Falling Xbox 360 Prices
When the Xbox 360 launched, it cost $300 and $400 for the barebones and fully decked out systems, respectively. This was a full $100 more than its predecessor, the original Xbox, but people still clamored to be able to finally play games in high definition. With the advent of high definition televisions and monitors capable of supporting 720p and 1080i/p content, the Xbox 360 had a wide market. Many people predicted that the Xbox 360 price might keep it from achieving mainstream popularity, but this was not the case.
Coming Down in Price
As all other electronics tend to do, the price of the Xbox 360 has fallen and will continue to fall as the manufacturing processes mature and Microsoft finds better ways to produce the electronics. Also, as the price of the parts falls, so will the cost of the entire package. However, some people might look at the current high end package which costs $450 and question this logic. What they don't realize is how much more value is packed into the current high end package than in the previous one. With a bigger hard drive, gamers can store more media on their 360, nearly giving it the functionality of a fully fledged personal computer. With unparalleled accessibility and functionality, many people predict that the next round of gaming consoles will have to try to not be labeled as personal computers!
The upgraded Xbox 360s are set on a three tier system now instead of a two tier one. The Xbox 360 prices for each tier are about $280, $350, and $450. Depending on sales at the retailer and other specials, these prices may rise or fall, at least temporarily. When it first came out, the Xbox 360 price at times went for as much as $1500 on eBay and other online auction sites. Since then, gamers can buy an Xbox 360 for a fraction of what they cost new in stores online on those same auction sites.
Many people have also traded in their gaming consoles (not because of any defect or shortcoming in the console, but simply because they want to try something new). Therefore, the Xbox 360 price for a used console is likely to present consumers with large savings, and many used console retailers offer guarantees for the quality and longevity of used consoles and accessories. Because the Xbox 360 offers so much great value, many people have overlooked the price of the Xbox 360 which is slightly higher than traditional gaming consoles.
