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...Yet more expensive after exchange rate adjustment
Microsoft's Xbox One may launch this November as one of the most expensive consoles ever, but if its $499 price is measured against other consoles with inflation factored in, the system's RRP is not the steepest.
Games site Ars Technica has listed most of the major games consoles released since the Atari 2600, and adjusted each system's RRP for inflation to bring all in line with 2013.
The results suggest that the Xbox One, in real terms, is $200 cheaper than the PS3, more than $100 cheaper than the Sega Saturn, and less than half the price of the 3DO and NeoGeo.
Ars Technica's chart, pictured below, also suggests that games consoles are generally launching at a cheaper price in real terms. The Panasonic 3DO remains the most expensive, at a 2013 price of £1127, though the NeoGeo is at a close second at £1111.
These figures only represent US launch prices, however. Microsoft is launching the Xbox One in the UK at £429 for the unit, which calculates to $652.
Sony's PlayStation 4 price holds a key advantage, selling at $399 in the US and £349 in the UK.
Microsoft has confirmed an Xbox One release date of November 2013. It will go head-to-head with the PS4 release which is currently officially 'holiday 2013'
Source: CVG
It just sounds like more spin to me for the expensive cost of the XBone. You can't really compare launch prices in the past with prices today. In years gone by, electronics goods were more expensive, they always are until they are produced on a large scale. I remember the first flat-bed black & white scanners when they first came out were over £800, now you can get colour ones built into multi-function printers for less than £100.
$499 for the XBone translates to $652.47 (£429) for the UK. Taking off VAT (which won't be included in the US cost then that's £357.50 or $543.72, so a $44.72 premium. Compare that to the PS4 - $399 translates to £530.79 (£349) which is £290.84 or $442.34 ex VAT, so a £43.34 premium. So a similar premium on both consoles.
Microsoft's Xbox One may launch this November as one of the most expensive consoles ever, but if its $499 price is measured against other consoles with inflation factored in, the system's RRP is not the steepest.

Games site Ars Technica has listed most of the major games consoles released since the Atari 2600, and adjusted each system's RRP for inflation to bring all in line with 2013.
The results suggest that the Xbox One, in real terms, is $200 cheaper than the PS3, more than $100 cheaper than the Sega Saturn, and less than half the price of the 3DO and NeoGeo.
Ars Technica's chart, pictured below, also suggests that games consoles are generally launching at a cheaper price in real terms. The Panasonic 3DO remains the most expensive, at a 2013 price of £1127, though the NeoGeo is at a close second at £1111.

These figures only represent US launch prices, however. Microsoft is launching the Xbox One in the UK at £429 for the unit, which calculates to $652.
Sony's PlayStation 4 price holds a key advantage, selling at $399 in the US and £349 in the UK.
Microsoft has confirmed an Xbox One release date of November 2013. It will go head-to-head with the PS4 release which is currently officially 'holiday 2013'
Source: CVG
It just sounds like more spin to me for the expensive cost of the XBone. You can't really compare launch prices in the past with prices today. In years gone by, electronics goods were more expensive, they always are until they are produced on a large scale. I remember the first flat-bed black & white scanners when they first came out were over £800, now you can get colour ones built into multi-function printers for less than £100.
$499 for the XBone translates to $652.47 (£429) for the UK. Taking off VAT (which won't be included in the US cost then that's £357.50 or $543.72, so a $44.72 premium. Compare that to the PS4 - $399 translates to £530.79 (£349) which is £290.84 or $442.34 ex VAT, so a £43.34 premium. So a similar premium on both consoles.