Microsoft said to be ditching 20GB Xbox 360 for 60GB model

We'd already heard about a possible price cut to the Xbox 360, but it looks like that might not be all that Microsoft has in store, as TrustedReviews is now reporting that the 20GB hard drive in the standard Xbox 360 model is about to get the boot in favor of a more spacious 60GB one. That word apparently comes from a "rock solid source," who says that Microsoft wants to get it out the door by the end of its financial year, which comes at the end of June. TrustedReviews also goes into a bit of speculation, saying that Microsoft is "toying with the idea of introducing a new 360 SKU," and that a model with a built-in Blu-ray drive would seem to be "the most logical conclusion," although they say an external drive "makes sense too." While that possibility obviously remains up in the air, TrustedReviews is about as confident as can be with the 60GB Xbox 360 news, saying that you can take it to the bank.

[mikekoz777 @ Mar 7th 2008 11:57AM]

oh good another round of "My hard drive is bigger than yours" between the PS3 and the 360.

[Erwos @ Mar 7th 2008 12:04PM]

And I care why? More competition and options always help the consumer.

Then again, I have all three consoles, so I can afford to not care.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 7th 2008 12:42PM]

Hard Drive size only matters right now for the PS3 due to the game's loading large chunks to the drive (Devil May Cry for example). For 360, the HDD only matters to people who download TV shows and movies - paying for them BTW.

A 100 GB HDD should be more than enough for the 360 and a 120 for the PS3 should be fine.

I think a Blu Ray disk would be good for 360 (internally) because it would add value to it as a media player (for models with HDMI out).

I just hope the BR drive they might bring to 360 has higher read speeds than the PS3's.

[oGMo @ Mar 7th 2008 1:13PM]

I don't think 120G is near enough for the PS3... maybe 250-500G. Demos usually weigh in around 1G, installed size for games are usually 4-5GB. Consider having 20 games that install stuff plus 10 demos.. at those rates that's already about 90G.

FFXI, if you play it, is another 11GB+, and future PS3 games/MMOs/features (think Home) will likely chew through even more drive space as well.

[Chuckles McGee @ Mar 7th 2008 1:20PM]

Well it's about time. 60 GB drives probably go for what, $20 wholesale?

[DSeaver @ Mar 7th 2008 2:02PM]

Get rid of the Arcade, drop the 20gb console to $275, and have the 60gb Console be $350, I'd be sold

[Booksy @ Mar 7th 2008 3:18PM]

So now a few games from capcom require a 5GB install and now all games do? I only have a 20GB PS3 and 9 games and my HDD only half full with all the games, demo's, and stuff I have on there

[Mike D @ Mar 7th 2008 10:11PM]

yep.. good you're correct it is good, I'm confused as to why you would make a sarcastic remark about the fact that companies are competing for our affection by improving their products

[tetheredwings @ Mar 7th 2008 11:59AM]

I doubt it about the internal Blu-ray.

Microsoft and Sony are still only in talks about getting MS Blu-ray.

[tom @ Mar 7th 2008 12:22PM]

i agree, cause if xbox were to have BR built-in. General public would have done comparison side to side with 360 and ps3, it would obviously be disadvantageous to 360 in terms of feature available.

360 is best to be classified as a video game system, the game library is what makes people wanna buy one.

[BigBirdUK @ Mar 7th 2008 12:39PM]

I don't agree. MS are very likely to have had an engineering "mule" with an internal/external Blue Ray drive for months. Any talks will purely focus around licensing and marketing IMHO. BR availability on a 360 does not strike me as a major engineering challenge......

[tom @ Mar 7th 2008 12:53PM]

@BigBirdUK

I thought about the point you brought up. I wasn't sure what M$ gonna add a BR drive for, just for movies and/or games, who knows! But I figure it will be unfair to those who bought a 360 when it was first released, now they dish out extra $$, just to be inline with those who bought a 360 in the future.

It is clearly a reality that HD resolution gaming needs high capacity storage medium, M$ should have thought about that sooner. MS never learns, first Vista, now this.

[tcc3 @ Mar 7th 2008 1:05PM]

Why, because Sony says so? Because Metal Gear cant put hours of pre rendered cutscenes and improperly compressed audio on a dvd9?

The 360 has had scores of good looking games, and all of them fit on one DVD9. More space is a nice but not necessary this gen. Next gen certainly.

[timatl @ Mar 7th 2008 1:30PM]

i hope sony is stupid enough to let microsoft add a internal blur-ay drive to the 360. b/c alot of people like me purchased the PS3 to be a bluray player alone. if sony did this the sales would be even worse for the PS3. the PS3 has just started to sale well since the HD optical disc war is over. this would hurt the sales of the PS3

[Dale @ Mar 7th 2008 2:43PM]

It makes sense to release a system with built-in Blu Ray to me. Now that the format war is over, I'm sure they want the Xbox 360 to be a complete media experience to compete with the PS3.

I personally have no need for it, but my needs are not indicative of the desires of the market as a whole.

[ScareyJ @ Mar 7th 2008 2:44PM]

Personally, I'm confident MS will introduce BR to the 360. Its not about storage for games, its about being the media hub which has been a long term goal for Microsoft. They don't want people having to push the "source" button on the TV remote ... now that the war is over, I suspect a new SKU for an internal version (probably repackage of an Elite) and an addon both.

I don't think BR will affect the standard deployment media of DVD though ... unless future games might offer a parallel BR version with additional media.

[treats! @ Mar 7th 2008 6:57PM]

"Why, because Sony says so? Because Metal Gear cant put hours of pre rendered cutscenes and improperly compressed audio on a dvd9?"

Improperly compressed audio? Try un-compressed 7.1 LPCM audio that goes with HDMI 1.3a for people with proper recievers. Just another example of why the PS3 is more HD then the 360's 5.1 DD DVD crap audio.

[Dorz @ Mar 8th 2008 10:41AM]

What is all this nonsense talk of Sony allowing MS to stick a Blu-Ray drive in the 360? If MS wants to put a BR drive in the 360 than it is down to the BDA to welcome them on aboard and allow them to do that not Sony. Sony might be one of the biggest drivers, owners and contributers to Blu-ray but they haven't got the exclusivity to say whether a particular company is allowed on the BR bandwagon, its up top the BDA as a whole to decide that. If Sony say no to MS but the rest of the BDA says yes then there isn't anything that Sony can do about it.

[Chad B @ Mar 7th 2008 12:01PM]

FIRST

[makishima @ Mar 7th 2008 12:01PM]

FAIL

[JAmerican @ Mar 7th 2008 12:01PM]

more like third lol.

I bet the 60GB model will still RLOD.

JAmerican

[Cameron @ Mar 7th 2008 12:04PM]

YouFail.org

[JAmerican @ Mar 7th 2008 1:55PM]

My comment is truthful and gets low ranked but YouFail and Fail (corny comments) get high ranked. People at Engadget sure are corny.

This comment will be low ranked as well :).

[ByronGman @ Mar 7th 2008 2:01PM]

"This comment will be low ranked as well :). "


Which makes it an EPIC FAIL.

[Alan Strangis @ Mar 7th 2008 2:31PM]

@ JAmerican:

It's RROD. That's why I voted ya down, despite all the cool things you did back in the Clie's heyday. :D

[Cameron @ Mar 7th 2008 12:02PM]

You know I really doubt to see why MS would speak to Sony. They don't own Blu-Ray....
PS3's are only good for 3 things- folding, linux, and blu-ray. Until they get some games Out I'm going to keep downloading Movies.

[tetheredwings @ Mar 7th 2008 12:08PM]

Yes, Sony owns the rights to Blu-ray..

It's pretty much their first succesful media type. We all see how well the UMD is doing and the mini-disc..

[Flashpoint @ Mar 7th 2008 12:39PM]

Right now the best games are CALL OF DUTY 4, HALO 3, ROCKBAND, GUITAR HERO, Assassin's Creed and a bunch of RPGS.


PS3 is getting FF: Core, GTA 4, MGS4 and Resistance 2.


With the excepton of HAlo 3 and a Gears of War...what exactly does 360 have over PS3?

[Cameron @ Mar 7th 2008 12:44PM]

Sony does not own the rights to blu-ray. The Blu Ray Association does. You've just made yourself look like a retard. And The PS3 only has Resistance, MGS4, and FF:Core since All the other games are coming or are on the Xbox 360! I'm not only going for the Xbox360 but until they make a fun game that actually takes advantage of the fucking SupercomputerStation3 then I'm not buying it.

[Greg @ Mar 7th 2008 1:52PM]

I agree, why not talk to Samsung, LG, or any of the other members of the BDA. I am sure they would like to get a cut of the price.

Sony does not own Blu-ray.

[Dan Davis @ Mar 7th 2008 12:59PM]

@Flashpoint

Quick turnaround when your system fails.

[BigBirdUK @ Mar 7th 2008 12:59PM]

lol @ cameron. Also, and I don't wish to start a big debate on this, but tetheredwings observation that this is thier first sucesful format is not true either. 1) Sony had a lot of success with Betamax in the professional realm and 2) Their insistence on memory stick (pro, mini etc) has not exactly crucified sales of cameras / videocams etc.

[tojfs7931 @ Mar 7th 2008 6:16PM]

Sony does NOT own the rights to blu ray... They just license it from The Blu Ray Disc Association...

[Frankenstein Black @ Mar 7th 2008 12:05PM]

My revised xbox 360 blue ray drive, Sony "fuzzy math"!
- Wholesale Parts = $99
- Sony’s “FU for buying an Xbox 360” surcharge = $100
- MS’s resale markup/profit = $100
Final price? $299.00!
- HD-DVD drive trade in credit -$100
Final price less trade in? $199.00!
Anyone care for a friendly wager?

-------
Oh yea, and if you live in NAFTA damaged Ohio and voted for Clinton, you are a Rube and a DOPE! So enjoy the dog food tonight while I head to Brooklyn for dinner at Peter Luger...

[Maestro @ Mar 7th 2008 12:57PM]

Someone please type in all caps that sony doesn't own bluray...I would do it but I don't want to look like a douche that types in all caps.

[Raptor007 @ Mar 7th 2008 2:33PM]

SONY DOESN'T OWN BLU-RAY

[ogvor @ Mar 7th 2008 12:07PM]

I have a feeling this is in conjucntion with their rumored price drop all centered around the reease of GTA4. Rumors of the GTA4 downlaodable content being "bigger than you think" are flying around and allude to perhapes another whole part of the city (one of the Burrows is missing...)


Hopefully this also means a 20GB hard drive for the arcade

[kyoseki @ Mar 7th 2008 1:00PM]

One can only hope, the lack of a hard drive in the Arcade is screwing over developers - I'm getting sick of interminably long elevator rides in Mass Effect given that 110 gb of my Elite's hard drive is going to waste.

Stick a small drive in the Arcade willya? The whole point of console development is that you don't have to worry about system configurations, then MS go ahead and pull out one of the core components thus crippling software development for the other, more expensive systems.

[herb-derbley @ Mar 7th 2008 2:20PM]

Do you mean borough?

Unless Bugs makes a cameo in GTA4...

[ogvor @ Mar 7th 2008 3:29PM]

borough...

wow that looked stupid, sorry

[Jim @ Mar 7th 2008 12:07PM]

I'm surprised anyone even makes 20GB hard drives anymore.

[Jeff @ Mar 7th 2008 12:51PM]

no kidding. what's the component cost difference between a 20GB and a 60GB drive? like $0.45?

it's not like they're using 1.8" drives or something.

[ZeroCorpse @ Mar 7th 2008 1:56PM]

Yeah. 60GB drives are pretty cheap now.

Which means the official XBox 360 version sold separately is going to be about $100 a pop.

Remember, MS is charging $80 for a USB WiFi adapter, and $180 for a 120GB hard drive.

I love my XBox 360, but I HATE the MS proprietary markup bullshit.

[ScooterDe @ Mar 7th 2008 2:25PM]

I expect the 20GB was costing too much, and it was cheaper to switch to 60GB. Probably cheaper still to switch to 120GB, but they want to distinguish the elite model.

[Kurian @ Mar 8th 2008 9:52AM]

Too bad you cant pop open the side of your 360 and slide in a standard 500giger SATA. PS3 FTW.

[Peter @ Mar 7th 2008 12:09PM]

why not the 120gb hard drive??

[Caleb @ Mar 7th 2008 12:09PM]

damn i'm starting to get tired of new models every time I upgrade. Your starting to aggrivate my wallet microsoft.let's maybe get it right this time and you'll still have a loyal fan

[treacherous @ Mar 7th 2008 12:12PM]

I would jump on a 360 with built-in Blu-ray! I could move my current premium to my bedroom so that I can have two MCE extenders. One that plays just DVD's, one that plays Blu-Ray.

[Jay Park @ Mar 7th 2008 12:37PM]

I would definitely jump on a blu-ray 360. Already got the ps3 for my 52'' Aquos downstairs. Now I need something for the 65'' samsung proj upstairs, while diversifying my entertainment. Though economically, I don't see a blu-ray add-on making the 360 a cheaper buy. In fact, I haven't understood why people consider the ps3 to be the most expensive of all 3 when I could easily pick one up for $299 . Already bought 7 wii's $250 a piece and sold em on ebay for 40%+ profit. If anything, the 360 as an HD player is gunna be an extra loaded cost.

But this is definitely great news for the official XBOX magazine that posted one time that Metal Gear Solid 4 MIGHT come to the 360. Just looking at the photoshopped costco-size 12 set DVD package the game had to come in was a nightmare. Now, if they get blu-ray, XBOX mag only has to worry about understanding the word exclusivity ;). But heck, 1 step closer to my definition as a next gen entertainment console--It finally, maybe, can use HD media!

[JCA @ Mar 7th 2008 2:43PM]

I wonder if Mr. Park and all those people like him realize how insecure and childish they are.

No one gives a sh!t about the specs of your TV or that you have the means to buy a 360 for your projector upstairs. Why go thru all that trouble of listing your gear.

Your sense of inadequacy is completely transparent.