In a startlingly new twist on the standard non-denial denial of the incredibly obvious existence of an upcoming product, Microsoft has done the world a favor in confirming the
802.11n adapter it has in the works for the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the company stopped there, failing to mention price, launch date or the all important HOT or NOT score of the upcoming unit. As
Joystiq points out, Microsoft did say that the adapter will offer "another choice to consumers," which means the original adapter might be sticking around for a bit -- at hopefully a cheaper pricepoint -- but that's about all we've got to go on at the moment. So... we're pretty much back where we started from, but now we're
officially in the dark.
posted Sep 21st 2009 6:49PM
Let me guess, $149.99?
I'm guessing $99. It's a small improvement and they can't justify anything over $100 when they're selling a G version at $76.99.
@ZuneSucks
it also doesn't have blu-ray. and i notice that you are very anti microsoft. i don't think you'll fit in well around here
He's not anti MS, look at his history, he's a 12 yo troll.
I'm an Xbox 360 owner, and this irritates me somewhat. Wireless should be built in to the machine by now.
M$ is straight up gouging with that stupid wifi adapter. PEOPLE LISTEN. Go buy a cheap wireless N wifi router for like 40 bucks(or cheaper) from somewhere on the net. Then put it into "bridge mode" whereas it'll connect to your other N router. Then plug a cable from that router into your XBOX.
I bought a g router years ago for 5 bucks from somewhere(don't remember) and have been using ever since.
@000000
....what?
Unless I'm completely not understand what you said, why not just plug the cable from you xbox into your cheap G router you got years ago?
meh ill stick to using an ethernet cable like i always have... i have enough trouble trying to play a simple game of counter-strike on my pc over wireless... not even going to bother with a console.
I have an XBox and love it. I know it sucks and I have to admit it, that Microsoft ripping us so bad because we are suckers. I envy others because they got built-in WiFi and has Bluray player too. I wish I could watch Bluray on my XBox like I used to with HD-DVD which become obsolete. One thing that XBox Live cost me so much money every f&*&@# year just to play online with my friends. I know I'm a sucker I buy all this thing Microsoft has to offer in order to enjoy the full potential of my XBox. I wanna try PS3 but I already got an XBox just save that to get that WiFi dongle for only $149 cheaper than PS3. And all of you PS3 users, you guys suck even though you got bulit-in WiFi, built-in Bluray, free online gaming and bigger hard drives, and no RROD you still suck.
I RAILED against Microsoft for the pricing of the adapter.
http://www.epinions.com/review/Microsoft_Wireless_Adapter_for_Xbox_360/content_481952239236
Problem is, they've got it set up in a manner you can't beat them...you just end up buying it.
they made it so no typical USB wifi adapter works - only an ethernet bridge or gaming link
What really kills me is that someday when you shelf your 360, the wifi adapter has no more use at all because you can't use it with your laptop or desktop.
Of course you can choose to connect your 360 to your laptop and share the internet connection, but that's a tacky setup.
The wireless adapter is a product that shouldn't need to be purchased. It should be built in.
I'm thinking Microsoft will lower the price of the old adapter and leave the N modelat $100 or more. I don't see myself getting it cause if I did, I'd have to also buy a N-router. Thus far, my current Fios G router is just fine and the connection to XBL is perfect.
And the thing is black? What if you want N on your white console...jesus christ.
Microsoft's other big problem (besides console failure rate) this cycle is pricing on peripherals. The 360 would still be, arguably, the best value console if it included built-in wifi and a usabe amount of hard drive space. I think they're making a big mistake in gouging on the "little things," specifically, wifi and the hard drive. I'm still stuck with my 20 gigger because I refuse to shell out the cost of a 120GB drive. I bought a 160GB, 2.5" drive on sale for $20 last year.
The PS3 wifi isn't a beacon of hope. Me and a lot of my friends have gone wired as opposed to wireless. Especially after all the dropped games of Killzone 2..
@ Jordan
Because my cheap g router is connected to my cable modem router in my basement. My TV is upstairs. I'd need a very long cable.
I'll give Microsoft credit for giving users choice and easy upgradability for wireless on their consoles. They just need to stop telling half the story though. Microsoft learned the accessory market is a lucrative one, and enjoys milking it's users for it.
What frustrates me is the batteries on the wireless controllers the most. Just build the $%#% rechargeable battery in instead of selling it as yet another accessory. And start tossing in the wireless adaptor on the high end SKU for the 360.
I'd prefer not to have the batteries built into the controller.
That way, I can buy good rechargeable batteries for it.
Or you can always just use regular batteries in case they aren't charged.
The ones that you buy from Microsoft suck.
They lose charge quickly, especially when they aren't being used in a while.
They probably aren't lithium.
I prefer good rechargeable Energizer AA's.
I'm waiting for Witricity to get going.
No more batteries.
Same I can buy a pack of batteries and they last for what seems forever. I hate when devices put their batteries in so that they cannot be removed. One of the best things is the way they allow regular energizer batteries in the controllers.
The rechargeable batteries for the 360 are shit. They never last me longer than a year.
@Miko: I feel the opposite way. I hate buying batteries, even rechargeable batteries since you can't play and charge them at the same time.
My plug and play kit and its batteries still work great well over a year later. I wish the wireless controllers came with the plug and play kit, but it was well worth the purchase.
MICROSOFT HAS TO MILK US FOR MONEY
The Xbox was a loss leader for every consecutive season it was sold. That's due to it having built in Ethernet and a built in Hard Drive and being ridiculously expensive to manufacture.
The Xbox 360 is not only a loss leader because it was always sold at a loss (a method used to create market penetration while attempting to recoup losses licensing software) but, due to the RROD problems and the high failure rate, Xbox 360 is the greatest loss leader EVER - even moreso than all of SEGA' S systems combined.
So its obvious why they kill us on accessories.
Why include built in batteries for your controllers when you can sell a play and charge kit at profit?
Why sell a WiFi adapter for $50 when you can put it on the shelf and wait for dumb suckers (like me) to buy it at $100?
Why include a hard drive when you can make a proprietary hard drive and sell it at a 300% markup?
Believe it or not, its actually cheaper for MS to give us wireless controllers than wired because it gets us to buy the play & charge kit.
MS is a bunch of dirty corporate money whores sitting on the heads of honest software producers.
@oghowie You must be a hard man to please, I consider myself happy if a full charge lasts me a week...
Man I love Microsoft!
awesome website design guys!
Please let it be less than $100...
I wouldn't even consider it if it's more than $60.
Again ... I'd "consider it" for that price. Doesn't mean I'd buy it.
And it's not going to be that low ... it'll probably be $100.
Look at the price of other 802.11n adapters.
Some are as low as $20, but better ones average $40.
Will the USB bottleneck the wireless N? like, only 480MB/s?
Like for those who stream netflix HD or something.
Um, No. Wireless N is hits around 140mb/s on a good day. USB 2.0 @ 480mb/s can handle that. Also keep in mind: little b=bits. Big B=bytes. 8 bits to a Byte. bits are for speed ratings, bytes are for storage. Now just keep telling yourself: "little b, Big B,little b, Big Blittle b, Big Blittle b, Big Blittle b, Big B..."
there was no reason why the Elite version of the xbox 360 couldn't have built in wifi and there's still no reason why the upcoming 250gb version shouldn't either. if the Wii can have built in wifi and cost only $250, it doesn't make sense why MS should charge $99 for this. this is just a reason to rip consumers off.
There is a reason.
They sell loads of adaptors at $100.
Same reason Xbox live costs money when others give it away for free. Same with Windows for that matter.
Lots of people like paying for stuff. If they get it for free they don't appreciate it.
That's nice and everything, but I love my $10 100 foot Ethernet cable... A great option tho.
Even generic dual-band wifi adapters are pretty expensive though, usually $80 or more. Although I wish they offered a cheaper solution since most of us don't have routers that do 5ghz anyway.
A netgear adapter with 5 ghz and wireless n is still cheaper than the old official adapter. I've got 5ghz network on N so I plan to buy the netgear rather than the official.
Everyone bitching about wifi as an add on, please remind me how well 802.11n works on your PS3 or Wii.
oh wait it's not on your 360 either
@kool2bchillin.
Are you trying to be stupid or are you not understanding his point and did you even read the article.
He's just stupid.
It doesn't, but my built-in 802.11g works just fine. How's yours?
"...my built-in 802.11g works just fine. How's yours?"
Sub-par. But, that's 802.11g for you.
no-one is bitching about wi-fi as an add-on, but everyone bitching about the fact that its a greedy attempt by microsoft to milk their customers dry like xbox live, charge kits, memory cards, and even hard-drives.
Why buy it in the first place. There is better alternatives that are far more impressive with better performance and I will promise they are far more cheaper.. I personally just think you're a fool for even thinking of buying this.
MS knows the current adapter is way overpriced.
An MS xobox team employee was interviewed about it.
I bet we will see this new adapter retail for $80.
Maybe this one will actually support WPA2--or better yet, maybe Microsoft will release a dashboard update so both adapters will support WPA2.
"Indoor use only Model 1398"
Does this mean there will be an outdoor model? lol
I ALWAYS play my 360 outdoors, drag the 65" LCD and 7.1 surround out there too, great for cloudy days unless it rains ;-)
Alternatives.
http://www.netgear.co.uk/wnhdeb111.php
For 5ghz
http://www.dlink.co.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Product_C&childpagename=DLinkEurope-GB%2FDLProductCarousel&cid=1197353089323&p=1197318962342&packedargs=ParentPageID%3D1197318962321%26TopLevelPag
For 2.4ghz or 5ghz but probably only marginally cheaper than the official.
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=154416
Hard to find these but they are better than the original and cost me less than a half of the price of the original adapter.
I can't believe there actually are cheaper alternatives.
The bridge in your first link is $54.49 at Amazon.
Well in the uk The original adapter is £60 but you can get it for £50. The belkin cost £29.99 and it does have far better performance. Its a bitch to set up if you click on the wrong button but if you read the instructions you're okay. Although the setup software never worked on vista. I plan on buying the netgear unless I Buy the dlink which is expensive but may be cheaper than the one from Microsoft and still provide better performance. I'm in the UK but I'm guessing its a similar situation in the us
£60 = $97 US.
I will never buy Belkin again after buying a router and WAP from them.
The belkin cost £29.99 and it does have far better performance.
/kills self
Belkin will never make anything better than anyone else. They will make similar items that barely work.
I wish M$ would "fess up" about their RROD problem and buy back my third console that is a useless hunk of garbage. Screw buying this and enabling them. I have my bet at 109.99, and then it too will in some way cause
a RROD that you will have to fix by disassembling it and replacing something that made no sense to begin with.