Xbox 360 Elite for $249 (with rebate) until Oct. 5

by Alexander Sliwinski { Sep 22nd 2009 at 10:34AM }

Microsoft is offering a $50 mail-in rebate on all Xbox 360 Elite purchases starting today (September 22) and ending October 5, making the previously $400 console SKU a mere $249. The offer is valid only in the US, but purchasers can certainly use that cash-back toward component cables, a Wi-Fi adapter, HD transfer cord, HDMI cable or ... any one of the many missing peripherals that brings "flexibility to consumers."

Shortcut: Rebate form

[Via Major Nelson]

Tags: deals, microsoft, rebate, xbox-360-elite

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Jago @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:37AM

Nooooo I bought one last week!

+SAM+ @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:38AM

pwned

dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:52AM

I hope you bought Turtles in Time too, 'cause we're gonna need to rewind to the stone age to stop these silly bitches.

... I don't know, man.

Space @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:01AM

haha, sam, that was gold

shamowfski @ Sep 22nd 2009 12:00PM

Go buy another one, return it with your old receipt, keep new receipt, get rebate. If all of that is worth $50 to you.

Vidikron @ Sep 22nd 2009 12:06PM

Could be worse, my Elite went RRoD this last weekend.

Cheesus Crust @ Sep 22nd 2009 3:44PM

I just bought a year old PRO for $200 last week, but Im OK, since I still saved $50.

Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ Sep 23rd 2009 11:04AM

Buying a used 360 is like buying a hand grenade with no pin in it.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:38AM

LMAO!!!

I was waiting for the "With 2 Year Xbox Live Gold Subscription" to pop up...blast....

TheKing @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:42AM

So wait, the xbox live gamertag 'Aggie_CEO' was actually taken before you signed up?

How unfortunate!

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:55AM

Actually I never tried it....I had the XBL name before I had the PSN one since the Zune and 360 use the same log in and I had a Zune since 2006...after just checking the site it appears no one has "Aggie CEO" or "Aggie_CEO" on XBL...if I didn't have to pay to change it I just might...lol

dogmaticatheist @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:58AM

> And WiFi isn't good for online gaming, just so you know. Wired connection is the
> best connection.

Lines like this remind me of that old Aesop's fable where the fox tried like hell to get the grapes, couldn't reach them, and ended up just saying they probably wouldn't taste good anyway.

guttertalk @ Sep 22nd 2009 12:06PM

So, what's your company?

(Class of '89, BTW.)

Vidikron @ Sep 22nd 2009 12:11PM

Wired IS best.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 12:47PM

class of '89?? NC A&T Aggies or Texas A&M Aggies?? lol

guttertalk @ Sep 22nd 2009 2:14PM

Texas A&M, of course. :)

Mark @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:39AM

Wow! For 50 bucks more you get built-in wi-fi, a Blu-Ray player AND the ability to play Uncharted 2 in less than a month....Heck of a deal...

Venar @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:44AM

But Fanboy, not all of us want to play that game. Some of us are just happy with our 360 as it is and the games it has.

Bradwart @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:44AM

Don't forget FREE online!

LiqwidZero @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:46AM

Who gives a shit?

Guess what? I bought my PS3 two years ago, and it didn't even come with component cables. I bought my regular Pro 360 3 years ago and it came with component cables.

And WiFi isn't good for online gaming, just so you know. Wired connection is the best connection.

Take a number and a seat, fanboy. There are a lot of people just like you.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:47AM

Venar if you are happy with your 360 and the games it has then this deal ISN'T for you....you would come off cheaper buying the 120GB HDD....

deaftly @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:49AM

Do you idiots get a cut from Sony every time you start your shpiel?

Venar @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:50AM

@Chris I'm aware. I already own an Elite. My comment was more his rabid fanboyism was out of line. PS3 is the system for some, and 360 is better for others like myself. Just because it has more "features" doesn't make it the better deal.

dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:55AM

Wow, Mark! For 50 bucks, you can buy a game and get your trolling ass the fuck out of here!

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:59AM

"Just because it has more "features" doesn't make it the better deal."

Actually, yes it does. It's a much better deal and value proposition for consumers. But just because it's a better deal doesn't mean it's the best choice for everyone. After all, there are other contributing factors that go into a console purchase. I think thats what you meant.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:02AM

Wifi IS good for online gaming IF your Router is setup right...I NEVER get any problems when gaming wirelessly....

and Venar...just cause something has more features doesnt make it the better deal??

I beg to differ....lets look @ cars....if I can get a Toyota Avalon with little to no extras no HD Radio, no Automatic windows, no leather seats, no passenger side Temp control, no keyless entry, no CD Changer, no MP3 Player, for $30k. or I could get a Chevy Impala with all those features PLUS I don't have to pay the cost of taking it to a foreign/imports auto shop and pay extra for simple things such as brakes and oil changes down the down the road AND it cost $1-2k more....DAMN if THOSE features dont make it a better deal...

dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:07AM

Features aside, one may base a console purchase on a particular system's catalog of games. Cars are cars, so only the features are relevant. Not the best argument in the world.

dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:09AM

But for the record, Chris, I'll take a ride in your Impala anytime.

GiggMan @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:10AM

I have not experienced any connection problems over WiFi on PS3 or 360. I had the PS3 and Wii wireless and the 360 wired for a long time until I ran across a WiFi adapter for the 360 at a pawn shop.

Once I went wireless with the 360 I didn't notice any lag or performance loss after coming off of a wired connection. Trust me I would have noticed because it was wired for years.

Anyone that believes that wireless is useless for gaming and you some how have this distinct advantage on line with a wired connection is fooling themselves.... (Liqwid)

SugarDaddy @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:36AM

Not everyone needs/wants a wifi adapter or BluRay. Not everyone wants to play Uncharted 2 either. I'll take Gears of War, Halo and Mass Effect over Uncharted 2, Final Fantasy and MGS any day of the week. And I'll take my Netflix on-demand. And I'll take my far superior online service (that costs me $4 / month). And I'll take my RROD. You can have your YLOD. We can all be happy.

Now, I can't say the same about God of War. That's a good fucking game.

David @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:53AM

....do people not know that Final Fantasy 13 is coming to the 360? That's the freakin reason I bought the damned thing!

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 12:00PM

SugarDaddy...try that again with Games I CAN'T Get on PC already....lol

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ Sep 22nd 2009 2:46PM

@SugarDaddy "...Not everyone needs/wants a wifi adapter or BluRay"

Mark was being a dick, true. But don't get all equally nerd rage silly. The point is not that you don't need a wifi adapter, it's that people that want a wifi adapter are getting fucked up the ass. You don't need BluRay, but back in the format wars the hd-dvd add-on was $200. You don't need to replace the hard drive, but those that do can't get one off the shelf. Most of the (many) parts Sony didn't include are standard, so you can at least bargain shop. To me the PS3's features were worth the original price, but to most they were not. But please, please stop inferring that Microsoft doesn't shaft consumers with a parade of proprietary parts.

And we have the YLoD (among others), but your chance of death is at least 20% higher. Live I'm not going to contest; you have that one outright. Though Netflix is not something limited to the Xbox.

The 360's dominance is not based on the engineering prowess or value of the parts. They are shit. But it has a great online service, they released early, and the costs of development are lower. That brought in the greater library of games. I'll prolly buy into this rebate deal, because there are some games I want for the 360. And like you I won't need blu-ray, wi-fi, or more hard drive space. But I can still dislike the price gouging. Now if the parts were reasonably priced, you'd have a point.

Chris @ Sep 22nd 2009 3:24PM

I guess you're missing the idea here, this is for people who want a 360. This doesnt say "Xbox 360 Elite for $249 (with rebate) until Oct. 5th...unless you just want to go for a blu-ray playing console.."

How much is Sony paying these guys? I have a PS3, I bought it initally for Blu-ray, but figured I'd find some games I wanted...nope not one..yet. Uncharted 2 looks good, but I'll probably only make it to the demo and maybe a rental. I just dont enjoy the feel of the PS3, some aspects are nice but for the most part I'll be on my 360.

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ Sep 22nd 2009 4:10PM

@Chris: "How much is Sony paying these guys?"

About the same as they pay you: Zero. We like the PS3 even if we own 360's ourselves. You own a PS3, but like the 360. So we talk up the virtues of each console. We can be dicks about it; you can be dicks about it.

There ain't no mystery about why we do these things pal. We're gamers: Nerdy, nerdy gamers.

Caveman @ Sep 22nd 2009 11:29PM

@ Borland

You make such great Straw Man arguments.

Short term memory much?

Remember when the PS2 came out? No HDD included, you had to pay outrageous sums for an 8MB memory card; that could easily get lost. No network adapter either, that had to be purchased separately as well for $40. Even the Dreamcast was playable online out of the box.

Sony is the king of proprietary items. Memory Stick, ATARC, Mini Disc, UMD... hell even installing viruses on your PC if you legally purchased music from them. Even Blu-ray is just another means of making it difficult to use the media you purchase work correctly. I could not watch Fantastic 4 on my standalone Blu-Ray player when I rented it.

If the original Xbox had a HDD failure it would rendered the console useless. That's why MS wanted the 360 to still be playable without a HDD. I agree that HDD is over priced, but it was a lesson MS learned.

Can any games be played without a HDD on the PS3?

Did the PS2 have the best hardware? Nope, it had a huge library of games. And games are why we play consoles.

Just like we know, most people that play their console do not even have it hooked up to an HDTV. I wonder how many others there are that simply never use WiFi, never use the Blu-ray player, never even bother playing online.

Does anyone know if you can hook up a USB WiFi adapter to a PS3 and it will work? I'm curious about that myself. Having worked for Hewlett-Packard, built in WiFi chips in notebooks often die.

Any how, you can thank MS for paving the way for Sony putting a HDD and network adapter in their console to begin with. Those PS3 features you say were worth the original price were in direct response to the original Xbox & Xbox 360. Sony knew they were late to market and relinquished the proprietary reins because at the time of launch those were really the only thing they had that could justify a $600 price tag.

Sony and MS will take whatever money they can out of your pocket given the chance. So neither company is a saint. It's even more pathetic to admit you're in their "Defense Force"

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ Sep 23rd 2009 7:25AM

@CaveMan: "Short term memory much?"

Not at all. I'm not defending the PS2 or Sony per se. I'm defending the PS3 and it's relatively open nature. I'd rather NOT go back to the PS2 proprietary days thank you.

PS While I like my PS3 a lot, the "SDF" part of my name is a joke.

Caveman @ Sep 23rd 2009 11:21AM

@ Borland

Fair enough.

However I did have a few questions that went unanswered.

If you know the answer off the top of your head I would appreciate it.

Are games playable without a HDD on the PS3?

The USB WiFi question is not as important, but if you know...

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ Sep 23rd 2009 2:47PM

@Caveman: "Are games playable without a HDD on the PS3?"

Nope. That's part of the spec. However, unlike the XBox original the PS3 is not rendered useless with a hard drive failure. Nor is data lost with preparation. Sony learned from the original XBox as well.

The PS3 has the operating system stored on Flash memory. If a hard drive is new the PS3 will format the new drive. And the PS3 comes with a (albeit a little known) feature that lets you create an image of your hard drive to an external source. I have an external 500GB drive hooked up for just such backup.

And I'm not attacking the 360 when I say that HD failure was absolutely NOT the reason they skipped making it mandatory. Detaching the HD allowed them to cut one more part out to offer the arcade (or core) unit. And if the missing parts weren't ridiculously priced I wouldn't be debating your points at all.

As for the wifi adapter I can only say I've used an access point to boost the power. But that's not a differentiation since you can use the same method on the 360.

Bradwart @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:40AM

I'll stick with my 20GB Pro, thanks.

Sure, I paid 450, but at least I got component and Ethernet cables...

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:49AM

That Ethernet cable that came with my Elite is useless as my router is over 25' away....and thankfully it also came with an HDMI Cable......even tho I already had 5 laying around its nice to get an extra included...lol

Mark @ Sep 22nd 2009 10:52AM

@ LiqwidPro...I think there's much more value in a Blu-ray player, built-in wi-fi and FREE ONLINE, than in component cables...who uses those things anyway? You can pick up an HDMI cable on Amazon for under 2 bucks....Besides, what kind of cables does the current Xbox come with now...Weird.