Xbox One Elite bundle includes hybrid SSD, customizable controller

[Shawn Knight]

Microsoft on Monday announced a new Xbox One bundle that’ll include a new type of hard drive and a customizable controller.

The Xbox One Elite bundle includes a 1TB solid state hybrid drive. As you may know, such drives employ a small amount of flash-based storage that handles frequently-accessed data for improved performance. Microsoft says the new drive enables the system to wake from its energy-saving mode up to 20 percent faster.

True to its name, the bundle also includes an Xbox Elite wireless controller.

First unveiled during Microsoft’s E3 briefing back in June, the Elite controller affords what Microsoft calls pro-level customization. It offers swappable thumbsticks and D-pads of varying shapes and sizes, interchangeable paddles, hair trigger locks and more. There’s even a companion app that allows you to adjust trigger values, thumbstick sensitivity, button assignments and so on.

The controller alone will sell for $149.99 when it goes on sale in October.

The console itself will feature a matte black finish that should contrast the Elite controller nicely. And while on the subject of controllers, Microsoft announced a special edition Lunar White wireless controller. Unlike the Elite, the special edition is a standard model with a contrasting white, black and gold color scheme.

The Xbox One Elite bundle goes on sale worldwide starting in November for $499. It’s worth noting that it’ll be sold exclusively at GameStop and Microsoft Stores through the month of November. The special edition Lunar White controller, meanwhile, will command $64.99 exclusively at GameStop as of late September.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/61948-xbox-one-elite-bundle-includes-hybrid-ssd-customizable.html

 

[NightAngel79]

Damn, I want it for the drive alone. Though I should just pop a true SSD 1tb in mine and be done with it. I could care less for the elite controller.

 

[9Nails]

I'm old, and have trouble memorizing letters to buttons! On my Xbox One or PS3, I can't recall them for crap. Have to look down every time it says, "Press Y to continue..." I just mash everything. "It's in there somewhere", I explain to my Xbox. So the Elite Controller will be lost on me. But better loading times will be a blessing. I purchased the Xbox mostly for the kids or wife, but I like to play now and then too.

 

[Gopal Bhat]

I'm old, and have trouble memorizing letters to buttons! On my Xbox One or PS3, I can't recall them for crap. Have to look down every time it says, "Press Y to continue..." I just mash everything. "It's in there somewhere", I explain to my Xbox. So the Elite Controller will be lost on me. But better loading times will be a blessing. I purchased the Xbox mostly for the kids or wife, but I like to play now and then too.

I have that problem with the Playstation. Probably because I rarely use it but somehow mapping shapes to buttons seems less intuitive. I guess like a keyboard I expect letters to be on keys/buttons and the colours on the xbox controller must help people too.

At least the X&Y buttons on the xbox controller are in the right place compared to nintendo. X = X axis, Y = Y axis. Nintendo do the opposite for some weird reason. Would love to hear their logic.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I'm old, and have trouble memorizing letters to buttons! On my Xbox One or PS3, I can't recall them for crap. Have to look down every time it says, "Press Y to continue..." I just mash everything. "It's in there somewhere", I explain to my Xbox. So the Elite Controller will be lost on me. But better loading times will be a blessing. I purchased the Xbox mostly for the kids or wife, but I like to play now and then too.

You have problems memorizing the controllers buttons? I have problems memorizing where I last stored the grand kids entire console, let alone the controllers, when they visit.
If a controller doesn't have WASD keys and I separate mouse then I can't use it and I have no interest in learning.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I have problems memorizing where I last stored the grand kids

Would you think bad of me, if I stopped reading there?

 

[RustyTech]

If a controller doesn't have WASD keys and I separate mouse then I can't use it and I have no interest in learning.

So true.

 

[amstech]

They continue to make poor choices over and over on a failing system that nobody wants. $150 for a god damn controller? I don't care how nice it is, $79 would be pushing it.
Do they actually think this will make a difference anyways?
Maybe they shouldn't have cheaped out on the consoles hardware and controller quality in the first place.

Haven't they accepted the reality of the console sales?! Nobody wants this damn thing.
You should be able to buy a 1TB Xbox One Console with the Elite controller and coupon for a new game for no more then $350.

End rant/

 

[ChuckyDhaBeast]

They don't need a more expensive console to combat sony. They need to lower the damn price. The rumors of the slim without blu-ray made sense (as long as they stop making DD games so expensive), but a more expensive one is not gonna be a win. If I want to pay more, I'll just go for the more powerfull PS4.

 

[sthet81]

Got to admit I like the elite controller but $149 you can shove it right back to your nose Microsoft. Why not allow us to change the hard drive. That would be the icing on the cake since backward compatibility has already been implemented.