As you might have heard, there's a new console in town: Xbox 360™ Elite. For those of you who are not hardcore gamers or are parents of one, you may not know much about the Xbox 360 Elite that was recently released by Microsoft. The Xbox 360 Elite is the third and most expensive variation of the Xbox 360 console in addition to “core” and “premium.” Xbox 360 Elite is equipped with a premium black finish, three powerful core processors, full surround sound, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable, and DVD playback. Xbox 360 Elite is now the premier Xbox 360 console package that includes a large 120GB hard drive, a HDMI port, a high-definition cable. The Xbox 360 Elite is set up to extend the entertainment experience of the regular Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 Elite is based on the Zephyr motherboard, which features a HDMI port and an improved GPU heat sink. The $480 Xbox 360 Elite is black instead of white, includes a hard drive that is six times as large as the previous 360s and twice as big as the rival PS3s. The HDMI output makes for easier hookups to HDTVs. While it's primarily a game machine, the Xbox 360 Elite is a digital media hub as well. Users report that initial setup of the Xbox 360 Elite is easy; you just select the language and then either establish your Xbox Live account or re-link to an existing account. The consensus of opinion on the web seems to be that the Xbox 360 Elite is mainly for people who haven't bought a Xbox 360 yet and that the Xbox 360 Elite is a great choice for

only $80 more than the premium version. The Xbox 360 Elite is still cheaper than Sony's 80GB console, but does lack some features such as a Blu-ray drive or any other integrated WiFi solution, as some gamers necessitate. The bottom line opinion, though, seems to be that while it's neither a must-have upgrade for existing 360 owners nor as feature-packed as the PS3, the Xbox 360 Elite's combination of top-notch gaming and digital media features make it the current game console of choice.

Xbox 360 Elite Features and News

The Xbox 360 Elite also includes a black wireless controller and black Xbox LIVE® headset. There is currently a rumor of a price drop on the way that the core and premium will get a $50 price drop but the Elite will only get a $29 price drop.