Pros: Black finish, HDMI support, 120 GB hard disk space, all necessary cables included
Cons: 65nm processor not included, old problems continue with Elite, cost may deter some
The Bottom Line: Neither a must-have upgrade for existing 360 owners, nor as packed as the PS3. The Elite is one to consider for those who have not yet jumped in.
weatherbee1982's Full Review: Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite (120 GB) Black Console
Design (25%): 5
Features (20%): 8
Performance (25%): 9
Gaming Diversity (20%): 7
Customer Service (10%): 10
Overall: 7.4
Important Information:
What's included above and beyond the Premium SKU:
-HDMI 1.3 Support (vs. Composite)
-120 GB hard drive (as opposed to 20 GB)
-HDMI cables included
-$80 cost incresae ($479.99 vs. $399.99)
Microsoft's Gamble
The release of the XBox 360 in November 2005 marked the start of the current generation of video game consoles. What was controversial about the release was the use of 2 SKU's (Core and Premium), where the two systems were essentially the same but the Premium included features that one could have at a reasonable price ($399.99 Premium vs. $299.99 Core). These Premium features included the 20 GB hard drive, a headset for online use, a wireless controller and for a limited time a remote control. All of these features together, if purchased for the Core, would far exceed the cost of the Premium Microsoft surmised. However, supply issues reduced the amount of Microsoft XBox 360 consoles that could have otherwise been sold, and when the dust settled, most (if not a great majority) bought the Premium SKU. Meanwhile, the Core collected dust on shelves.
The gamble now rests on Microsoft's intent on releasing a 3rd SKU called the "Elite." The premise is essentially the same, purchase the Premium and attempt to upgrade (but you would be HDMI-less) at a cost exceeding the Elite or get the Elite and get the one feature the other two SKU's do not, HDMI support. For those who have already jumped in, this presents the question of is it really necessary to purchase a console being sold at $479.99, even though I already have a Premium. Let's look at what has been done to see if such a purchase is necessary for those who already own a console, and whether this SKU is worth the cost for those who have been considering the XBox 360 elite.
Design
Many remember the overheating issues and the 3 lights of doom horror stories from the launch of the XBox 360. The question on many minds is whether Microsoft learned from these mistakes by improving the design.
Sadly enough, the answer is no. The design remains very much the same with the Elite warming up very quickly (which can be noticed purely by touch alone). The fans still must work overtime at the back of the system to try to cool down the processor contained within, which strongly suggests that the often spoken about 65nm processor has not been incorporated into the new design. This issue has been spoken about in my past review of this system.
Another problem that also remains with the system is the amount of noise it puts out. Because of the aforementioned fans, you WILL know that the XBox 360 is at work, esp. if the system has to work on a scene of intense action. Even without the fans, the DVD drive still spins at a sound level above background noise that will become an annoyance for some, or a tolerance for many. This should not have to be the case for those who like to watch DVD's on the same system that they play video games on.
The power brick returns, with it experiencing much of the same heat problems as the Premium and Core SKU's. If this is an issue of poor marketing or poor management, one would think all of these issues would have been fixed by now, esp. at these "Elite" prices.
Features
With the support of 1080p now included in all XBox360 consoles, past and present, it was decided by Microsoft that HDMI support would be a necessity. HDMI 1.3 support is a nice new feature added above and beyond the Premium and Core SKU. For those not in the know, HDMI has the ability to transmit sound and visual over one connection without the necessity of multiple cable hookups of composite cables. The number 1.3 states the version number that is out for HDMI, and 1.3 supports over 1 billion colors (far more than composite cables) and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio normally carried HD DVD or BluRay. As Microsoft is a supporter of HD DVD, expect to use the feature for that format. The main reason for having such a feature is better color depth offered above and beyond that of composite cables, and the ability to use the HD audio sounds that are not supported by composite cables. A nice feature to have if you have the HDTV to support such a feature. It is also great that Microsoft includes the cables necessary for HDMI support (yes Sony, I am looking right at you). So you do not have to go googling for a special on the latest HDMI cables, hoping to find a bargain on a relatively good one. Another item to consider is that this feature is unavailable on the other two SKU's.
The other feature above and beyond the Premium SKU is the 120 GB hard drive. This 6x as much space offered by the Premium SKU, and the 120GB can be bought separately for $179.99 (quite steep for a hard drive of this size in this author's humble opinion). The added space definitely adds security for those who d/l a lot of media into their XBox360 , such as in game soundtracks to override the sometimes horrendous soundtracks of the games themselves. With the advent of Microsoft's Marketplace giving you the ability to d/l movies, this extra space is a much needed breather to give you the extra room for your games. Personally, I've only used 3 GB of space for game data and d/l off of game updates. So this really comes down to personal taste if you think it is necessary.
The downer remains that there is NO WiFi support. I do not see why Microsoft chose to not include this in their most expensive SKU, other than to make us who have WiFi continue to use their product (hint: you can use other adapters as well).
Performance
The performance of the system, like any video game system, improves over time as video game producers understand how to work with the hardware. The case of Microsoft's XBox360 is no exception. This hardware remains to be the 2nd most powerful behind the Playstation 3. However, after the launch of the Playstation 3, many video games across both platforms demonstrate no difference in graphical prowess. Whether this is due to the greater ram dedicated by Microsoft's system to graphical power as opposed to Sony's system, one can wonder. It remains that this system can still perform with the best while performing many multiple functions in the background while we are gaming with no noticeable slowdown.
Gaming Diversity
Continuing from my past review, gaming diversity remains a problem for the XBox360. However, there have been demonstrated attempts to rectify problems in genres that this system is lacking. This system remains first and foremost a First Person Shooter system (or some derivative thereof) while all other genres get pushed back (some quite heavily). However, with Microsoft's concerted effort to gain headway into Japan, there has been an increased presence of other genres (i.e. JRPG, RPG, Racing) to try to garner that ever elusive market away from Nintendo's now tight grip on it (what was once Sony's interestingly enough). Devil May Cry 4 from CAPCOM and Forza Motorsports 2 are two major blockbusters (the former being a once-exclusive title to the Playstation 3) that Microsoft hopes to break the mold and increase visibility.
As of 05/2007
FPS - 65
Action - 32
Sports - 26
Racing - 11
RPG - 5
Fighting - 5
Strategy - 4
MMORPG - 1 (You'd think this number would change by now)
(This list excludes XBox Live Marketplace games)
Customer Service
The warranty with the XBox360's has been extended from 6 months to 1 year. This was due, most likely, to the increasing demands and pending lawsuit(s) Microsoft was facing concerning their product overheating. I am on my 3rd XBox360 now and customer support has been very cordial and timely with when they stated all boxes and repairs would be shipped/made. The usual time from breakdown to a fixed XBox360 is about 10 business days. So thankfully for their part, Microsoft has kept customer service to be a great experience for frustrated gamers.
Conclusion
The XBox360 Elite is a decent option to consider, depending on where your needs lay. I am going to be honest and state that if you already have an XBox 360, then I would not recommend spending another $479.99 for this system. For those who are still considering jumping in, check your HDTV for HDMI support first and foremost for consideration about the Elite SKU. Also, determine with yourself whether you are going to use the 360 for multimedia storage or for Microsoft's ability to d/l such features off of their marketplace. I would recommend this product with those thoughts in mind, esp. with those who DO NOT have a system already.
Xbox 360 Elite is the premier console package with a massive 120GB hard drive, a high-definition S-video cable, and a premium black finish for the con...More at Meijer
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.