When Microsoft told us that the new 802.11n adapter for Xbox 360 would be "another choice for consumers," we began to develop these crazy hopes that it would give consumers the choice to pay less than a hundred bucks for wireless 360 connectivity, either through a lower price point for itself or with a price drop on the existing wireless adapter.
If GameStop's listings are any indication, however, that's not to be. According to the retailer, the new device will sell for the same $99.99 as the current Wi-Fi adapter upon its release on November 3. Though there's still hope for the price on the existing adapter to drop, it too is currently listed at $99.99. Basically, consumers will now have the choice of which wireless protocol they prefer.
[Thanks, Jugger G]
Reader Comments (167)
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:17PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Thanks bro, can you get me a beer too? And perhaps turn on the sprinklers?
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:52PM (Unverified) said
@ijustw1n:
I love my PS3 as much as the next guy, but lets be honest here...
Here's an analogy I came up with for both
MS and Sony's Marketing blunders-
The Xbox 360's HDD's and Wireless adapters : Sony's PSP Go
So, was my analogy appropriate here? moral is companies fuck up no matter who they are.
Reply
I love my PS3 as much as the next guy, but lets be honest here...
Here's an analogy I came up with for both
MS and Sony's Marketing blunders-
The Xbox 360's HDD's and Wireless adapters : Sony's PSP Go
So, was my analogy appropriate here? moral is companies fuck up no matter who they are.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:56PM xGeneral DEATHxDEETH82 said
I still feel sorry for the saps who think this is going to improve their online gaming speeds.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 3:39PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said
A 120 GB 360 HDD & The 360 WiFi adapter will end up costing you as much as the PSP GO out of the box. Personally I'm loving my PSP GO but thats because I travel a lot and it's form factor offers me more flexibility.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 4:06PM (Unverified) said
but johnny a 120gb 360 elite is $ 300 with a $ 50 mail in rebate, making the cost after rebate $ 250.00 and comes with 2 games right now.
so you can purchase a 120gb 360 elite w/ 2 games for the price of a GO.
add a wireless adapter at $ 100 and buy 2 games for your GO and were at the same place...
but who the hell wants a GO anyway? quit selling the product... or not.. lol.
millions want to play mass effect 2 and all the other 360 games and uncharted 2 on the ps3 and other games, but NONE of us are waiting for GO only games... lol..
darn salesman: ''Personally I'm loving my PSP GO but thats because I travel a lot and it's form factor offers me more flexibility. ''
geez weve heard you say this more than once already...
and whats the point of such a comparison anyway? handheld vs household?
Reply
so you can purchase a 120gb 360 elite w/ 2 games for the price of a GO.
add a wireless adapter at $ 100 and buy 2 games for your GO and were at the same place...
but who the hell wants a GO anyway? quit selling the product... or not.. lol.
millions want to play mass effect 2 and all the other 360 games and uncharted 2 on the ps3 and other games, but NONE of us are waiting for GO only games... lol..
darn salesman: ''Personally I'm loving my PSP GO but thats because I travel a lot and it's form factor offers me more flexibility. ''
geez weve heard you say this more than once already...
and whats the point of such a comparison anyway? handheld vs household?
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 5:46PM No Kill Tayler said
I have the Go, i believe its pretty amazing.
The only thing I miss is renting games...
Reply
The only thing I miss is renting games...
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 7:44PM Brysonial the Bison said
Oh now there just trying to make us mad ;(
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:13PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
I think it's pretty obvious what the difference is:
Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter = 802.11 a/b/g compatible
Xbox 360 Wireless N Adapter = 802.11n a/b/g/n compatible
If you have a wireless router that can broadcast in 802.11n, this would be ideal for you if you are streaming video to your 360.
Reply
Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter = 802.11 a/b/g compatible
Xbox 360 Wireless N Adapter = 802.11n a/b/g/n compatible
If you have a wireless router that can broadcast in 802.11n, this would be ideal for you if you are streaming video to your 360.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:19PM AdamSpruijt said
@copa: But teh cable is so hard to runz...?
I'm with you buddy.
Reply
I'm with you buddy.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:36PM ceejw said
Anyone who buys the official adapter is dumb when you can spend $40 on a refurb Wireless N bridge that works with any console or laptop
http://www.buy.com/prod/linksys-by-cisco-wga600n-dual-band-wireless-n-gaming-adapter-linksys/q/loc/108/211827819.html
Reply
http://www.buy.com/prod/linksys-by-cisco-wga600n-dual-band-wireless-n-gaming-adapter-linksys/q/loc/108/211827819.html
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:49PM borland502 said
"Anyone who buys the official adapter is dumb when you can spend $40 on a refurb..."
You don't even need to spend that much really for a g version. And the only possible reason to go higher would be DLNA streaming. In which case, wireless is not really your friend anyway for reliability.
Hell, I think I'll only miss the PS3's gigabit ethernet jack when I use a media server as a defacto converter: Not exactly a highly used feature I'll wager.
Reply
You don't even need to spend that much really for a g version. And the only possible reason to go higher would be DLNA streaming. In which case, wireless is not really your friend anyway for reliability.
Hell, I think I'll only miss the PS3's gigabit ethernet jack when I use a media server as a defacto converter: Not exactly a highly used feature I'll wager.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:49PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
LOL
Did a Sony fanboy just make a reference to buying something because of it's brand name?
Reply
Did a Sony fanboy just make a reference to buying something because of it's brand name?
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 3:17PM PR0F3TA said
i'm confused, El Serpiente said you gotta be pretty dumb to buy a MS $100 adapter when you can get an alternate solution for less? didn't Cap't Planet post links to adapters $50 or less... you guys should riot with those prices, no way in this universe would you guys let Sony get away with this.
anyways, i never thought of him as a Sony fanboy. He just stated some facts or whatnot.
Reply
anyways, i never thought of him as a Sony fanboy. He just stated some facts or whatnot.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 4:15PM (Unverified) said
serp-
yeah i was also stupid enough to pay for memory stick pro duo for my psp which is more than double the cost of SD card media, however i was forced to do so if i wanted my psp to have on-board memory.
at least with the 360 wireless network capabilities I am not forced to purchase a 360 branded wireless adapter..
but whether sony, microsoft, or nintendo, they all get us to buy some products that cost more than buying them from another source.
and serp you are as close to a fanboy as anyone gets.... for the more than a year i have come to this site i have really only seen you reply to comments made by people that prefer the 360 console, and you always have a joke to say.
i have rarely if ever seen you make such funny comments to the many, many ps3 fanboys who have made ridiculous comments on joystiq.
its ok to be a fanboy serp. i have never heard you speak of the 360 in any positive manner ever before, making you a biased fanboy.
just know that most of the people you reply to have both consoles and are not biased to 1 party, like yourself of great comedian.
Reply
yeah i was also stupid enough to pay for memory stick pro duo for my psp which is more than double the cost of SD card media, however i was forced to do so if i wanted my psp to have on-board memory.
at least with the 360 wireless network capabilities I am not forced to purchase a 360 branded wireless adapter..
but whether sony, microsoft, or nintendo, they all get us to buy some products that cost more than buying them from another source.
and serp you are as close to a fanboy as anyone gets.... for the more than a year i have come to this site i have really only seen you reply to comments made by people that prefer the 360 console, and you always have a joke to say.
i have rarely if ever seen you make such funny comments to the many, many ps3 fanboys who have made ridiculous comments on joystiq.
its ok to be a fanboy serp. i have never heard you speak of the 360 in any positive manner ever before, making you a biased fanboy.
just know that most of the people you reply to have both consoles and are not biased to 1 party, like yourself of great comedian.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 4:22PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
serpi, you're a fucking idiot. No one here, including myself, is defending the price of this adapter. We ALL agree it's overpriced. Why do you think I have a Linksys adapter? I'm not a fucking slave to Microsoft products like you're a slave to Sony products.
I've said it before, you are a shining example of a Sony fanboy and the reason why you and people like you, have the worst rep in the gaming community.
Reply
I've said it before, you are a shining example of a Sony fanboy and the reason why you and people like you, have the worst rep in the gaming community.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 4:38PM PR0F3TA said
@ Cap't Planet
Woah relax, you have tried to defend the wifi adapter before, and you posted links on how you prob set up your LinkSys modem up.... and i remember funny shit that Serpiente posted here before. so you don't really represent the "gaming community" aka Joystiq?
Reply
Woah relax, you have tried to defend the wifi adapter before, and you posted links on how you prob set up your LinkSys modem up.... and i remember funny shit that Serpiente posted here before. so you don't really represent the "gaming community" aka Joystiq?
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 4:49PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Please PR0F3TA, find me that link to where I defended this adapter and/or shared links on how to set up a router. I'm curious to know what dimension you live in too btw.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 5:33PM borland502 said
"Please PR0F3TA, find me that link to where I defended this adapter and/or shared links on how to set up a router."
I think he's referring to that thread where you said that it didn't matter if Microsoft was ripping you off since there were alternatives for the smart. I'm not quite sure how that translates to you defending the price point though. But then I've never quite been able to translate my love for the PS3 to hatred of everyone else.
Reply
I think he's referring to that thread where you said that it didn't matter if Microsoft was ripping you off since there were alternatives for the smart. I'm not quite sure how that translates to you defending the price point though. But then I've never quite been able to translate my love for the PS3 to hatred of everyone else.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 6:11PM PR0F3TA said
wow dude you really seem worked up... and I live in THIS dimension, though that will change once i get this sliding remote to work.
oh and here: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/ars-mole-predicts-holiday-360-bundle-network-adapter-price-cut/
Reply
oh and here: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/ars-mole-predicts-holiday-360-bundle-network-adapter-price-cut/
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 8:49PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Uhhhh, my comments in that link are very much on par with the comments I posted here. Your previous claim has been proven false. Thanks for playing! Better luck next time sport.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 9:36PM (Unverified) said
serp- why do you only reply to 360 commenters then ? do you have a 360 console ?
every comment you make has the vibe of a ps3 fanboy though.... for some reason... you are the 1 that puts that out there
damn i own more sony stuff than you............
i always knew there was something wrong with the serp or who i used to call the bug.
nothing great to add to forums. only talking down on people that say something good about the 360 and maybe something poor about the ps3. nice job. rabbits out of the hat.
and serp some food for thought. its not always stupid to pay more for things. some people know what they want and it usually took some smarts to get all that money to throw away, unless you are a spoiled rich kid or trust fund baby.
i sometimes say its stupid for my dad to import organic papayas from hawaii that cost more than buying ones from the market here because it costs more money, but my dad did a lot of work and did a lot of things right to be able to do what he wants to in life sometimes.
just because someone may not be able to afford the more expensive product is no determination on somebody being stupid for paying more for a name brand product. personal enjoyment should mean more than some crap you splat on a forum.
u might want to go back and look and see if you made all the best decisions in life coming onto forums talking down on people and telling how to spend their hard earned money... lol..
Reply
every comment you make has the vibe of a ps3 fanboy though.... for some reason... you are the 1 that puts that out there
damn i own more sony stuff than you............
i always knew there was something wrong with the serp or who i used to call the bug.
nothing great to add to forums. only talking down on people that say something good about the 360 and maybe something poor about the ps3. nice job. rabbits out of the hat.
and serp some food for thought. its not always stupid to pay more for things. some people know what they want and it usually took some smarts to get all that money to throw away, unless you are a spoiled rich kid or trust fund baby.
i sometimes say its stupid for my dad to import organic papayas from hawaii that cost more than buying ones from the market here because it costs more money, but my dad did a lot of work and did a lot of things right to be able to do what he wants to in life sometimes.
just because someone may not be able to afford the more expensive product is no determination on somebody being stupid for paying more for a name brand product. personal enjoyment should mean more than some crap you splat on a forum.
u might want to go back and look and see if you made all the best decisions in life coming onto forums talking down on people and telling how to spend their hard earned money... lol..
Posted: Oct 6th 2009 1:08AM MarkezJM said
Serp has always been way too much of a crass bastard for me to think too hard about whether he's a fanboy or not, I could care less when it comes to him.
My main question since I heard about this device has always been this; does it do something my current wireless solution cannot, or am I missing out on anything by not having the new solution? The answer is a pretty resounding 'no'. I'm good with my current setup.
Bickering over the pricing of this shit like it somehow is deciding the console wars going on in your head? Makes you a toolbox.
Reply
My main question since I heard about this device has always been this; does it do something my current wireless solution cannot, or am I missing out on anything by not having the new solution? The answer is a pretty resounding 'no'. I'm good with my current setup.
Bickering over the pricing of this shit like it somehow is deciding the console wars going on in your head? Makes you a toolbox.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:58PM (Unverified) said
I hate Microsoft..
and I don't like their consoles
Reply
and I don't like their consoles
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 8:11PM Shadowbender said
I couldn't agree more. I love my Xbox, but everyone knows Microsoft is filled with full-blown crooks.
Reply
Posted: Oct 6th 2009 10:33AM linebeginstoblur said
I don't have a big problem with Microsoft, EXCEPT for their console. If I have to get one to use Rock Band Network, I may bite the bullet and get one, even it's playing Russian Roulette in hoping it doesn't go belly up soon after purchase. It's too bad they didn't try hard enough to improve hardware stability.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 1:55PM karmaghost said
I thought it was here on Joystiq that I heard that a reliable insider stated this would be the price of the Wireless N adapter and that the old wireless adapter would only drop to $75-$80.
I can't vouch for the Wireless N adapter, obviously, but I've used the current wireless adapter for the 360 and trust me, you don't want to bother going wireless, unless you enjoy lost packets and choppy/laggy gameplay.
Perhaps others have had more success.
Reply
I can't vouch for the Wireless N adapter, obviously, but I've used the current wireless adapter for the 360 and trust me, you don't want to bother going wireless, unless you enjoy lost packets and choppy/laggy gameplay.
Perhaps others have had more success.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:00PM embassy said
From my experience with it it's worked great: Plug n Play, took less than 5 mins setting it up at a friend's house, snappy download speeds, haven't played too much on-line with it, though.
But I'm sure your mileage may vary depending on how far you are from your modem/router.
Also, even with the rumored $20 price cut on the standard joint, that's not enough, Microsoft.
Reply
But I'm sure your mileage may vary depending on how far you are from your modem/router.
Also, even with the rumored $20 price cut on the standard joint, that's not enough, Microsoft.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:22PM (Unverified) said
You obviously either have a shitty router or you dont know how to configure it cause i've used wireless for about 2 years and i havent had any lag. DL speeds are fast and online play is smooth.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:37PM Firelord said
Amazon is listing the old adapter for $76. They frequently drop their prices on things before "official" pricedrops.
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Network-Adapter/dp/B000B6MLV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1254767703&sr=8-1
Reply
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Network-Adapter/dp/B000B6MLV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1254767703&sr=8-1
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:36PM Puertoricarious said
got my wireless router used for $60, plug and play, no problems whatsoever with lag or bad connection.
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:56PM karmaghost said
@ExSlash: I'm glad it worked so well for you. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same experience with it. I have a good wireless router that is setup properly, but perhaps part of the problem was the distance the Xbox is from said router. I get an excellent signal, but experience connection issues. If I had my xbox right next to the router, I wouldn't need a wireless solution in the first place.
I know I'm not the only person with this issue; back when I bought-then-returned it, I read similar issues from people on Amazon and various gaming forums. As I hinted at in my original post, YMMV.
Reply
I know I'm not the only person with this issue; back when I bought-then-returned it, I read similar issues from people on Amazon and various gaming forums. As I hinted at in my original post, YMMV.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 3:35PM (Unverified) said
@ExSlash - Enlighten us. How does one get speeds comparable to wired solutions?
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 6:38PM (Unverified) said
Mine works freakin awesome. And there is a 1 floor difference from router to adapter. If it didn't work as good as a wired in my house, I'd just run the wire.
Also, in my experience, linksys is garbage, less than garbage. Spend some money, get a d-link gaming router. You'll be happy for it. At the very least do some research and make sure your router is configured properly. It can restrict your ports on default settings.
Reply
Also, in my experience, linksys is garbage, less than garbage. Spend some money, get a d-link gaming router. You'll be happy for it. At the very least do some research and make sure your router is configured properly. It can restrict your ports on default settings.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 1:55PM BloodiedWraith said
So they go ahead and they revamp the memory, the gpu, the cpu, take out the HD cables, drop the price, and they still can't put built in wifi?
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:29PM (Unverified) said
If they had it built in then they wouldnt make all that extra money.
That just wouldnt work... This is microsoft we're talking about.
Reply
That just wouldnt work... This is microsoft we're talking about.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 3:00PM karmaghost said
The Xbox is an accessory selling machine for Microsoft, and they make a shit-ton of money on it. Expect to see a similar strategy for their next console release, whenever the hell that is.
I'd love to see the break-down of money made by Microsoft and Sony after the average consumer has purchased their console. Sony isn't innocent of overpriced accessories, but Microsoft is definitely the reigning champ of wringing customers' wallets dry.
Reply
I'd love to see the break-down of money made by Microsoft and Sony after the average consumer has purchased their console. Sony isn't innocent of overpriced accessories, but Microsoft is definitely the reigning champ of wringing customers' wallets dry.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 3:34PM SpartacusMagnus said
karmaghost,
Seriously? That crown definitely goes to Nintendo this gen. Wiimotes, nunchucks, classic controllers, wii motion plus, balance boards, plastic accessories etc. etc. etc. The Wii is a freakin trojan horse for add ons-and accessories.
I'm not saying MS is doing us any favors, their HDD's and wireless pricing is atrocious. However, Sony's accessories aren't cheap either. $50 for a chat pad? $25 for a proprietary remote? The requirement of expensive (compared to the free wired ones that come with the 360) BT headsets? Both MS and Sony are screwing the consumer in one way or another.
Reply
Seriously? That crown definitely goes to Nintendo this gen. Wiimotes, nunchucks, classic controllers, wii motion plus, balance boards, plastic accessories etc. etc. etc. The Wii is a freakin trojan horse for add ons-and accessories.
I'm not saying MS is doing us any favors, their HDD's and wireless pricing is atrocious. However, Sony's accessories aren't cheap either. $50 for a chat pad? $25 for a proprietary remote? The requirement of expensive (compared to the free wired ones that come with the 360) BT headsets? Both MS and Sony are screwing the consumer in one way or another.
Posted: Oct 6th 2009 5:10PM maveric101 said
"Both MS and Sony are screwing the consumer in one way or another. "
and they're going to keep doing it as long as they determine it will be profitable. they're not being evil, they're doing what basic economics tells them to do. the whole point of a business is to make as much money as possible.
Reply
and they're going to keep doing it as long as they determine it will be profitable. they're not being evil, they're doing what basic economics tells them to do. the whole point of a business is to make as much money as possible.
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 1:59PM spin cycle said
Using a NAT router degrades your latency too. Oh yeah, and PPPoE, as is used with cable modems. I'm sure you wouldn't put up with that either, would you?
Reply
Posted: Oct 5th 2009 2:23PM (Unverified) said
You don't have to capitalize 'Halo'...
And I've won most of my matches on a wireless connection. I don't recall any lag. If your neighbors microwave is messing your signal up, I advise you move...
Reply
And I've won most of my matches on a wireless connection. I don't recall any lag. If your neighbors microwave is messing your signal up, I advise you move...
Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.
Featured Stories
The most popular posts
in the last 7 days
- Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US 196 comments
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate 142 comments
- EA's Origin has signed up 9.3 million players since launch 104 comments
- David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] 101 comments
- Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear 93 comments










