$179.95 120GB HDD: you're the man now dog!
by Dustin Burg 
{ Mar 29th 2007 at 4:00PM }
Negative fanboy sentiment is gathering around the price of the uber expensive $179.95 120GB HDD. And what better way for us to illustrate the pain in our hearts (and bank accounts) than by viewing a very professionally done YTMND entry. Go ahead, click the link and give it a listen ... we'll wait here. You gave it a listen right? Good, now our commentary will make sense.The clip features Major Nelson's "ouch" reaction from his latest podcast and is obviously poking fun at the new HDD's price. From what we can decipher, Major's reaction to the HDD's price goes something along the lines of "uhngh,uhngh,uhngh,uhngh eh eh uhuhuh ooh ouch", but don't quote us on that. You can't deny it, that new drive is one overpriced piece of hardware. Though, we still love you 120GB HDD, but you just cost way to much and don't get along with our longtime friend 20GB HDD. Heck, we might as well just open the floodgates and hear what everyone thinks. Go ahead fanboys, unleash your opinion on the new 120GB HDD and its price structure. But be nice guys, constructive criticism is always better than hate darts.
[Thanks, tapoxi]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jon C. @ Mar 29th 2007 4:14PM
Way overpriced. And it's pretty restrictive as far as transferring data from one HD to another (you dual 20gb HD owners are pwned). So it's not very high on my must-buy list.
kazumashell @ Mar 29th 2007 4:14PM
I can only assume that the main reason they are releasing this thing is to nurture their video service.
I'm not interested in their service yet, they don't have everything I want. I can wait for it to get better, and I'll wait to upgrade my HD.
Tim @ Mar 29th 2007 5:44PM
I was one of those interested in the larger hard drive, mainly because I hate having to delete my HD tv shows I purchase. It takes so long to re-download them. That's the only reason I would consider a larger drive, but considering the price I may hold off now. Actually I would consider the XSATA to transfer files to my computer for $50 over $179 for this specialized drive. I can't use any of these files on the pc but I can swap them back and forth whenever I want as often as I want.
saminthehat @ Mar 29th 2007 4:15PM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! WHY MICROSOFT WHY!!!!!!!!!
Dirk Dorkelson @ Mar 29th 2007 4:16PM
Let's see, for the cost of a new hard drive and about one game, I could buy a Wii. Seriously, though, the new hard drive is crazy expensive. I would like one bigger than the 20GB. I'd certainly buy more media from the marketplace (I hate having to delete a bunch of stuff every time I have a big download I want to get). But there's no way I'm paying the cost of three games to get it.
RC @ Mar 29th 2007 4:17PM
I know MS took a beating giving away original Xboxes way back when but c'mon, do they have to make some of it back this way?
$179 for the hard drive is ridiculous considering that we suffered paying high price for a 20GB. Doesn't MS realize that pricing people out of a potential upgrade like this can hinder an increase of content sales. If I were to get a new HD, I would consider getting more XBL content as well as marketplace stuff.
I don't think they had to lose money by offering a better price; however, they should have decided to break even and made the HD much closer to cost (say $100, $50 for 20gb).
As for the Elite,well they perhaps could of gave Sony fits by keeping it at $400 but I guess MS feels they have Sony where they want them.
-RC
chrisg @ Mar 29th 2007 4:18PM
Why Microsoft? Why?! I'm happy with my 20GB Hard Drive. But, 120GB for $179 USD? Imagine that for us here in Canada. I hope they lower it sooner or later though.
Colin @ Mar 29th 2007 4:19PM
I'd like to see a middle ground. Give us a 60 or 80GB for the current price of the 20GB and drop the 20GB price to $60. Replace the 20GB on the premiums with the new 60 or 80GB.
AoE @ Mar 29th 2007 4:20PM
Correct me if I am wrong (I've never had a use for one, so I've never really investigated them) but won't the Datel XPort solve everyone's HDD transfer problems?
I've only got one 20Gb drive myself, and don't care about the crap they're preloading the 120Gb with, so the MS solution will work for me, but for the rest of you... there are a few different hdd backup/transfer products aren't there?
King Keepo @ Mar 29th 2007 4:23PM
Yup, I've had no real need for more than the 20GB. I suppose if you were cueing up movies to watch later it might be fine. Maybe it's paving the way for more caching of game content? What about shifting movies from the PC to the HDD for better performance?
Tim @ Mar 29th 2007 4:24PM
The Xport is supposedly able to do that. Only a complete moron would pay 200 or more dollars (depending on taxes) US for this. And yet I'm sure there's plenty of them out there who will. So who knows.
Daryl @ Mar 29th 2007 4:26PM
Horribly over-priced. I couldn't imagine dropping that much on a hard drive.
I seen it listed at $209.99 CDN (suggested retail price) on xbox.com.
That is completely ridiculous.
NEVER. I could buy 3 games for that price
h0mi @ Mar 29th 2007 4:29PM
$150 and Id consider it if it were required for IPTV and they didnt handcuff their IPTV service.
b @ Mar 29th 2007 8:47PM
they should make it way cheaper since it's only gonna benefit them from all the hd downloads from marketplace.. money hungry bastards.. what? they think they're sony now and just can overprice something and people would still buy it?! lol. tsk tsk.
btw i don't think the ps3's overpriced for what it can do. just playing on what most people think.
blank @ Mar 29th 2007 4:32PM
I'm sold...
just one month til i can actually fit my content on the hard drive, and not have to re-download shows.
The real question is whether to get the hard drive or just get the elite and sell my old 360.
Infallible @ Mar 29th 2007 5:55PM
An exchange type program for current 360 owners would be nice, or at least a solid discount with proof of ownership.
KilgoreTrout XL @ Mar 29th 2007 4:33PM
LOUD NOISES!
In all seriousness, I think it's vastly overpriced. I have no knowledge as to the cost to MS of each drive- I'm just speaking as a consumer who might have considered buying a larger drive out of convenience. But not at that price. I'm still amazed by it, frankly.
On the bright side, the downright astonishing cost of the standalone HDD makes the Elite's $480 tag appear much more affordable. I doubt that's the impression MS had intended to give, but it is what it is.
KineticOnline @ Mar 29th 2007 4:34PM
In the UK its going to cost £120 stg, and thats a massive rip-off. Any similar 2.5" drive here costs between £50 - £65 including all taxes etc. Thats half the price!
£120 is roughly the same price someone would here pay for a 500GB 3.5" drive.
Arno @ Mar 29th 2007 4:44PM
Ouch is right... They can't seriously expect people to be buying these when Microsoft is eventually the one profiting from people having more space to buy things from their Video Marketplace.
Microsoft fucked up, and that's coming from a die hard Xbox fanboy.
Benjamin09 @ Mar 29th 2007 4:48PM
wtf people. We determined this pricing too. People bought the 20gig at $99 so in their eyes this is a steal for a 120gig HDD.
Why are people so pissed off? You don't have to buy this.
Lets break it down of cost per unit:
$99 / 20 = 4.95
$179 / 120 = 1.49
Hmm Cost of space on these 2 drives are a little different.
Bitch what you will but try to look at the whole picture.
adam @ Mar 29th 2007 4:50PM
I will not be buying this.
Im tired of overpriced accessories.
Matt @ Mar 29th 2007 4:51PM
Thankfully, I will likely never need to buy one of these. I think my 20G will get me by. However, I do think $179 is steep. They should have dropped the 20G to $49-$59 and put the 120G at $99. Maybe $129.
jordanho1 @ Mar 29th 2007 5:04PM
I was waiting for the larger hard drive (as was everyone else) and planned on buying it. Now? I won't. $120, not another thought. $150, debate, but probably. $180, pass.
Even though I'm an early adopter, I still have a sense of 'value'. None of that here... PLUS, my 20GB hard drive is useless. Sure, I can sell it for $60 or so (To who? someone who has a core and hasnt already bought a hard drive? I wonder what those numbers are).
Basically would put my cost for the xbox permium w/120GB drive at 399+180 - (at most $60) =$519... and no HDMI vs $479 for the elite.
Nick @ Mar 29th 2007 5:07PM
I for one will be buying one, contrary to the general flow of these comments. It is expensive, but my hard drive is full, mainly from arcade and game saves. I just downloaded one movie earlier this afternoon, my first download from the marketplace, and I currently have less than 50 MBs left, that is not gonna cut it. I figure, ya it is expensive when compared to what you can get for a PC, but honestly it will last until the end of the 360's cycle so I won't have to worry about it anymore. If you want affordable stuff, get a PC or drop back to the last generation of consoles. The way I see it, I've got the money, I work hard for it, I'm willing to put it up to be on the leading edge of console stuff. We didn't get into the 360 to save money now did we? We got into it to have entertainment, the best you can get in your living room. If you are cool with a core system or the 10 gig hd, then you probably aren't a hard core gamer, you aren't going to fill your original hard drive anyways, if you are a hard core gamer, then you know the price to be one. I love games, so I front the money. Halo legendary...yes...120 gig hard drive...yes... other expensive stuff that will most likely come out in the future...yes. Peace.
jordanho1 @ Mar 29th 2007 5:10PM
@benjamin09
I realize the cost per GB is down from the 20GB to the 120GB. Problems: 1) It's a full year later, cost per GB has definitely gone down. 2) check out what it is perGB per manufacturer here: http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/HDD_Price_Per_GB_Chart
I realize that's a random source, but point is, people don't think of hard drive space as an 'add on'. Sure, it's not mandatory to get this, but if you want IPTV and do any significant downloading of shows, it's pretty necessary.
Gemini Ace @ Mar 30th 2007 6:54AM
I think it's expensive, but I want it. Then I will buy a core system and put my 20G in it.
BadVermin @ Mar 29th 2007 5:18PM
How is YTMND still around? I've never seen anything on there that was worthwhile, just a repository for most annoying junk on the planet.
aragorn @ Mar 29th 2007 5:24PM
Umm... whiners... hate to break this to you, but this removable HDD is a steal
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=SEARCH&Ntt=removable+&N=200112+502460&Dx=mode+matchall&Ne=502457&Nty=1&D=removable+&Ntk=All&product_code=52518915&Pn=RDX_QuikStor_120GB_Removable_Disk_Cartridge
Benjamin09 @ Mar 29th 2007 5:24PM
Okay, if you want to keep complaining about the price of this piece then fine, but I want people to see that compaired to what people paid for 20gigs, this is nothing. Apparently people did buy the 20gigs because it stayed at that 99 price.
And I'm sorry but I don't give a woot about what the cost of other hard drives are because, correct me if I am wrong, but you cant put Arcade or download content on them from the marketplace.
sabe @ Mar 29th 2007 7:13PM
What they should have done is made the 20Gb model cost $49 and have this 120gb model cost, at the most, $109, probably $99. They should make the Memory Card cost around $20 as well.
Ryan @ Mar 29th 2007 5:29PM
I'll break it down. The problem isn't actually with the $180 pricetag on the 120GB, it's that the trade-in value for a 20GB is ...get this... $30. Meaning, to upgrade it could cost at least as much as $150, as opposed to non-early adopters paying $80...and they get HDMI.
If the trade-in value was closer to $80, it'd be basically fine.
P.S. I don't put stuff up on ebay.
Dr Spank @ Mar 29th 2007 5:31PM
I just checked newegg.com ; You can get 500GB for less than $129.99 -- the pricing of the new HD is retarded. It's in line with the insane price for the current 20GB HD (also insane) ; and exactly what I've been afraid of WRT xbox 360 accessories. What I don't get is that the Vision Camera is a good deal for what it is ; Battery packs and controllers are cheap, but you have these other items (Hard Drive and "Wireless Adapter") which are absurdly overpriced.
Neeko @ Mar 29th 2007 5:52PM
THIS IS A COMPLETE WASTE. we all bought the 20gb b/c we had no choice. Couldnt DL content from live without it and its easier for game saves. I WILL NOT BE BEING THIS OR THE ELITE. You can buy the XSATA and transfer all you game saves and content over to you PC. Which we all kno we have atleast 200-300gb free. Then you never have to run outta space on the 20gb. If we all put up a united front and tell MS NO WE WONT BE PAYING THAT MUCH they’ll have no choice but to drop the price faster then usual. And we all kno this is just the beginning iam sure MS will prob make it avail to bigger HDs and or give us the option to use our own in the future. This is MS way of making some $$ back on all the consoles they’ve sold for a loss.(which Ii don’t blame them) If you notice all the 360 access are overpriced. WE should all look into other options of transferring data off the 20gb since we already have them ..i don’t want a 20gb paper weight on my desk. ILL BE BUY THE XSATA VERY SOON. Screw a 120gb waste. AND NO IAM NOT A DATEL FANBOY. But MS has forced my hand to save $$. This is my game $$ were talking about. LET ME KNO WHO AGREES.
Benjamin09 @ Mar 29th 2007 5:42PM
@26 Ryan "as opposed to non-early adopters paying $80...and they get HDMI."
.....its technology, it changes! I dont go and egg Steve Jobs house each time a new iPod comes out or do I storming into my cell phone company each releases a new one.
Lets face it people, our consoles use to remain the same until their whole life cycle was up but those days seem to be gone, its now upgrades, upgrades and upgrades. We need to just accept the fact that they are now going upgrade our consoles more and more to compete for every dollar they can against the competitors.
BadVermin @ Mar 29th 2007 5:42PM
Dr Spank - What are you even talking about???
They don't even carry 500MB notebook drives. In fact I don't think anybody sells them.
Daryl @ Mar 29th 2007 5:43PM
Imagine the value of the 20 gig hard drive in a few months on ebay and at ebgames / gamestop.
I bet you it will be pretty low with people trying to sell them. Even if there aren't that many people selling, how many people want a 20 gig hard drive these days?
BadVermin @ Mar 29th 2007 5:44PM
LOL. GB, not MB.
NeuralLink @ Mar 29th 2007 5:46PM
Yeah, all this bitching makes a lot of sense. If you would like some huge, ugly-ass, noisy, slow P.O.S. hard drive that you bought online duct-taped to the top of your 360. The price is steep, but not unreasonable. An internal laptop hard drive that is 120GB. It will run you $130.00 at retail.
I'm going to pick up a 360 Elite, transfer all my data off or my premium and send my old 360 to one of my friends who heads off to Iraq in a few months.
Jeff @ Mar 29th 2007 5:46PM
I like the part of Major Nelson's podcast where the other guy talks about how the price isn't that bad if you compare it to other external hard drives that you can buy from normal stores (not counting online retailers)....thing is go check out how big an external drive in that price range is at best buy
scnd @ Mar 29th 2007 5:53PM
I am curious to see whether it will be possible to put an off-the-shelf (cheaper) 120gb HDD in a 20gb enclosure. You can put a larger drive in now, but the 360 won't recognize more than 20gb.
I don't have much need for a larger drive anyway, though.
Seiggy @ Mar 30th 2007 1:00AM
I'm surprised so many people are bitching, I expected it to be between $150-180, its a laptop SATA hdd in a external inclosure...and current prices on 100GB laptop SATA drives are in the $110 range, I havent been able to find a 120GB yet, so expect those prices...
For those of you that are technically inclined, someone will buy and crack open the HDD, get the HDD key, and then you'll be able to buy any 120GB Laptop SATA drive and stick it in your 20GB case, use a tool on PC to format it, and bam, new 120GB HDD for around the exact same price MS will be charging! LMAO...
I'll buy one, but mainly for HD South Park episodes, and the upcoming Anime content from AVD
Seiggy @ Mar 30th 2007 1:00AM
for everyone thats bitching about the price, go grab HDDHacker for the 360, and grab you a WD 120GB 5400RPH internal laptop drive, and build your own from your 20GB...
HDDHacker here: http://www.xbox-scene.com/xbox360-tools/HDDHackr.php
HDD Here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136072&ATT=22-136-072&CMP=OTC-17exta6
They should have the security sector keys for the 120 GB HDD within a week of release...
joe @ Mar 29th 2007 6:12PM
yea i am as big a 360 fan as anybody out their but this is crazy, it was all good until this, i mean $180 for 120gb HARD DRIVE thats almost 50% of the total cost of the 360 itself. Im all for profits MS, but i mean give me something that makes it worth $180 a bunch of free content which im going to have to delete anyway, doesnt count, why not some HD movies that your service touts as being the only supplies of.
i dont think the people that ran the lanuch where in charge of this decision becasue it was bad idea. looks like ill get one second hand from ebay or hack my own with whatever OEM drivers it will use. I mean the only thing that was blocking everyone from doing that before was the software cap at 20gb, now that the firmware will see 120 gb of the drive it shouldnt be to hard to pop in your own SATA Samsung OEM 2.5 drive.
on top of that they have yet to tell everyone that formatting of this drive which will no doublty take away another 6-9 GB of data so
$180 for 113 GB drive? does the drive come with rubber gloves and lube as well?
for shame MS for shame. i dont think this one will see wide spread adoption like the 20 gb. despite how much fans cried for it.
MS shot themselves in the foot this one.
Elijah @ Mar 29th 2007 9:13PM
Ok, as bad as it sounds, this isn't that bad. If prices actually made sense, a 40 GB HDD would be $200, seeing as the 20 GB is $100. So if you think about it, for not even twice the price of a 20 GB, you can multiply your memory by 5. Well thats how I see it, replies welcome if you don't disagree. Thanks.
GAMERTAG: crazy360boy51
cfsage @ Mar 29th 2007 6:58PM
Totally horrible pricing on Microsoft's part. Also, what a waste considering we are not allowed to encode our videos and musics at whatever file type we like.
atsui @ Mar 29th 2007 7:33PM
It is cheap considering if u calculate the price for 6 20 gig ones people. 2 years ago, you can get a gig for a dollar from a 300 gb hard drive, and smaller ones.. only went higher.. or was around the same price.
This is cheap as hell when compared to the other one, just everyone is dumber than I am I now realize. The idiocy around me is such an ego boost. Thanks guys!
Ireney Berezniak @ Mar 29th 2007 7:50PM
I don't think this drive will sell particularly well in Canada, or Europe, for that matter, and I'm sure Microsoft is aware of this fact. While US fanboys at least have the Video Marketplace, the rest of the world has nothing to download and store on the HD, besides a few arcade titles and demos. There is simply no reason to upgrade, so I will not be loosing sleep over the ridiculous price point, an remove the demos I haven't played in months to make room for newly released ones.
atsui @ Mar 29th 2007 8:00PM
Also I barely download stuff and keep having to delete stuff cause I run out of room so I want this. Also so I wont have to worry about the 1gig oblivion expansion
"I just checked newegg.com ; You can get 500GB for less than $129.99 -- the pricing of the new HD is retarded."
Haha, what you say is retarded. The NEW HD price is retarded? What about the old one? Compare bitch! This is a steal if you actually compare the amount you get on the other hdd.
Sorry to belittle you.
Rususeruru @ Mar 29th 2007 9:36PM
So... at Xbox.com there is no listed price for the 120GB HDD... That considered (while EXTREMELY unlikely when dealing witht the Evil Empire read: Microsoft) perhaps they are pulling everyone's legs and will drop the price? Yeah I know it won't happen but I can dream damnit!
jay luv @ Mar 30th 2007 12:14AM
M$ is out of their mind if they think I wll pay for that. For all the people who dont know what is inside that plastic cage on top of their 360, there is a little 2.5 SATA laptop HDD. The 20g probably cost M$ 30$ when purchaced in large quantities. Now the exact same HDD that will be inside the new 120, cost us consumers about $85,http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136072
So this means that it pobably only cost M$ $60 or less when purchaced in large quantities. Also the price of this baby will go down in price over time as larger 2.5 HDD's come out, But M$ will still be sellin it for $180. They doin the same with the 20g, $10 cost but charge $100. These prices of course are speculation to what I think they are paying. The largest 2.3 HDD is the 200g.
So No, I will not be getting a 120g HDD from M$ so I can store more of their content from marketplace which I pay for anyway. But, what I will pay, not $180, for M$ to update the 360 so I could hook up my own external usb 400g HDD that only cost me $120.