Whaddayaknow, Microsoft Has A Price Drop Too

Man, this is great for me. my 2006 Pro model is on its way out, and at this point i don't think sending it in to microsoft would be worth the $100. i might just jump on the Elite now, because my 20 gig harddrive isn't really cutting it for me anyways.

"The new price dropped elite doesn't come with any HD cables of any kind. I think this should be pointed out, and also the fact it is an extremely lame move by MS. "

"  Man, remember when $299 was the price of a console at launch?  "

i actually picked up one of the new PS3 slims just cause it was 299 and decent for the exclusives. its nice to have both a 360 and PS3 now so i can enjoy everything decent on the market.

I remember buying a 360 premium edition back when the console first came out...or I bought it a year after it's release, in 2006. Whatever, but that shit was 400 dollars! 
 
It's definitely a good time to buy a 360.

When are they going to lower the price of the 120 gig HDD? You get can a 1 TB hard drive for the same price as the Xbox 120 gig drive. WTF?

" @Brad said:

"  Man, remember when $299 was the price of a console at launch?  "

Yeah and remember when you could get a soda pop at the A&P for a nickel? >_> "

Awesome. Now they're not only as disposable as diapers, but almost as cheap.
 
... And on my fourth system -- just as shitty.

If you don't own a 360, now is the time to get one.

My question is who is left that wants these consoles and hasn't bought one already?

Didnt I read somewhere that they dropped some some cables from the Elite package to make et cheaper? 
 
I think there is no longer a HDMI or a HDD cable included. So if you need those your gonna spend the $100 on that anyways. 
  
UPDATE: 

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/27/microsoft-dropping-hdmi-cable-gives-xbox-360-consumers-flexibi/      
 

 Microsoft's VP of Interactive Entertainment Business in Europe, Chris Lewis, tells GI.biz that the removal of the HDMI cable from the Elite packaging was to enable more "flexibility to consumers who can then decide which type of cable they want for their specific gaming and TV screen set-up." Pardon us, but that's like saying Sub-Zero ripping out your spine gives your body more "flexibility." Of course, the drawback is that you're dead.

Adding insult to injury, the new Elite bundle isn't just shipping sans HDMI cable, it has no HD cables at all; meaning that consumers now have even more flexibility to purchase better cables. While any old HDMI cable will do (they're cheap too!), the Xbox 360 component cable is proprietary and priced at $40 (as is the VGA cable). Want optical audio with your HDMI? That adapter's proprietary, too -- and $50. In fairness, PS3s don't ship with HD cables either (they do have an optical audio port, though), and that's always been a joke -- a joke that Microsoft is now in on.     

I'm happy with my PS3, thanks.

Are they dropping the price of the harddrives?

HAHAHAHAHAHA, WHAT A MOTHERFUCKING COINCIDENCE, RIGHT? 
 
RIGHT!?!?!?!?!?!

Still too expensive I can afford £50

I'm definitely considering purchasing a PS3 in the near future.

" @Kyle said:

" @Brad said:

"  Man, remember when $299 was the price of a console at launch?  "

Yeah and remember when you could get a soda pop at the A&P for a nickel? >_> "

I also remember paying like 70 dollars for cartridge games and god knows what that is with inflation. "

These are great price points. If I didn't already own both of them I would have taken advantage of this.

Not influencing me at all... mostly because I already have both.  =D

UK getting a price cut?

I was about to shell out the $150 for a 120GB HDD to replace my aging 20GB but, at this price point, I'll probably get an Elite (for the HDMI)

Betcha didn't see that coming...did you?

well thats no surprise...

" Here is my big question.  Windows 7 is due in October, what if it were to flop just like Vista?  Will Microsoft continue to do price drops on their xbox 360s? "

Awesome!

I already own a 360 but i want a ps3.

They failed to mention they are increasingthe Arcade in the UK, nice one Microsoft!

So now they want us to believe that the 120 gig HDD is worth half the price of their top of the line console? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

" Well, Brad, you bring up an interesting question:  which will reign supreme?  I think that the redesigning of the PS3, as well as what feels like a whole new launch for their product, is a great motivator for those who haven't gotten one.  The $299 price tag is proper and feels right, the product looks smoother, Sony proves time and time again that they are the forerunners for mixing together gaming and media capabilities, and obviously the price tag makes the conversion to Blu-ray a bit more sensical now.  HOWEVER, the PS3 doesn't support backward-compatibility...which is a MAJOR issue to me.  Part of the reason you dropped for a PS2 was to play your PS1 games still.  It was a HUGE selling point.  Meanwhile, I would want to play my PS2 games on my PS3.  This will be a drawback.  Nonetheless, the 360 features limited BC and no Blu-ray player.  However, they have Xbox Live, which is the real selling point.  Sony's online "infrastructure" (read: lack thereof) just can't hold up to Xbox Live, and it's what has made the 360 a forerunner over Sony's console.  People want to play online, and Microsoft knows how to do that well.  While it does cost to get Xbox Live Gold, it's a cheap asking price ($50 for 13 months), and all the features it offers is IMMENSE!  Plus, how many times have we honestly ever had Xbox Live just flat-out go dead?  We have one friend's list for everything, we have Netflix parties, we have Facebook and Twitter on the way, we have Gamerscore, we have integrated voice chat for all games...I mean, it's a great package.  Firmware 3.0 for the PS3 is really going to be the make-or-break for Sony at the moment.  They've brought the console down, and it feels like they are finally LAUNCHING the console with this 3.0 update.  However, is it too late in the game?  Well, Sony did say that they've got a box that could last them 10 years easily...and I'm starting to believe it.  All three consoles handle their own specific strengths incredibly well:  Sony and media, Microsoft and online, Wii and motion controls.  Therefore, with the newfound price points for two of the three consoles, as well as three years since the consoles hit the market...there's honestly no reason to not have all three at this point! "

It is cool that the Elite is $299 now. it has always been a bit too expensive, especially when compared to the PS3. I predict that the PS3 will get a boost in sales while the 360 will remain steady with perhaps a slight boost. The PS3 is going to get a big uphill trend going now though; the Blu-Ray player and plethora of games coming out do it a lot of favors.

I'm liking these price drops, since I don't own either console yet.

Isn't it... two consoles enter, and probably two leave?
 
If there's one thing I really haven't seen so far this cycle, it's EITHER console really bloody the other up much.  Or rather, none of the three.  Mostly there's just a whole bunch of stabbing-oneself-in-the-foot going on, with each side hoping they have enough foot bandages to stay up until the other collapses.

This will mean nothing in the UK with our recent price hike.

I've been thinking of getting an Xbox 360 for awhile, picking up a Pro might be the way to go.

I wonder if I could get away with returning my Pro and getting an elite now that they cost the same. Yeah, right.

" This will mean nothing in the UK with our recent price hike. "

" I remember when I payed $420 (tax included) for a 20GB X360 Pro....  FUUUUUUUUUUUUU- "

"Well, Brad, you bring up an interesting question:  which will reign supreme?  I think that the redesigning of the PS3, as well as what feels like a whole new launch for their product, is a great motivator for those who haven't gotten one.  The $299 price tag is proper and feels right, the product looks smoother, Sony proves time and time again that they are the forerunners for mixing together gaming and media capabilities, and obviously the price tag makes the conversion to Blu-ray a bit more sensical now.  HOWEVER, the PS3 doesn't support backward-compatibility...which is a MAJOR issue to me.  Part of the reason you dropped for a PS2 was to play your PS1 games still.  It was a HUGE selling point.  Meanwhile, I would want to play my PS2 games on my PS3.  This will be a drawback.  Nonetheless, the 360 features limited BC and no Blu-ray player.  However, they have Xbox Live, which is the real selling point.  Sony's online "infrastructure" (read: lack thereof) just can't hold up to Xbox Live, and it's what has made the 360 a forerunner over Sony's console.  People want to play online, and Microsoft knows how to do that well.  While it does cost to get Xbox Live Gold, it's a cheap asking price ($50 for 13 months), and all the features it offers is IMMENSE!  Plus, how many times have we honestly ever had Xbox Live just flat-out go dead?  We have one friend's list for everything, we have Netflix parties, we have Facebook and Twitter on the way, we have Gamerscore, we have integrated voice chat for all games...I mean, it's a great package.  Firmware 3.0 for the PS3 is really going to be the make-or-break for Sony at the moment.  They've brought the console down, and it feels like they are finally LAUNCHING the console with this 3.0 update.  However, is it too late in the game?  Well, Sony did say that they've got a box that could last them 10 years easily...and I'm starting to believe it.  All three consoles handle their own specific strengths incredibly well:  Sony and media, Microsoft and online, Wii and motion controls.  Therefore, with the newfound price points for two of the three consoles, as well as three years since the consoles hit the market...there's honestly no reason to not have all three at this point! "

" Nope, I'm never buying a console until they have keyboard and mouse support and allow mods for games. "

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but the new $299 Elite does NOT come with a wireless adapter bundled in. Which is a $100 dollar piece of equipment. So this is more of a "shady" pricedrop on Microsoft's part. Yes, the Elite is cheaper now, but only because they got rid of a piece of hardware that most people are going to need. That used to come bundled with the Elite, if i understand correctly.
 
PS3 has built in Wi-Fi already, and a Blu-Ray player. So if both are $299, the PS3 is the better deal, hands down.

Well thats nice but I'm still waiting for a price drop on the over priced 120gb hard drive... You know for the loyal customers that didn't need a cheap price tag to buy a Xbox 360...  I guess we don't matter anymore!!!! 

meh... even with the new price point it still looks like a cheap toy :S
PC 4ever!!!! ... and ps3 on the side lol

Come spring I'm gonna be a 2 console guy. I said I'd never do it...but alas, exclusives and price drops leave me no choice.

Now you can't go wrong with a PS3.

300 bucks for a blu ray player that runs Metal Gear 4 and Gran Turismo? oh yeah.

" Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but the new $299 Elite does NOT come with a wireless adapter bundled in. Which is a $100 dollar piece of equipment. So this is more of a "shady" pricedrop on Microsoft's part. Yes, the Elite is cheaper now, but only because they got rid of a piece of hardware that most people are going to need. That used to come bundled with the Elite, if i understand correctly.  PS3 has built in Wi-Fi already, and a Blu-Ray player. So if both are $299, the PS3 is the better deal, hands down. "