What Will the Xbox 720 Cost?

The Xbox 360 had the best of its rival, the PS3 in a few ways. For one, it was released first, but perhaps more importantly it was the cheaper of the two consoles. You can argue about the pros and cons of the two until hell freezes over, but you'll never be able to deny that a cheaper console is inevitably going to decide those previously undecided gamers. The question on everyone's lips therefore, is whether Microsoft will plan to continue this trend in releasing a console that will be cheaper than the anticipated PlayStation 4 from Sony.

With a distinct lack of information from the developers at Microsoft at present, we are left with a guessing game as to the specifications that we can expect to see in the Xbox 720, and of course, the cost at which we can expect to buy it. Fortunately given the information that is currently circulating about the next generation console from Microsoft, not to mention historical bits and pieces concerning its predecessor the Xbox 360, we can certainly make an educated guess.

Historical Pricing
The first point of interest comes purely from the original cost of the Xbox 360. The different models launched at different prices, with an original 360 system costing $399.99, and a Core System offered up at just $299.99. Later we saw additional entries into the Xbox marketplace, such as the Elite at $479.99, the Arcade at a modest $279.99 and the Super Elite hitting shelves for $399.99.

We can undoubtedly expect different models once again with the debut of the Xbox 720, so prices may be scaled according to the functionality and extras built in to your model of choice. Despite that, we still expect that the cheapest model on offer is likely to top $350 due principally to the rising cost of components. Technology continues to move forward and with rising inflation around the globe it would be unreasonable to suspect that a new console, crammed with all the latest and greatest technological gadgets and gizmos, would cost less than its predecessor.

The Innards of the Xbox 720

Consider how much a gaming PC would cost in today's market. Certainly more than $1,000 for a reasonable specification. Consoles have historically been cheaper than their PC equivalents, due partially to their distinct lack of upgrade ability. This is a trend certainly set to continue, so don't start panicking about the need to find $1,500 to pay for your own 720 just yet.

Having said that, the technology combining to form the innards of the next gen console from Microsoft is likely to be very sophisticated, particularly if we can put any weight behind early claims about Avatar-style graphics. Rumors of a combined CPU/GPU chip designed specifically for this purpose is sure to raise prices, but not to an unreasonable level.

The Red Ring of Death

Almost every Xbox gamer has cast their eye upon the Red Ring at some point in their console's life. Microsoft has been forced to fork out who knows how much cash in the repair of an endless stream of broken consoles, so will they learn their lesson this time around? With a desperate rush to bring the Xbox 360 out quickly and affordably, Microsoft certainly opted for cheaper components than was sensible, hence the constant breakdown of the technology. More expensive components mean a greater price at the outset, but increased reliability may just be worth the extra cost.

Motion Sensing

Like it or not, it looks like the motion sensing Kinect technology is here to stay. Launching into the marketplace at $149.99, the Kinect was supposed to revolutionize the way that we enjoy games. Despite an initial onslaught of titles that would have seemed more fitting for the Wii, we are just now starting to see some high quality titles make their way to this camera and laser driven means of controlling a game. As such it seems unlikely that Microsoft would be willing to drop the technology for their next console.

What does this mean? Well if the Kinect does come bundled with the Xbox 720 as many critics are assuming it will, that will certainly put up the cost of the overall package. Hopefully not by as much as its $150 standalone price!

In Conclusion

Based on the above information it seems likely that the Xbox 720 will fall within the price boundaries of $400 - $600. Of course this is pure speculation on our part, but needless to say now is the time to start saving for what is inevitably going to be quite a hit to your bank balance!

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