"Zephyr" Xbox 360 rumors correct; coming late April
by David Dreger 
{ Mar 20th 2007 at 12:45PM }
Game Informer's April issue confirms the mountain of rumors about the "Zephyr" Xbox 360. The Black, 120 GB HDD, HDMI enabled Xbox 360. Yeah, that one. Also worth noting is that the magazine has a policy of not writing fake stories in their April issue, as well as confirming that the story is indeed true. So, we're looking at a third Xbox 360 SKU in late April priced around $479 USD, which still has the standard DVD drive. After all, they already have a Black HD DVD player model produced. How do you current 360 owners feel about this? Are you going to buy a new console to take advantage of its 1080p via HDMI goodness? At least it comes with an HDMI cable. Apparently, the 120 GB HDD will also be available for sale separately for "under $200", but the same can be said for the HD DVD player. Hopefully it will follow suit of the memory units and take the 20 GB HDD's price, bumping the previous drive's cost for consumers down. We've got scans of the magazine for your viewing pleasure after the break.
Feel free to voice your glee or outrage in the comments below. In fact, we encourage it.
[Via Joystiq. Thanks, Jonah Falcon]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
rinks @ Mar 20th 2007 12:53PM
My HDTV doesn't have an HDMI input, so aside from the HDD (which I don't have a compelling need for at the moment) and the color (which I don't really care about), this is a pass for me. A couple more features- built in WiFi or other such goodness- and I'd be sold, but as it stands... I'm good, thanks.
Jeremy @ Mar 20th 2007 2:12PM
I just hope there's some sort of upgrade policy to get the bigger HD for a lot less than retail, seeing as how I bought my 360 less than 2 months ago.
But seeing how this is Microsoft, I sincerely doubt that.
Michael Paul @ Mar 20th 2007 2:40PM
MAYBE the bigger hard drive for $200, but my current HDTV doesn't have HDMI so unless there's a unannounced/hidden reason to upgrade (more and quieter fans, better reliability...) I'll pass...
Tony @ Mar 20th 2007 12:55PM
Maybe it is true, but at the same time, I have a hard time trusting Game Informer about much of anything.
pixelate @ Mar 20th 2007 12:58PM
My TV (and many, many others) needs the HDMI input in order to display 1080p. I'm all over this, I've been looking for someone to sell my launch system to since the video of the Zephyr's HDMI port was released.
Ithilis @ Mar 20th 2007 12:57PM
Ugh. I just got my 360. This is.. unfortunate timing. I wonder if MS has any plans on accommodating consumers like myself.
GRRIMREEAPER @ Mar 20th 2007 12:59PM
A YO! WHAT IS GOING ON TODAY??? DEVIL MAY CRY, ACE COMBAT(!!!!) AND NOT THIS!!!! WOW I HAVE A 360 THAT I LOVE... BUT IM GETTING THIS THE FIRST DAY IT COMES OUT! AND TO ALL THE COMMENTERS THAT WILL SAY PREXISTING OWNERS ARE GETTING SHAFTED.... STOP WHINING! JUST GET IT... U KNOW U WANT IT! AND BTW BLACK LOOKS 1 MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN THE WHITE! LETS GO IM SO HAPPY I PICKED THE RIGHT CONSOLE! NOW HURRY UP AND BUY CAPCOM SO WE CAN GET SOME BRAND NEW STREET FIGHTER GAMES! 1
KC @ Mar 20th 2007 1:02PM
It looks like my launch 360 just crapped out yesterday. Freezes up every 5-10 minutes. Hmmm, how do I sweet talk Xbox support to send me one of these? :-)
jayman16 @ Mar 20th 2007 1:01PM
And to think I confirmed this months ago: http://adidat.blogspot.com/2007/01/new-xbox-360-confirmed.html
Mr_Saturn @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:33PM
As long as there's a way to transfer stuff from my current HD to a new larger one i'll be happy.
I have a feeling that the HDMI is just a different cable for the existing A/V port on the 360.
KillerGreen @ Mar 20th 2007 1:07PM
I don't really feel the need to get the 120 gig HDD yet, but I do think this is great news because now Microsoft can't keep the 20 gig priced at a ridiculously high $100 dollars. I've got a buddy with a core system who has refused to buy the hard drive and I really couldn't fault him for it- 100 dollars is way too much for 20 gigs. HDMI is awesome but hardly worth buying a new console for, IMO.
DjDATZ @ Mar 20th 2007 1:02PM
how are they going to help us transfer our content from our 20gb hdd to our 120? (im thinkin of just gettin the hdd because this doesnt include the HD DVD drive.)
Leemo @ Mar 20th 2007 1:04PM
Erm, April issue? Potential April fools?
Justin @ Mar 20th 2007 1:04PM
Yo Grrim, the button right next to the "A" is "Caps Lock" Turn it off noob.
Slizzy @ Mar 20th 2007 1:12PM
I'm disappointed for a few reasons.
1)I already have a 360 thats 2 months old.
2)Im seeing how easy it is to fill up the 20 gig (actually 13 gig)HD and I know MS will charge an arm and a leg to get the new 120 gig HD.
3) black looks so much better. I hate that my 360 sticks out like a sore thumb in my entertainment center.
4)I want to see 360 succeed which is why I don't understand why MS would release an even more expensive 360. Wouldn't lowering the price make more sense? Now someone could just pay an extra 20 bucks and get a blu-ray player equipped ps3. I hope this is an April fool's joke
Arno @ Mar 20th 2007 1:13PM
If they bring this out in white, I'll get it. I just want a quiter DVD drive.
Arno @ Mar 20th 2007 1:17PM
#6, you didn't confirm it, Paul Thurrott did. Sort of.
KilgoreTrout XL @ Mar 20th 2007 1:18PM
Nope. I'm calling April Fools on this one.
joe @ Mar 20th 2007 1:19PM
Ithilis this has pretty much been on the radar for the last two months, if you bother to do any research you would have know this, beyond the HDMI the two are pretty much the same, granted the new verison will have internal hardware updates which will not be noticeable, but everything in terms of features and IPTV will all still work, i believe IPTV will require the 120gb HD, but i dont think MS will faction the base agian, the IPTV thing can be done over firmware update.
this shouldnt really piss anyone off, what i am interested in is if the HDMI/VGA/Componet will have a impact on the image, HDMI is a digital signal in theory it should look better. but i remeber reading that the 360 output is analog signal only, (granted this too could just have been turned off and reactived later with firmware).
Gamertag: GOPAL892005 @ Mar 20th 2007 8:23PM
$200 for the 120GB HDD in the U.S
how much for U.K? it wont be exact exchange rate - we get charged more 4 everything :(
i rekon - £120/£130 [rip-off]
i'm gonna buy 3rd party HDD & use the HDD hack [u can get 500GB for about £140/$300]
Pixelantes Anonymous @ Mar 20th 2007 1:33PM
I'm not picking this up. I just don't have any reason to. I don't download movies on my XBox 360 and 720p is good enough for me right now.
If they'd put the HD DVD player in this thing, then maybe I would've gone for it. If I were buying a brand new XBox 360 that'd be different. I'd still probably go for the cheaper 20GB model.
Tony Bowman @ Mar 20th 2007 1:44PM
i've got HDMI on my tv but it's only 720P anyway, so i don't care about that. i like the white machine as much as the black.
the only difference maker for me is if the black one will have the 65nm chip inside. if not, i'll just buy the bigger hard drive, then.
how does that work anyway? do you lose all your save games and whatnot? achievements? etc etc. can you just swap the drives as needed? does the machine have to be off to do so?
Michael @ Mar 20th 2007 3:39PM
You also have to spend the 2000 grand on a 1080p tv to take advantage which a lot of people don't have! Personally, ill worry about it when i get a tv that takes advantage. I just want the bigger HD. Movies are cheaper and better on a blockbuster thing!
Renaud Lepage @ Mar 20th 2007 1:45PM
I already have an Xbox360. I have the VGA output and the component output, and both of them have a 5.1 optical-out. I will NOT use IPTV simply because of bandwidth requirements and the fact that RDI (french canadian CNN) will not be 'casted on IPTV360. I rarely download demos - movies and such are let to optical media.
Soooo... Why do I need this again?
Tony @ Mar 20th 2007 1:46PM
As far as wanting this goes, I don't. I really don't care for the look of the black system at all. I don't even have HDMI for my TV, although admittedly it would be nice to have for the future.
The hard drive is the real thing of interest and honestly I'm just unwilling to pay almost $200 for it. I might pay $100. There's just so many ridiculously cheap hard drives out there, it just seems like a waste. At least when they start allowing 120 GB hard drives in the firmware (currently they do not), I should be able to do that "hack" and install my own drive for cheaper.
Plus, with all those things you read about Live Arcade games not loading up as full versions unless you're online by people who had to buy new systems... it just doesn't seem worthwhile.
GRT @ Mar 20th 2007 4:07PM
If they'd bundled in the HD-DVD I would've gone for it. The HDMI would be nice, but my tv does 1080P via Component (though there's probably some kind of compression going on to force all that data through an analog pipe, eh?).
I bet Toshiba would've liked them to build-in the HD-DVD player.
So now are we looking at a logo/marketing colors change? All the green on white packaging of games and stuff has to go away?
Any word on if it'll be quieter?
And we still have to pay an extra $100 for wireless?
I think I'll wait until my current system dies. Hopefully by then there'll be a price drop, too.
Drdre74 @ Mar 20th 2007 10:15PM
this sucks for people like me who just bought a 360 not so long ago.
beardsly43 @ Mar 20th 2007 1:52PM
It is the April issue...
if it's not a joke,
WHAT THE F.
Epic @ Mar 20th 2007 1:56PM
They'll never put an HD DVD drive in because they'll alienate the customers who don't buy it buy putting games on HD DVD.
Built in WiFi would've been awesome.
You can get faceplates and skins if you don't like the look of your Original 360.
-----------------------
I'll prolly get the large HDD. Hopefully they'll let us store loads of content on it so we can have games that look like GoW and last 30 hours and have better textures.
65nm chips and Quieter drives will probably be a nice to have, but I don't feel its worth the money unless MS are gonna do a trade in scheme for Laucnh Boxes...
Even then all the old 360 peripherals will look wierd with your black 360...
rothgar @ Mar 20th 2007 1:58PM
Black X360 = $479
Wifi = $99
HD-DVD = $200
$779
still more than the ps3 and you don't have bluetooth and a jankey hd-dvd setup. The only thing you would get is 60 more gigs but you could easily buy a $120 gig sata 1.8" drive with the money left over. AND you still have free online play.
Stupid MS. You screwed up!
Oh, don't forget the mem card readers in the PS3
Epic @ Mar 20th 2007 2:01PM
Wow 23, you're so cool. I bet you have tonnes of girls after you....if only I was cool enough to go be a 360 fanboy on the PS3 forums...
VampireHunter Z @ Mar 20th 2007 2:07PM
/sigh
Game Informer + April = duh April fools.
It's bad enough that this coming from GI. But adding Arpil to the mix deletes all credibilty.
gamingitup @ Mar 20th 2007 6:05PM
Finally! The rumours are true!
Guess I better start saving up for this one and sell the old one.
gamingitup @ Mar 20th 2007 6:05PM
Guess I'd better start saving up for this one and sell the old one. :(
Epic @ Mar 20th 2007 2:18PM
If it was coming in April i'm pretty sure someone would've found something on the Best-Buy stock lists or whatnot by now.
Personally I hope that this IS an april fool.
Deathrace King @ Mar 20th 2007 2:21PM
I won't be upgrading. My 61" Samsung only accepts 1080p through the VGA port, so upgrading my console just for HDMI is worthless. I'll just get the larger hard drive when it becomes available.
shane @ Mar 20th 2007 2:29PM
Well I wont buy one. But to think that more people will buy a 360 becuase of this new model is great. The less people that buy a PS3 and join the 360 is only a good thing.
ZeroCorpse @ Mar 20th 2007 2:34PM
Well, I just upgraded to a model with the BenQ drive (much quieter!) and my HDTV doesn't have HDMI and runs at a native 768p, so VGA works better for me anyway. The bigger hard drive will be a requirement later (Shivering Isles will pack my drive!!!), but the color means nothing to me (all my components are white & silver, and so is my XBox 360).
I'll pass... But I am curious as to how I'm getting my saves onto a new hard drive. I won't be giving up my high-level Oblivion character any time soon.
NuAngel @ Mar 20th 2007 2:36PM
Anything confirmed in the "April" issue of any magazine is gonna take a while to prove its stripes in the "real world." :)
Clinton @ Mar 20th 2007 7:32PM
I play on a SD TV, do not download movies and could care less about the Box's colour. This is unnecessary for me to buy.
adam @ Mar 20th 2007 2:50PM
Ill believe it when I see it, I dont care who reports it, you never know for sure till its in front of your eyes.
I would buy the "newer" 360 if it get released, simply because I want HDMI, and I want a bigger Hdd, and a quieter Dvd drive, and a black 360 wouldnt be so bad either.
And I swear it takes a lot longer for my 360 to load up now and to sign in to Live.
mike @ Mar 20th 2007 2:51PM
Im a little upset. I am planing on buying a new tv soon and want hdmi on my console. What I may en up doing is asking a brande new zephyr buyer if they are willig to swap consoles with me (not hard drives, cables, accesories, just th console + $100. This way a new 360 buyer can enjoy $100 off and keep the bigger hard drive and all that if he does not care about hdmi.
personally like he white console better, but I need hdmi
Danno @ Mar 20th 2007 3:51PM
I just want an easy way to transfer content to the bigger hard drive.
Swapping with a memory card is laaaame.
Benjamin09 @ Mar 20th 2007 3:10PM
omg omg omg, going to buy this the day it comes out! For everybody that is bitching they own one already and should be compensated for the new 360 IF this is true... Did you try to get compensated when you bought your computer? So...did you? Anybody?
The HD drive is not needed to play games or future games for the 360, so no need to included it. Its an add-on.....
For those of us who do have HDMI inputs on their TV this is a great addition.....
....Is it late April yet?
Assbestos @ Mar 20th 2007 3:24PM
Can anyone confirm that this version will contain the smaller fab CPU? Does this unit contain the BenQ drive, or will it use a variety of the three possibilities?
BTW, I have compared 1280/720 through both VGA and HDMI using a PC source. HDMI is truly superior, without question.
BadVermin @ Mar 20th 2007 3:21PM
rothgar-
360: $479 + free cables + free remote + free headset + $199 HD DVD + $99 Wifi= $777
PS3: $599 +$59 (cables) + $29 (remote) + $19 (headset) + $100 120 GB drive = $806
360 is cheaper.
Take away the non-required wifi and HD DVD player and the 360 is $327 cheaper.
Matt @ Mar 20th 2007 3:48PM
Yeah, I'm a little cautious about this one. Smells like an April Fool's joke. Like someone said earlier, late April seems pretty soon for something so significant to be shipping without any real announcement or rumours with more substance to them. However, in a way, maybe MS is being secretive to keep people buying the current 360. I would imagine if an announcement was made today, there would be lots of people ready to buy that may decide to wait. Yes, they're still going to buy the black 360, but for business sake, I'm sure it wouldn't be good to not sustain that steady flow of current Xbox 360 sales.
erac3rx @ Mar 20th 2007 3:57PM
While it is nice that there will be a guaranteed quieter model with HDMI... I don't really get this move on MSFT's part. Throw in WiFi and you would have gotten lots of hardcore 360 owners to sell theirs and upgrade. As it is, it's only appealing to people buying their first 360 (or a replacement)... and makes it look just as expensive as a PS3.
@36 - 360 is cheaper if you pay $60 for cables and upgrade the HD... realistically if you care about price you will be smart enough to pick up your HDMI cable under $20 and will also pick up the 60gb model over the 20gb.
Meaning you've got everything for $640+tax, whereas with 360 you're looking at $700+tax minimum with the wifi, and $780+tax if you want HDMI. An extra $140 for 60gb of space and an external hi def movie player? That's not cheaper.
BadVermin @ Mar 20th 2007 4:23PM
You don't have to pay $100 for wireless any more than you have to pay $60 for HDMI cables.
Both can be found very cheap if you look around.
abergfeld @ Mar 21st 2007 1:12PM
The bad news: I bought my 360 a month ago after deciding the rumors were just rumors. The good news: I don't d/l media and the component cable works great with my 22" LCD monitor, so I would have passed anyway. Wi-fi and HD-DVD would have had me interested, but it's not there. For me, a $100 price reduction of the existing premium would have been worse news. By late summer or fall, I suppose I could have had more for the same $, but I will have easily had enough fun in the meantime to have no regrets.