Written by Giang Cao | 20 July 2010

Here's a twist I didn't see coming. The new Xbox Arcade slim comes with a matte finish, as opposed to the gloss of the "Elite" or "Pro" version. If I had a choice (which I do), my pick would be the matte. It has a more sophisticated profile, counterbalancing the harsher lines of the console more elegantly than its blazonly shiny older brother. It's a texture that begs for it to be touched and played with - much like the Nintendo DSi or even the Apple Blackbook.

Interestingly, it's another move that reflects the reverse-PlayStation design treatment that I mentioned in my analysis of the new Slim Xbox design. If you recall when the PlayStation 3 first launched, Sony differentiated its two SKUs with different finishes as well; the basic model had a predominantly all-black surface, while the higher-end model had chrome trims.

The 4GB model launches in North America August 3rd for $200. A bundle consisting of the 4GB Xbox 360 along with the Kinect sensor and Kinect Adventures pack-in will retail for $300. The bundle will be introduced along with the launch of Kinect, which will retail for $150 standalone, on November 4th.

Update: As Steven has pointed out, it was the Xbox 360 who first distinguished its premium SKU with design flourishes when it first launched in 2005. I still wonder if the strategy still holds true when the models look and feel so different (well, to my tastes anyways).

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