If you’ve been waiting for the Xbox One price to drop before upgrading to a next-generation console, well, it looks like your patience has paid off.
When the Xbox One debuted one year ago, gamers had to shell out $499 for the console. But now Microsoft is offering up some sweet deals and there are now ways to buy an Xbox One for less than $250 as the holiday season approaches.
In late October, Microsoft slashed the price of its Kinect-less Xbox One by $50 in the U.S., and the console now sells for $349 without the motion sensor.
But there are also a bevy of bundle deals available for $349 that come with new games like Assassin’s Creed Unity, Sunset Overdrive, and Madden NFL 15. These games retail for $60, so you’re essentially paying about $290 for the Xbox One itself in this case.
But if you happen to have an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, there are even more ways to save. Back in July, Microsoft announced that it would give $100 in-store credit toward an Xbox One for those that trade in their used, working Xbox 360 or PS3 with controllers and cables. This deal lasts until Dec. 31.
Even more, Neowin points out that Microsoft is offering another 5 percent off all orders at the Microsoft Store if customers sign up for text message alerts.
So, if you trade in your old console, buy an Xbox One bundle, and use the 5 percent discount, you’ll end up paying less than $200 for the console itself — not a bad deal. It’s even better when you consider all the upgrades Microsoft has made to the Xbox One since last year.
Meanwhile, the PS4, which has consistently outsold the Xbox One, still retails for $399 — the same price since launch.
