Best Buy selling Xbox 360 HD DVD player for $149.99
by Donald Melanson 
posted Aug 1st 2007 at 11:12AM
It seems that Microsoft's new $179 price tag for its Xbox 360 HD DVD player just wasn't low enough for Best Buy, as the retailer is now offering the drive for the low, low price of $149.99. Of course, it's currently sold out, and it's not clear if this is a permanent price, a pricing mistake, or a one time sale (although it's not advertised as such). As far as we can tell, Best Buy appears to be the only retailer to the further discounted price, though we'll certainly keep an eye out to see if others follow suit.[Thanks, Alex]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kris @ Aug 1st 2007 11:42AM
I'm anxiously awaiting the first blu-ray poster to say "another act of desperation from the HD DVD camp!" Any minute now...
Rich Johnson @ Aug 1st 2007 11:56AM
Still waiting...
David Kaspar @ Aug 1st 2007 11:57AM
Meh, just another act of desperation from the HD DVD camp!
domerdel @ Aug 1st 2007 12:31PM
HD DVD guys are WAY too defensive... when there are articles the praise HD DVD, I say, great... but I'll stick to blu-ray.
But you have a right to be paranoid... you are the under dog :)
tranzparentl @ Aug 1st 2007 11:59AM
Best Buy sold out online and in stores, the add-on ranking on Amazon shot way up as well. Hopefully this will help encourage more adopters. I think I can talk my friend into getting it just for the TMNT movie.
Xyzzy @ Aug 1st 2007 12:09PM
People might want to check Sams Club. I know I saw the drive a couple of months ago for $149 there. It might be even cheaper now that MSRP is down and there's free movies involved.
Worth a shot if you have one near you and have a membership.
undawater @ Aug 1st 2007 12:34PM
This is not an act of desperation on the HD-DVD camp's part this is an act of desperation on Best Buy's part. ;)
cruizerzwei @ Aug 1st 2007 12:42PM
I think it was a mistake on Best Buy's part. If you look at the site now, the price is back to $179.99.
Leo @ Aug 1st 2007 12:56PM
"This is not an act of desperation on the HD-DVD camp's part this is an act of desperation on Best Buy's part. ;)"
Best Buy made a billion dollars last year; this would only be an act of desperation if Circuit City or CompUSA was doing it (who together probably lost a couple hundred million dollars combined). $150 for a drive and five movies is not a bad price. Best Buy probably paid $150 for the drive anyways and are breaking even. They'll probably go back to Microsoft and buy more drives for $120 each.
Tiger Direct has a $200 refurbished HD-DVD stand-alone player. HD-DVD players are selling for under $300 new. $180 is too much to pay for just the HD-DVD drive -- it's going to be $150 for everybody soon and not just a quick sell-out offer by Best Buy (by the end of the year in my honest opinion).
Beau @ Aug 1st 2007 1:04PM
I just checked and the website list the price as 179 now
undawater @ Aug 1st 2007 1:05PM
Looks like it was a mistake, but for the record, I saw this as nothing more than goosing sales, hence the ;)
DeadPlasmaCell @ Aug 1st 2007 1:21PM
@ Kris:
Don't forget the classic "Hah, Another nail in the coffin for HD-DVD!" Ne who @ $150 I might pick one up
dl @ Aug 1st 2007 1:59PM
Toshiba HD-A2 standalone player only $239.99 at Circuit City.
Larry @ Aug 1st 2007 2:14PM
I do not think it was a price mistake. To it looks like they were trying to get people into the store. If your going to buy the add-on chances are your going to pick up 300 as well.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Aug 1st 2007 3:06PM
Hmm now it's available but @ $179
FrankTheCrank @ Aug 1st 2007 3:11PM
Is this a clearance price?
Does BB intend on restocking?
Nfinity @ Aug 1st 2007 4:51PM
X360 HD DVD addon at new price brings 1,388% increase in sales for Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/movers-and-shakers/videogames/ref=pd_ms_vg_nav/104-1242092-6775129?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=0H3X07FABG4NPDQA1X87&pf_rd_t=2301&pf_rd_p=221590901&pf_rd_i=51549011
Kris @ Aug 1st 2007 5:14PM
@Nfinity
Hehe and they say this is the format that is already dead. Great stuff! I can't wait to see sales figures comparisons between 300 on both formats! By the way, take a look at this? Look at the current standing and the trend up to now.. things certainly looking in HD DVD's favor!
http://www.dvdempire.com/Content/Features/hidef_wars.asp?view=1&userid=99365873586658
Note: Yesterday, HD DVD was ahead at 52% to blu-ray's 48%. It is neck and neck, and sony said their software sales would be 5 to 1 by the end of the year.. LOL
jimmybobo @ Aug 1st 2007 5:50PM
I think Betamax sold a lot at this price point also!
Nfinity @ Aug 1st 2007 5:34PM
Kris, yeah..well regardless I'll just be pushing more for HD DVD anyways. I had a shopping spree yesterday he he... Best Buy really loves me :)
http://www.designbyinfinity.com/internet/neowinblog/bestbuyday.jpg
Kris @ Aug 1st 2007 5:43PM
Haha, well your not the only one, I grabbed 4 of those same HD DVD's from your picture Tuesday as well! All that together must've cost a pretty penny! :)
tobin92 @ Aug 1st 2007 6:45PM
I am just at these saying "WOW, $150 ...is more like $50 after the 5 free movie".... then I go " What is HD-DVD losses?"
I think HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are neck and neck....Whoever hit the $100 price point wins.
JeffDM @ Aug 1st 2007 6:39PM
Maybe I'm ungrateful, but given that it's just a drive and that Toshiba's standalone unit can be found for not much more and the Tosh is not a sad excuse of a sidecar, has a better remote, I just don't see the value.
My buddy has one, and he says it can only be used to play movies, that's it. It can't be used to play games.
JeffDM @ Aug 1st 2007 6:45PM
Nfinity, if you watch Blue Planet any time soon, can you please report back on how it looks? I think I have that and The Dream is Alive on DVD but I'd love to rebuy it if the HD version is top notch.
Mike @ Aug 1st 2007 7:02PM
not 5 free movies...but 6..don't forget king kong is in most if not all boxes.
If HD A2 is on sale again for $239 at CC..be sure and use the $40 coupon and get it for $199.
Nfinity @ Aug 1st 2007 8:46PM
@JeffDM
I will Jeff.
It is truly amazing how much mass histeria this $149.99 and $179.99 with 5+ HD DVD free movies caused. on AVS forums people are reporting insane demand. Almost all Best buy and CC stores are OUT of STOCK. HD DVD addons SOLD OUT .. ha ha .. Unbelieveable.
People reporting:
"here in los angeles i went to 5 stores 2 b/b, 2 c/c and 1 sears ...all we're sold out and all managers at all locations we're suprised by the demand ...they we're re-ordering largers stocks of add ons for their next deliveries "which is for friday" they also said that the avg buyer also purchased 2-3 hd dvds as well "
"It's not just amazon either. Almost allof the best buys and circuit citys in the phoenix area are sold out of it as well.My brother had to try 5 stores before he found one that had one left."
and other parts of the country are reporting the same.
Jeez..imagine 6+ million X360s in US..if only 10% of owners bought the HD DVD addon which appearently they are ha ha.. that's an addition of 600k+ HD DVD units. Wow..now that would give SERIOUS run for the money for BDA.
Mike @ Aug 2nd 2007 1:24AM
We should all go see if Target is getting more in
brock_samson @ Aug 2nd 2007 2:31AM
I got one today for $149 though they tried to make me pay $179. All I had to do was drag their sorry asses over to the display area and guess what the tag said $149. They were all looking at me like I was stealing candy from their kids. I almost started laughing.
nigel @ Aug 4th 2007 10:05PM
IS THE HD WAR OVER, MAYBE, MUST READ
Updated article on Amazon re Walmart !!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Walmart-HD-DVD/forum/Fx1YSSJPN2UWN9Q/Tx3LH3DJHB5P7SE/1/ref=cm_cd_dp_tft_tp/103-0825864-3756631?%5Fencoding=UTF8&cdAnchor=B000IJV4BC&asin=B000IJV4BC&store=electronics
GhostDoggy @ Aug 5th 2007 8:47AM
I caught this 'mistake' the morning it happened. I tool a screen capture and printed it out. I then went to two different BB that had the product in stock, but with no BB willing to honor the pricing.
Instead, I went on to Amazon and bought the HD-A2 for $240. Now, on Friday I did catch the Fry's Electronics in-store offer of the PS3, Casino Royal & Hell Boy for $499 deal, and turn around and made BB price match it. lol
Mr_Fizzlepop @ Aug 7th 2007 7:46PM
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom080507/index.php
Week ending 7/29 Blu-ray 66% HD DVD 34%
Year to Date Blu-ray 67% HD DVD 33%
If you look back one week at the 7/29 issue Blu-ray was 74% for that week. That's almost 3/4 all Software sold.
Unless HD DVD starts doing better than 1/2 the Sales of Blu-ray those drives are gonna get really cheap.