I personally think the black casing is a winner by itself. Hardware makers are learning consumers will pay a premium just to get a device in black. The elite also fixed MSFT's mistake in releasing the original Xbox 360 in beige (I think it was supposed to be white, but by then white was no longer "in").
The HDMI is also becoming more important for people with newer HDTVs. Finally, the premium version of consoles seems to sell best anyways--I think gamers don't want to feel they are missing out on any features and would rather feel safe and pay the extra money.
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The HDMI is also becoming more important for people with newer HDTVs. Finally, the premium version of consoles seems to sell best anyways--I think gamers don't want to feel they are missing out on any features and would rather feel safe and pay the extra money.