[quote name='Kylearan']After doing the math...
If you already have the 360 you're gonna use Kinect with, this is a pretty good deal for now. No tax for most on Amazon, which generally makes it a bit better than Walmart. Curious what KMart and others will throw down, though.
If you're going to pick up a new console with Kinect, however, there's are a few options, depending on whether you want to wait for the bundles or get your new 360 now and piece it together in November.
I'm assuming the ultimate goal is a 250GB 360S with Kinect and 1 additional game.
Scenario 1: Buy Console Now, Add Kinect and Game Later
Option A: The 4GB
At present, Dell has a decent (not great) deal on the 4GB 360S: $169.99 + taxes. For CA, that brings the total to around $186.51.
Assuming you wait until Kinect is released and you receive your credit to upgrade to a 250GB hard drive, you'll use the $30 from Amazon's Kinect Deal (Kinect + 1 additional game at $198.99) on this $129.99 upgrade, bringing that down to $99.
Total Out of Pocket Cost: $485.49
Benefits: You can space out the cost the most, new 360S now, matte finish on your 360
Cons: Most Expensive (Net) Option
Option B: The 250GB
Here's where you just buy the 250GB outright from Amazon for $299.99 now, and buy the Kinect plus 1 Game Bundle from Amazon ($198.99) later, which will give you $30 to play with later.
Total Out of Pocket Cost: $498.98
Total NET Cost: $468.98
Benefits: get your 360S now, most of your costs up front, $30 to buy a second game with
Cons: Most expensive out-of-pocket option, most of your costs up front, $30 gift card won't help offset system costs
Scenario 2: Show Some Restraint - The Waiting Game
This is where you don't take advantage of this deal and wait until the Kinect System Bundles come out on November 4th. No one wants to do this, but it IS the best option price-wise.
Option A: The 4GB Route
$299.99 for the Kinect System Bundle, $49 for a game, $129.99 eventual HD upgrade.
Total Out of Pocket Cost: $478.98
Benefits: matte finished console, can space out costs a little, but most is up front, less expensive than buying now
Cons: have to wait, up front costs, about $30 more expensive than going for the 250GB Kinect Bundle.
Option B: The 250GB Bundle
$399.99 for the Kinect System Bundle, $49 for a game
Total Out of Pocket Cost: $448.99
Benefits: least expensive, overall
Cons: all at once (though you could delay buying the extra game)
---------
Conclusion:
BUY NOW, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER with an extra game
4GB - $485.49 TOTAL
250GB - $498.98 TOTAL + $30 CREDIT ($468.98 to some)
WAIT, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER (if necessary) with an extra game
4GB - $478.98 TOTAL
250GB - $448.99 TOTAL
Unfortunate as it is, waiting for the 250GB Kinect 360S System Bundle is the cheapest way to go at the moment, with the deals so far. Next best, depending on your perspective on gift cards, is to take advantage of the Amazon deal in this thread and get the 250GB 360S from Amazon now or whenever. The worst deal, money-wise, is to go for the 4GB version with Dell's present deal, and adding all the pieces together later; it is the best, however, for spreading the costs across multiple months.
Being cheap, however, I guess I'll save now and wait for the big boy.
Hope this helps someone else decide what to do.[/QUOTE]
Bravo!
yourself.
