Xbox 360 Console Bundles Buyer's Guide

MS 360 Elite Game of the Year, RE5 Limited Edition, Pro, Arcade

Apr 20, 2009

Microsoft reveals the newest Xbox 360 bundle: an Elite console with Halo 3 and Fable 2, releasing May 1 2009. Is it the best deal yet? Read below and see.

Major Nelson confirmed a rumor on his blog of a new Xbox 360 Elite bundle. Dubbed the Xbox 360 Game of the Year Bundle, the package will contain an Elite console with Halo 3 and Fable 2 priced at $400, starting in May 1, 2009. The bundle will be available for a limited time only, which could suggest that the rumored phasing out of the Elite system may in fact be true.

Since the Resident Evil 5 Bundle is still in stores, gamers have plenty of entry options for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. Below is a review of all the features of each bundle.

Xbox 360 Elite Game of the Year Bundle: $400 retail, available May 1, 2009

For the same price of a regular Xbox 360 Elite console, gamers will receive 2 bonus games for free. And these aren't throwaway titles like Kung Fu Panda. Halo 3 and Fable 2 are highly rated titles for the 360.

The Xbox 360 Elite originally enticed gamers for the exceptional 120 gig harddrive capacity, but that massive amount of space is unlikely to be used, unless the consumer plans to purchase numerous downloadable videos, game demos, Xbox Originals, game installs (to reduce load times), and music. If strictly used for gaming, a 60 gig harddrive standard in new Pro models is usually sufficient.

Even still, Halo 3 and Fable 2 packaged together offers an incredible deal. Gamers who don't mind a $400 entry fee will get plenty of value from this package.

Xbox 360 Elite Limited Edition Resident Evil 5 Bundle: $400 retail, released March 13, 2009

Essentially, it's the same console only with different games, and a unique red finish. It comes with Resident Evil 5, and an online redeemable card for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, and a RE5 dashboard theme. The Resident Evil 5 Limited Edition bundle is the ultimate bundle for Resident Evil fans.

Similar to the other Elite model, this bundle's main draw is the large storage capacity and the packaged games. The HDMI cable is only necessary for those with an HDTV or monitor with HDMI support. For those who don't know whether or not they need an HDMI cable, chances are, they don't. So the only main attraction to this model over buying a Pro and the games separately is the extra storage.

Oh, and the killer red finish. For those who like to inspire jealousy amongst fellow gamers, a bright red, limited edition elite console should do the trick.

Xbox 360 Pro Bundle, $300 retail

The "standard edition" model of the Xbox 360, the Pro bundle has everything going for it at just the right price. If the Elite is a little far out of typical price ranges, the Pro will likely make a perfect fit.

While the two bonus games aren't exactly killer content (though still decent family titles), the standard Pro model features everything a gamer needs to enjoy an Xbox 360 to its fullest. The 60 gig harddrive is plenty enough for gaming, and the cables can connect to both standard and HD TVs.

Even though the Elite bundles come packaged with more flair, the Pro at $300 offers the most value for the best price.

Xbox 360 Arcade Bundle, $200 retail

The cheapest version of the Xbox 360 has a tempting, lower-than-Wii $200 asking price, but consumers should beware that the lower price means less features and less value overall.

Even though the Arcade version does not include a hard drive or HD cables, it's still not a bad entry package, especially for the forgiving $200 price tag.

With some good and some bad, the bundled games should serve more as an appetizer than a main course. Similarly, with only 256 meg of flash memory, Arcade console gamers will miss out on a lot of opportunities like downloading demos, movies, video clips, Xbox originals, etc, making the Arcade version more of a taste of the Xbox experience instead of the whole thing.

Upgrading later will likely cost a little bit more than simply going for the Pro model from the beginning, but if money is tight, the $200 Arcade console still offers good value for the price tag.

Xbox 360 Bundles Buyer's Guide Conclusion

Unexpectedly, the Elite consoles, particularly the new Game of the Year and Resident Evil 5 bundles, offer the most value. However, that extra value adds $100 more to the cost over the Pro model, and the added value is likely not enough to make the extra cost worth it to the majority of gamers. However, for those who don't mind spending more for the greatest possible value, either Elite bundle will certainly do the trick.

The Pro model contains everything necessary to get the most out of the Xbox 360, without any extravagant extras.

Finally, the Arcade offers the opportunity to play and enjoy Xbox 360 games, but to get the most out of the Xbox experience, an upgrade would be necessary. Even still, at $200, the Arcade model remains the ideal model for gamers with a tight budget.

The copyright of the article Xbox 360 Console Bundles Buyer's Guide in Video & Online Games is owned by Bradley Kairis. Permission to republish Xbox 360 Console Bundles Buyer's Guide in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.