Archive for August 21st, 2008:
Xbox 360 Price Drops
Well, the rumors have been circulating for about a month now with a decent amount of evidence, but the final piece of evidence needed to convince me was a scan of an upcoming Radio Shack ad that listed the new 360 prices. I think it’s save to say at this point that come Sept. 7, 2008, the new Xbox 360 prices will go into effect:
Arcade – $199
Pro (60 gig) – $299
Elite (120 gig) – $399
This news has caused new speculation on the pricing of the discontinued 20 gig models that are currently $299 and still collecting dust in many stores. Likely, this older model will get a price drop as well, as otherwise why would anyone pay the same price for a 20 gig model as the 60 gig model? I’ve got over $400 store credit available at Blockbuster/Gamerush saved up from trading in used games. I was going to get a 20 gig 360 for $299 a couple of weeks ago until I stumbled across the price drop rumor. Now, I’m definitely glad I waited.
Besides a price drop, the current 360 models are built using new technology and are less likely to overheat or get the red ring of death, according to gamer sites.
For those who have been holding out on getting a next gen system, the magic $199 price point for the Xbox 360 Arcade bundle may finally get them to jump into the current generation of gaming. Also, the announcement that Netflix is bringing their streaming DVD service to the 360 late this fall is sure to create a few converts as well. I already have the Netflix streaming service on my PC (which is hooked up to a 50″ HDTV), and it’s a great service, although the selection of current movies is very limited. If you like classics, TV box sets, or don’t mind watching movies that are several years old, the selection is great. If you want to watch movies that just came out on DVD or Blu-ray, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
