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New Version of Xbox 360 Rumoured

Posted by Zonk on from the maybe-maybe-not dept.

Carlo Becchi writes "According to Engadget a new version of the Xbox 360 is on the way. The next version of the console is codenamed 'Zephyr', and sports a bigger disk (120 Gb), better manufacturing process (65nm) and HDMI digital out up to 1080p. From the article: 'The 120GB drive may or may not come bundled with the kit, we don't yet know, just as we also don't yet know how much a Zephyr 360 is going to run (we imagine it'll go for the same price as currently so they can keep up a little on their expanding margin).'" It should be pointed out at this point the whole story is a fairly convincing photo and leaks from 'a source'. Take with a grain of salt.

7 of 102 comments (clear)

  1. HD-DVD?? by masdog · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Will it come with a built-in HD-DVD drive, or will I still be expected to pay $200 for that add-on?

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    1. Re:HD-DVD?? by trcooper · · Score: 2, Interesting

      MS is on the record as saying that the HD-DVD drive will never be built in. Read this article, page 3. http://arstechnica.com/articles/headstart.ars

      I have to agree, not only are they tying their users to a format that may or may not be a success, I'd rather have the drive as an addon, because on all of these consoles the most likely things to go are the optical drives. Less stress on the main one, the better.

      MS isn't as interested in the success of HD-DVD as sony is about BD either. Sony has always wanted to have full control of a storage format... So much so they were willing to sacrifice their space in portable music players to try and push mini discs. Apple wouldn't have stood a chance if Sony had been paying attention.

      I'd go as far to say that MS supports HD-DVD mainly because they want to give Sony some hassle with this format war. MS really stands to benefit most if neither format really wins and VoD takes over.

  2. And a price drop by glenrm · · Score: 4, Interesting

    For the current Pro model? Maybe making it the core system... So everybody gets a HDD... I hope this happens soon...

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    1. Re:And a price drop by MooseMuffin · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't think so. It doesn't make sense to continue producing the pro version. Right now, the 2 models are the same, except for the HD and pack in accessories. Continuing to produce a non-hdmi, 90nm variant makes 0 sense. I would predict this taking the place of the current pro version, with the core version also getting the hdmi/65nm upgrade, but still shipping sans HD. Price points remain unchanged until the holidays.

  3. new drive please by llZENll · · Score: 2, Interesting

    as long as they offer a 120gb upgrade for older 360s that would be fine with me. there are currently hacks out that let you use any HD of any size, but the MS firmware drivers have hardcoded 20GB limits in them, so even if you hook up a 500GB hard drive, it only can use 20GB. with this coming update, you should then be able to use your own drive up to 120GB. (you can't put movies or demos on any media drives you connect, only the main drive)

  4. Re:Games will come on HD-DVD by Osty · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There were already a number of game developers complaining about space even at launch, and that voice will just become stronger until Microsoft can no longer resit it.

    That "number of game developers" was really just one. Bethesda (the guys who made Oblivion) voiced concerns about fitting Oblivion onto a DVD-9 disc well before the 360 ever shipped. Sure enough, they were able to make it fit. Anyway, it's too late to make a change now. If Microsoft were to allow games to ship on HD-DVD, they'd be alienating their already existing user base (which is at somewhere above 6-7 million now, if not even higher). Microsoft does listen to developers (Epic and Gears of War was the reason Microsoft put 512MB of RAM into the box instead of the initially-planned 256MB), but when the console is already out there's not a whole lot you can do anymore until the next generation.

    All it takes is EA saying "you know what, Madden is just a little too big this year to fit on the 360 so we're going to have to cut you out".

    To which Microsoft can reply, "Just use your Wii graphic assets, since you're still going to ship there on a DVD-9. People will still buy it anyway, because you have a lock on the NFL license."

  5. Re:Wii is not getting the same games by Osty · · Score: 3, Interesting

    To which EA will reply, have you not noticed that the games and control schemes going for the Wii are generally different? Or simply reply "fine then we're pulling Madden like we said". Microsoft is not the one in a position of strength here to make demands.

    Actually, I think it's the other way around. Microsoft's head start in the market (or its lesser specs in comparison to PS3, take your pick) has made the 360 the platform of choice for multi-platform developers. EA will never come to Microsoft and say, "We're not going to do Madden unless you give us HD-DVD." They're going to go to Sony and say, "Too bad we can't take full advantage of all that Blu-Ray space, but we have to work on the 360 as well and you two are close enough (unlike the Wii) that you get to be the Xbox of this generation and have all the crappy ports."

    Why should the 360 developer and user suffer with a limitation on storage that is needless?

    Because it's not "needless". Microsoft made the decision to go with DVD-9 for the 360, so that's what the developers get to use. Microsoft can't make the switch to HD-DVD unless they're willing to replace the drives of 7+ million 360 customers for free. That's never going to happen, so you suck it up and live with it. The 360 may end up with multi-disk games, or lower texture resolutions, or more compression artifacts, or what have you, but switching to HD-DVD is simply not a viable solution for the 360.