Xbox 360 Elite Officially Announced

Last night Microsoft unveiled their premium version of the Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 Elite.

The Xbox 360 Elite will be featured in a black finish, sport a 120 GB HDD, and have an HDMI port and cable. The console will begin arriving on store shelves around April 29th, and will retail for approx. $479.99 (US).

Many of the accessories will also be sold separately for current Xbox 360 owners. While there will be no way to provide Xbox 360 Core and Pro consoles with HDMI, owners of these consoles will be able to purchase the 120 GB HDD for approx. $179.99 (US). It will come with a special cable that will allow the transfer of content from your existing 20 GB HDD to the new premium HDD.

You will also be able to purchase the Wireless Controller, Battery Pack, and Play & Charge Kit, all at the standard prices. Full details can be read on the US Xbox site here.

Overall, this is a good move for Microsoft and one that will allow them to push harder on Sony. I'm going to expect the Xbox 360 Elite to retail for a max of $599.99 (Can). I've heard a rumour that Sony is canceling the PlayStation 3 20 GB HDD console, and while I don't know if this is true or not, I could not find it on Best Buy's web site, only their high-end model. It has a 60 GB HDD, an HDMI port but no HDMI cable and sells for $699.99 (Can). With Resistance: Fall of Man still the only exclusive title on the PlayStation 3 worth getting, I can't see any justification for its insane cost, and at present Microsoft and the Xbox 360 still win.

As to the superior console, like before, the previous gen has shown us that hardware means spit, its going to come down to the exclusive games and services. Right now, Sony has one top rated exclusive title, however if you really look at the Xbox 360 library, taking into account the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on the PlayStation 3 last week, Microsoft also really has just one top rated title: Gears of War; however they also have Xbox Live which includes a bunch of low-cost classic titles in the form of Xbox Live Arcade, as well as the excellent Multiplayer support native to the service.

If you look at upcoming games, the Xbox 360 has Mass Effect, BioShock, Halo 3, and Fable 2, while the PlayStation 3's official site doesn't list a single PlayStation 3 title under it's upcoming games section.

For the Xbox 360 Elite itself, unless you're heavy into storing media and music on your HDD or you have a TV that can take proper advantage of the HDMI cable, the cool black finish alone doesn't warrant a re-purchase, and in my opinion not a purchase at all. For the Xbox 360, the Pro system (20 GB HDD, Component Cables) is still the way to go for your gaming needs, at least for now.