Why The Xbox 360 Doesn't Have an Internal HD DVD Drive

[Jeremy Charette]

<img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/xboxhddvddrive.jpg" /> <br /><br />Since even before the Xbox 360 launched, there's been one recurring question: why doesn't it have an internal HD DVD drive? Well, there's a bunch of reasons. First: load times. HD DVD drives currently read DVD-ROM discs at a maximum speed of 8x or 10x speed. The Xbox 360's internal DVD drive runs at 12x. Were Microsoft to put an HD DVD drive in the 360, load times for games would go up significantly. Since the Xbox 360 is a game console at heart, Microsoft focused on providing users with the best gaming experience, above all else. <br /><br />The second reason is simple: cost. Adding an HD DVD drive to the console would add anywhere from $150-200 to the retail price. This would drive up the base price of the 360 to $500-600. As it is, the Core runs $299, competing directly with the Wii at $249. On the other end of the spectrum the Elite (sans HD DVD drive) looks like a relative bargain compared to the PS3, at $479.<!><br /><br />Reason three: choice. Microsoft understands that not everyone who buys an Xbox 360 is going to need or want to watch HD DVD movies on their console. Those who do want that added functionality can spend the extra $200 to get it.<br /><br />Then there's the noise. Reason four: the Xbox 360 is loud. Because the Xbox 360 plays games in high definition, it has some pretty powerful hardware under the hood. All that power produces a lot of heat. The fans required to move all that hot air out of the console are anything but quiet. Loud console + quiet living room = bad movie watching experience.<br /><br />Last reason: there's no clear winner in the HD format war, and won't be for quite a while. There's no reason for Microsoft to lock itself (and it's customers) into HD DVD yet. If Blu-Ray ends up being the de facto HD disc format, they can release an external Blu-Ray drive at a later date.<br /><br />So, there you have it. Don't expect an internal HD DVD drive in the Xbox 360 anytime soon, if ever. I wouldn't expect a high definition optical drive until the third generation Xbox in three or four years. By then though, HD discs will likely take a backseat to downloadable content delivery.

[Jason Dunn]

Good write-up Jeremy, and entirely accurate: Microsoft's decision to not include a next-gen optical drive will be seen as a wise move in hindsight even if some people wonder why it's not there today.

[Chris Gohlke]

I don't have a 360 yet, so I am confused on your point regarding the noise/heat. Don't you have to run your 360 to use the HD drive? So what difference does it make if it is internal or external. While modular, the 360 is more than the PS3 in the closest thing you can come to an apples to apples comparison if you want all the bells and whistles. 360 Premium ($399) + HD Drive ($199) + Wireless adapter ($99) puts it over the PS3. Still, I want an 360, but by the time I get all the parts I want, an extra controller and a few games, I'm pushing close to $1,000. I'd hoped to see the elite sku be priced at $500 or $550, but include wireless and an HD drive.

[Jeremy Charette]

My point was this: if an enthusiast is looking to buy an HD-DVD player for home theater use, he or she will probably buy a standalone player, rather than get a 360, whether it had an external or internal HD DVD drive. The 360 is noticeably noisier than a standalone HD DVD player, even when it's only playing back movies.

You're right, the Elite or Premium with the same specs as the $599 PS3 would end up being more expensive, but to play devil's advocate, at least Microsoft gives you a choice. If you don't need wireless, don't buy it. If you don't need HD DVD, don't buy it. With the PS3 it's an all or nothing proposition.

There's another reason the PS3 is cheaper than the equivalent 360 configuration: Sony is taking a bigger loss. They want the PS3 out there in huge numbers, and are willing to throw away huge amounts of money to make that happen. Microsoft sees the opportunity to lose a few dollars on each console sold, and make up some of that money on peripherals, for those users who want them.

Sony is bleeding incontrollably trying to catch up. Microsoft has a triage plan in place.

[Chris Gohlke]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Microsoft was actually making a few bucks on the hardware, so they could easily lower the price if they needed to in order compete with Sony, but thanks to the great job Sony has done, Microsoft has not found it necessary and Microsoft is reaping the benefit by making money on the hardware.

[Felix Torres]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Microsoft was actually making a few bucks on the hardware, so they could easily lower the price if they needed to in order compete with Sony, but thanks to the great job Sony has done, Microsoft has not found it necessary and Microsoft is reaping the benefit by making money on the hardware.

There was a report last november *estimating* the 360 premium build costs at around $325, minus shipping and advertising costs. It was just a bill of materials estimate. That was before the warranty extension to one year. Based on that estimate one could reasonably expect MS to drop the price for the second half of the year. Conventional wisdom says a price cut will come in June/July. Me, I think MS wants to see March sales numbers (Wii has been trending down since Dec, despite all the hype and shortages; PS3 at 127K per month in feb, will it stay that low?) before making adjustments. Introducing the Elite at $479 just establishes that value point so any cuts look even better. ;-)

Considering all the $50-off deals and bundles out there its pretty clear that MS has (not so) quietly dropped the *wholesale* price of the Premium by about $50 already. But since Sony keeps dragging along, MS is letting retailers choose the bundle and/or promotion they want to use to move 360's instead of lowering the MSRP.

Its a good way to stay on retailers' good side. ;-)

[Felix Torres]

For an example of the kind of problems a blue-laser drive brings *these days* check this Playstation fan's experience installing Splinter Cell.

http://playstation-disorder.com/

PC-style instalation and console-style mandatory launch day patches.
Sounds like the worst of both worlds to me.

Things will obviously get better...someday...but for 2005, 2006, and 2007 the hassles to gamers aren't worth the benefits to movie aficionadoes.
And gamers are the ones footing the bill for these consoles...

[Jake Ludington]

One key point you overlooked in keeping the HD-DVD drive separate: portability. By making it external, you can easily jack the drive into your Vista machine or connect it to one of several Xbox 360's in your house.

As for the format war, watch Children of Men on HD-DVD for one of many upcoming reasons why it's game over for Blu-ray. The ability to quickly shift in and out of special features without interrupting the movie experience is something HD-DVD can do and Blu-ray simply can't. Blu-ray was designed by Sony as a means of competing with hard disk DVRs, not as the next generation shiny disk - and it shows. (for the record, I have both)

[Felix Torres]

As for the format war, watch Children of Men on HD-DVD for one of many upcoming reasons why it's game over for Blu-ray. The ability to quickly shift in and out of special features without interrupting the movie experience is something HD-DVD can do and Blu-ray simply can't. Blu-ray was designed by Sony as a means of competing with hard disk DVRs, not as the next generation shiny disk - and it shows. (for the record, I have both)

This is interesting.
Can you elaborate why?
Would it be a data structure issue, a specification limitation, or a limitation of the current players?
In other words, is it something inherent in the disk specification or is it a failure of the onboard firmware that could be fixed with an update? Much as I personally favor HD-DVD, I fear BD will prevail *because* of the recent cracking of AACS which validates (feh!) Sony's insistence on the user hostile BD+ second-layer of DRM. So if it is something inherent in the spec we as consumers stand to lose thrice with a BD victory. :-(