopefully this will push the other 360 consoles on the market down in price.

[Evil Closet Monkey @ Mar 20th 2007 1:27PM]

If this turns out to be an April Fool's joke I'll be very annoyed.

At what age does April Fool's become funny again? It stopped being funny at 8... 22 years later and I'm still waiting to find any humor in the same "joke" done over and over again.

[Raptox @ Mar 20th 2007 1:34PM]

"Confirmation" from GI does nothing for me. This is an April Fool's gag until either a) Microsoft confirms it or b) I can pre-order it.

[mj @ Mar 20th 2007 1:41PM]

That's very interesting, kballs. The core system is good for replacement systems, another reason they should keep offering it. Now the trouble is if your black 360 dies, you have to shell out a lot for a replacement with hdmi. And if you add a HD-DVD add-on to the black 360, you're in ps3 territory.

They're keeping the core system for people without online access - most of their non-Europe, non-NA territory. That's part of their strategy and it isn't changing.

They should lower prices, but the $480 price signals that they just want to leave things as they are until they see how the new SKU is received. But I think they're doing this now to lower prices in the holiday season.

Things are getting too complicated for them, now. They risk alienating their current fans by adding features, but they can't stand pat with a 20gb hard drive. They should never have priced the hdd add-on that high, and only offered one hdd. The 2 sku strategy never seemed right, and now I know why: the core should have been 360 sdtv and the premium should have been 360 hdtv. That means something to people.

[BigBalls @ Mar 20th 2007 1:42PM]

This is a true product but is not scheduled to come out until the end of the year. So the questions really is if MS IS indeed pushing the release up or if the early release is a joke by the mag.

Either way who gives a crap. The PS3 is a better system and once it drops in price it will crush the 360.

[NeoK182 @ Mar 20th 2007 1:43PM]

i can say that this is a legit article. saw it in the game informer yesterday at the local gamestop.

[David @ Mar 20th 2007 1:49PM]

its a legit game informer article (its really in the mag), and the article itself is legit. if you check kotaku, they were in touch with game informer reps and they confirmed the legitimacy of the article themselves.

[Dat Nguyen @ Mar 20th 2007 1:51PM]

why do the black ones always have bigger HD's ;-).

[andy @ Mar 20th 2007 2:01PM]

Now if they just added xbox media center and all of its codec support, I'd buy one to replace my XBOX1.

I'm really after quieter and cooler. There's no way my theater is getting a jet engine, and I'll only buy if quieter than my xbox1.

[Ryan @ Mar 20th 2007 2:05PM]

Does anybody really care? It's just an upgrade of XBOX 360. I knew it wouldn't be soon before they came up with something like this. HDMI on a gaming system? Pointless.

[Sheridan @ Mar 20th 2007 2:16PM]

Isn't April coming up soon?

[Alex @ Mar 20th 2007 2:43PM]

I certainly don't think Microsoft would be stupid enough to sell a new system at almost the same price as the PS3 with no noticeable advantages hardware-wise.
Granted, the 20gb hard drive is a complete rip off, but how can this be a competitive price?

This is either a fake, or a mis-direction. No Xbox 360 should be more than $400 at this point.

[Russ @ Mar 20th 2007 2:46PM]

What about core or dvd drive revisions?

[gibber9583 @ Mar 20th 2007 3:03PM]

Black console??? Does this mean black controllers? White controllers with a black console is gonna be weird....

Also, i'll believe this when i see it.

[Phillip @ Mar 20th 2007 3:13PM]

Microsoft doesn't realize that they can be a deciding factor in the format wars between HD-DVD and BluRay. BluRay is going to getting much more market penetration being that each PS3 comes with a built-in BluRay drive. That creates a greater market for users to adopt the format. With HD-DVD, it's either buy the stand-alone player or buy the optional external drive. So with HD-DVD, every scenario is an "option" instead of making it an autonomous demand as with what the PS3 is doing. Not including the HD-DVD drive in the 360 is a huge mistake for Microsoft. What they should do is get rid of that Core system bullshit, lower the price of the premium console to the price of the core unit, and then make this "rumored" black version with the HDMI their premium unit and slap the HD-DVD drive in the unit. That's what would make more sense.

[Castle @ Mar 20th 2007 4:42PM]

No built-in HD-DVD? Basically just a new HDD and in black. . . what's the point.

[Erwos @ Mar 20th 2007 7:34PM]

"Big mistake by not including a HD-DVD drive. You're letting Sony win next-gen DVD format war."

Microsoft doesn't care who wins the format war. They only supported HD-DVD because of mandatory managed copy support, which the Blu-Ray consortium opposed making mandatory. But now that AACS is cracked, that's a moot point - the same folks who would have used managed copy will just rip the disc.

What Microsoft does want to do is enter the movie/TV/music download business, and then leverage that into Windows Media Center, Windows Mobile, and Zune. From that perspective, a 120gb drive and no HD-DVD seems perfectly sane.

I do agree that the $480 price point is too high - it needs to drop to $400.

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Mar 20th 2007 8:53PM]

Is this in the April issue of GI? Is it an April Fool's joke?

And, really, with no HD-DVD drive it still isn't a great buy.

Call me when the HD-DVD drive is internal and HD-DVD has come out ahead of Blu-Ray...

[Charles Gooding @ Mar 20th 2007 10:41PM]

I dont get why alot of you guys are saying that microsoft made a huge mistake by not including an HD-DVD drive, they have no real stake in either format, thats why its an OPTION, if you dont want it you dont have to buy it, but with sony you have to get a BLU-RAY drive or dont get a PS3, there is no option, and I dont want my GAME console to play movies, its a nice added benefit, but not needed. I do like the black, but give me a quiter system overall and drop the price by a hundie and I will buy it in a heartbeat, I'm alreading planning on buying the uber $130 halo 3 package. I dont care about HDMI, no need for it, there is no ICT for 360 games. if I can get 720p over the included cables I'm happy.

[oskartegby @ Mar 21st 2007 11:17AM]

They shuld put a WiFi connection and HD DVD in to it, And i hope that there will be a tilt sensor controller!

[movie critic @ Mar 21st 2007 6:29PM]

ah i really don't care.
the black 360 is really cool
With HDMI and 120GB Drive.

so yeah, i'll just go straight out and
buy one.

when ever it's released.

[Shane @ Mar 21st 2007 8:52PM]

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned already, but...is the hdmi going to be 1.3? It doesn't look like it from the pictures I've seen.

[drunkncrew @ Mar 21st 2007 9:28PM]

hmmmm. If you just want a black case, then you guys should check out http://www.extreme-mods.com/xbox-360-c.html
As far as HDMI is concerned, you don't NEED it, nor do you really need the bigger HDD. PS2 and XBOX 1 drives were notorious for crapping out due to people constantly using them to watch movies and play games. Microsoft recognized this and opted to allow people to have an external solution. So you can think of it this way, with the HD-DVD drive being external, if it craps out, then you buy another dvd drive, not a whole new console. End up saving money, I'd definitely opt to spend 200dollars on a drive, rather than another 4-600dollars on a whole new console.

[m4272000 @ Mar 21st 2007 10:32PM]

I'm in total agreement with you. If you worked for MS you would probable make Bill Gate a little richer than he's now and make employee of the week. A 360 with HDMI and a HD DVD drive would really jeapordize Sony strong hole on the dual usage game console war.

[NataSS Inc @ Mar 22nd 2007 1:27PM]

I can confirm this isnt a joke. I was in the group they grilled for "marketability". But they left out alot of things that were discussed to actually make this thing sell. The only thing they did add that was discussed was the HDMI and making it black. :shakes head:

[Joel @ Mar 23rd 2007 9:37AM]

First off, i think the black model looks waaay better. But it's going to look stupid with a white wireless controller, or a white external hd-dvd.

I also think they should put the hd-dvd drive right in the new "Elite" xbox360, just because - why not? The price should be dropped a little bit. And please someone let me know if they decide to upgrade the processor/chip??

PS: About the HDMI "1.3" is there another kind?

[SHopkins @ Mar 23rd 2007 2:50PM]

For Gamers HDMI may not be a must... but for people wanting to use the 360 as an Home Theater Media Center hub it definitely does make a difference.

The first reason is that next-generation uncompressed audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master can only be transmitted via HDMI (either as decoded LPCM or undecoded raw bitstream w/ HDMI 1.3). Because of this the current 360/HD-DVD Drive is a crippled HD-DVD player where as the PS3 is a full-featured BluRay player. Finding a way to include the HD-DVD drive in this new unit would be great as well but from a price standpoint it would be hard to do.

The second reason is that HDMI is a very elogent cabling solution for digital video/audio, something very important to folks with complex home-theater installations. HDMI also allows digital video to stay digital all the way to the display (without D-A and A-D conversions that can degrade picture quality).

The third reason is upcomming iptv. Due to DRM HDMI will be a requirement as will more hard-drive space.

So to make the 360 a full-fledged home-theater media center option HDMI is an important factor. This may not be its main intention but if it is going to be advertised and marketed as such it should live up to some of the expectations of enthusiasts.

All that said I do think $480 is a bit too much to expect people to pay for just added HDMI and larger hard-drive. Without an internal HD-DVD drive I beleive $400 is much more reasonable with the current Premium system moved down to the $300 price point and the core either dropped completely or priced at $250 to compete with the Wii. If you could include the HD-DVD drive internally then the $500 price might be merrited since adding HDMI turns the 360 into a true full-featured HD-DVD player.

[Stevo @ Mar 23rd 2007 10:09PM]

I actually think the white looks better... I just hope I can get IPTV on my 360 I have now.

[hamster3000 @ Mar 26th 2007 8:02AM]

if it does have wifi that would be awesome. you will save your self $20 for those who buy a premium 360 and the wifi adapter. Plus 120GB hd and hdmi. wow!

[neophyte @ Apr 8th 2007 9:05AM]

How can you begin to compare the 1337 360 with the PS3? 20g PS3 is 499 and 120g 360 for 479, hmm that's a tough comparison.
Microsoft still proves to be the best next gen console, already showing off the next-next gen.
PS3=crap
Wii=interesting
360=nice
360 1337= even better