Rumor: New Xbox 360 SKU coming May 1?

Will this system have the newer, smaller processors that generate less heat? I would like a 360, but I'm not going to buy one until I can be assured that the system is going to work. $480 may be a lot more than the $400 price tag for the existing premium package, but it's a lot less when you consider the fact that a premium package will be $540 after the first post-warrenty repair.

@Iridium "Well for one thing Ana, the scaling chip, won't work over HDMI. Its not a digital scaler so the 360 would be in the same boat as the PS3 with resolution scaling over the HDMI port."

Ana IS a digital scaler. It scales the data before it is converted to an analog signal. Analog scaling is messy, expensive, and is not used in modern electronics.

@15 Hardcore

"If it's $480 and is only HDMI and larger hard drive, that would make the $600 PS3 a better deal...since
$480 + Wifi($100 INSANE) + $200 HD-DVD Add on = $780 vs PS3 with Wifi and Blu-Ray for $600."

Because WiFi and HD-DVD are total fucking necessities for gaming huh? Specially when wired internet connection is better than WiFi... hmm...

Also 120GB HDD > 60GB HDD, duhhh

@Evan

You are right. It would only require an update to get HDMI in as well. My 360 annoyance, the 360 won't upscale over component. My TV has analog and HDMI. Fortunately, my Sony HDTV upscales rather nicely.

I have an idea, how about retailers ship back all the current newer consoles to M$ on delivery of the new SKUs and they use the older SKUs to replace the bullshit 3-5% failure rate that continue to fail? Sounds good to me since I'm on my FOURTH CONSOLE!

@54

Won't upscale over component? Are you talking about DVDs? Because I'm pretty sure it does scale games over component.

Right. You guys got "used". I've been waiting for a cooler 360 with a bigger harddrive for what seems like forever--holding off my purchase...seeing all these great games come out that I couldn't play while my friends had all-night gaming sessions. All the people who got "used" were playing Gears of War and Oblivion while I was playing UT2004 and Morrowind. You guys were living it up--while I waited. You knew what you were buying--and you had the pleasure of enjoying it. Plus, you can still enjoy all the newest games. You lose absolutely nothing. Quit your whining.

All the people that are holding out on a 360 purchase are probably the same people who didn't buy a PS2 until the slimline. Yeah, keep waiting while everyone else have fun. If this rumor is true it doesn't stop newer games from working on the older version. And obviously the HD-DVD player works now and will continue to work. The only good news coming from this is larger HDD. I already planned on buying a bigger HDD months ago so no loss there.

Releasing an upgraded system is a spit in the face to everyone who bought a console in the last year and a half. Microsoft is basically saying, "Screw all of you guys who came to the party early."

All of this Zephyr talk is bad for business. It will just keep people who haven't bought a 360 waiting on a Zephyr when it might not even be true. They should just stay on track with 360 and worry about an upgraded version next year, or the year after.

To all citing IPTV as a reason that a larger hard drive will be required, MS has repeatedly stated that IPTV requires very little hard drive space: it's merely a signal being transmitted via network. Kinda like your cable box doesn't require a hard drive? Now, if you all are speaking of the potential of MS DVR, that's a completely different subject.

And as for HDMI being superior to analog, that's just corporate tripe being spread to/through consumers. HDMI is just digital, meaning that the signal can be turned on and off according to the content owners' desire. Take for instance, LP and CD. For those of you who know what a record is, the frequency range and sound that it offers is superior to a CD (minus the scratchy sound, depending on your perspective). A CD is more portable and easily reproduced by the manufacturer. HDMI and analog video is somewhat the same. HDMI looks fine, don't get me wrong, but analog is fine too. Some purists would argue that analog is actually superior. Anyway, when you're all hooked up to that HDMI monitor, don't expect to take a video capture of that awesome viva pinata...uh, whatever it is someone does on viva pinata. It won't be available.

And to #52, apparently MS is working on a new scalar that will go into the new SKU, codenamed "Hana". Check it out for yourself.

"They should just stay on track with 360 and worry about an upgraded version next year, or the year after."

Or how about the year after that? Or in three years...or four?

How is it a spit in the face? No new features are being added other than the hard drive and HDMI. You'll be able to get the harddrive separately. So that leaves HDMI. Do you NEED HDMI for some reason? I really only care about the harddrive and the cooler processor. The smaller processor will actually SAVE Microsoft money--so they're going to start using it as soon as they can. Why would they wait?

Yes, I do need HDMI if HDMI is available. I have a 50 inch plasma television and was planning on upgrading my receiver in a month or two to take full advantage of all of my high definition devices. For MS to say, "oops, we forgot that everything is going HD in 3-5 years" and then they release a new 360, then I basically threw $400 away.

"Yes, I do need HDMI if HDMI is available."

You NEED something--but only if it's available? That sounds like "want" rather than "need". I want new stuff, too. I bought a toaster last year and, wouldn't you know it, the company came out with a better one this year--for the same price! I mean, sure, they can boht toast up to four slices simultaneously--but the new one has a temperature slider rather than a knob! Now what am I supposed to do! I prefer sliders to knobs! The store refuses to take it back! I'm completely screwed! I knew I should have waited. All the toast I make now tastes so bitter...

I bought a new TV last year. It's a 50" DLP from Samsung--but now they have a NEW 50" DLP using LEDs--and it's HDMI 1.3 compatible! Sure, I can watch TV on my current TV--but how could Samsung do this to me!? The new one has HDMI 1.3 and uses LEDs rather than a color wheel! They refused to take last year's model as a trade-in! Now what am I supposed to do?!

Too bad you have to upgrade your receiver. Sounds like the manufacturer of your old receiver totally boned you.

Dave, those are terrible comparisons. What is the average life of a console system, 5-7 years? Everyone knows that televisons, computers, stereos, microwaves, and toasters are improved upon monthly. When you by a gaming console you can usually rest assured that you have the best technology that Sony, MS, or Nintendo is going to pump out for the next 5-7 years. If MS wants to release a new model of the 360 every year, fine, but how about a little heads up before you start changing a business model that most of us have grown accustomed to over the last 20+ years.

I'd have to say...

Yes!

HDDVD (built in)
HDMI connection
120GB HD.

That would justify the $479.00

@Cee

Your HDMI argument doesn't hold much water. The 360 can output 1080p via Component and VGA. While many TVs don't support 1080p via component (mine does), most have VGA inputs. What exactly are you missing out on? And why did you purchase the 360 if HDMI output was this important to you?

Honestly, I think they should have supported it from the start, but it's not a deal breaker. My TVs does 1080p beautifully via component. I have my PS3 set to 1080p and connect via HDMI and my 360 set to 1080p via component. I can't see any difference in visual quality between the two. None.

The specs with regard to gaming are completely unchanged, Cee. There's nothing you can't play on the current SKU that others will be able to play. The only "feature" you won't have access to is HDMI--and I seriously doubt you'll be able to see a difference. I use both component and HDMI on my current system and they both look great.

I've held off buying a current gen system simply because there is nothing compelling me to shell out the money for a new system. Most of the games are just slightly upgraded versions of what I can play now on my Xbox and PS2. Almost all of my gaming is done on PC now as the consoles have gotten quite stale.

It's nice to know that if anything interesting comes out on the 360, I may have more options to choose from.

That said, what are the 360's HDDs made of, gold and diamonds? The prices are nuts.

I have component cables for my 360. But with an HDMI 360 and a new receiver then I am getting far superior sound than I am getting now.

@Cee

DS Lite
Slimline PS2

This is nothing new.

dude. u guys are morons if u think hdmi does anything component wont. it isolates and encrypts the signal in a single cable. so plugging in red white and yellow is too much work? morons. hdmi has absolutely no effect on sound or video quality. its convienience and security. honestly the hard drive and 65mn processor is all that matters. they could leave hdmi out of this new one too and it wouldnt make a diff. the ps3 isnt better because it has that 1 feature and 360 doesnt.

do u complain when u buy a new car and the sterio only has bass and treble knobs? when a competitors car has those plus balance and fade knobs? heres a lesson: pop a CD in and listen to ur goddamn music! and pop a disc in plug in ur three cords and play ur goddamn video game! when will u people shut the fuck up?

dude. a 120g hard drive is $100. depending on the ps3 u buy ur paying $100 more for 40g more space.

exactly whos prices are nuts?

Vid, yes I am talking about DVD's. The 360 will only upscale movies over VGA, which I don't have on my TV, nor do I really feel like purchasing the cable anyways. They should add upscaling over component as an update or something.

Beatgnu, there's a slight error in your statement there... HDMI Vs. Component doesn't exactly compare to Vinyl Vs. CD, because music is (generally) naturally analog. It is created analog, and must be converted to digital to be burned to CD, that's why (with the best equipment and a well-pressed vinyl) a vinyl record can sound better than the digital counterpart, though the difference is very hard to tell and has something to do with the "temperature" of the sound.

Video Games and DVD/HDDVD/Bluray are purely digital sources, and if the signal from the graphics chip (or mpeg decoder) to the television is purely digital, you will lose no quality at all. Thankfully, converting to Analog Component video and back to digital in the TV is virtually indistinguishable, so your basic point still stands.

Now the question is, what is the maximum resolution supported by component video? I thought I heard that the 360 could only do 1080p out of the VGA (still analog, btw), but I might be wrong about that.

It'll do 1080p over component, too--but not all TVs support 1080p over component.

I'm fairly pissed off if this is true. Currently the Xbox 360 can only go to 1080p over Component and VGA, which might be fine, if you have one of the maybe 10 TV's that will actually support 1080p over either of these cable formats. As an owner of an HD-DVD drive, I am enraged that I can't go to 1080p on my TV with it. If I can get a decent price on my 360, I might trade it in to get the new one, if only to enable 1080p via HDMI. And my 360's HDD is kinda full, so it's a decent deal I guess. Meh, thanks alot MSoft for pulling a Nintendo. (I bought a DS Phat, only to learn of the DS Lite the following week. Man was I steamed)

WOW Joystiq,

Sony tries to pull this, you jump their shit. Microsoft does it, you quietly post the story. Its not like Microsoft thinks their console as is, is good enough. What a way to further segregate the market, and as a huge screw you to early adopters. I own a 360 and I enjoy it, but man this would extremely upset me. Maybe this new version won't be heard two states over.

Dude, if Sony came out with a new console, I think we'd ALL be rejoicing.

what are u goinna do idiots? trade in ur old xbox just to stick it to microsoft? lol. doesnt matter cause they already have ur money. trading it in only supports EB or gamestop, i think they are the ones we shouldnt support.

all in all this is a good move by MS. anyone who was on the edge about buying a 360 will be sold with this.

i really disslike people who will never be satisfied with what they have. u guys will probably get this console then say u want a 200g hard drive and a 45mn processor too. and everything u guys have said proves my point. u might as well never buy anything ever again. since nothing will ever be good enough for you.

Dear #80. Sony is not better that microsoft. Just for example, the «famous playstation 3» is based on many xbox 360 and Wii feature. Sony always says there products is the best, but in fact, they're not. Also, never forget that Ms have A LOT of money compared to sony and cash is the thing that lead the entire world

Lol #80 is fucking crazy!! Microsoft dont have computer??? haha go to school. Microsoft dosent have medi format?? what about windows media audio, windows media video?? Microsoft have storage device like video game memory card, they have usb key, they have hard-drive,Microsoft will have cell phone with cingular soon. And when you do many thing at one time, you have more chanced to product sh**. So dont blame microsoft and say «Sony Rock'$» all they want is your cash