Electronics retailer Best Buy isn't handing out extra free games to entice users into buying Microsoft's Xbox One entertainment console there instead of somewhere else. Instead, the retailer is making it incredibly easy for shoppers to earn their achievements and get their Xbox fix anywhere with a free Nokia Lumia 635 smartphone included in a coming Xbox One deal.
An ad breakdown for Best Buy at enthusiast website CheapAssGamer indicates that next week anyone who purchases an Xbox One will get a free Nokia Lumia 635. Though the site hasn't posted scans of the add itself, its shared accurate information about coming sales and Xbox One deals in the past.
Buying an Xbox One and getting a Lumia 635 for free is a pretty decent deal. First there's the Xbox One itself. When it launched back in 2013 there was only a single bundle that cost $499. It included a Kinect 2 sensor, but didn't have any actual games bundled with it. Last year, Microsoft introduced a cheaper Xbox One bundle at $399 that didn't include a Kinect 2 sensor at all.
This Xbox One deal includes that Kinect-less Xbox One and a digital download code for Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Master Chief Collection is a giant remake of all the Halo games to ever feature series protagonist John 117. It launched last fall and still costs $59.99 on its own. Really, users are getting four separate games in high-definition for free. What's more, Microsoft plans to add a fourth game, Halo 3: ODST, to that roster of titles at some point in the near future.
Unfortunately, since those posting about the Xbox One deal didn't upload a photo or picture it's a bit unclear how much users are saving on the cost of the Lumia 635. It's about the only Windows Phone close to carrier ubiquity in the United States. Microsoft's retail website lists the Lumia 635 for T-Mobile without a contract for $79.99. Beside it is the same Lumia 635, but in black and unlocked for $129. AT&T's Lumia 635 without a contract costs just $49. Sprint's version is $179.99.
GottaBeMobile reviewed the Lumia 635 last year and found it to be a pretty cable smartphone for users who don't want to sign a contract or just don't need a lot of the extras that top-of-the-line devices like the iPhone require.
Read: Lumia 635 Review
There's a quad-core processor inside the Lumia 635 along with 512MB of RAM. Users can store pictures, music and video in the internal 8GB stash of storage or on an external microSD card that slides into the back of the device when you left off its colored shells. The display measures about 4.5-inches, making it fine for video watching, but not spectacular due to its 842 x 480 resolution. There are no physical buttons on the Lumia 635's front-face. Instead, it uses on-screen buttons like most Android devices. The Lumia 635 doesn't have a front-facing camera for taking self-portraits. That being said, there is a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. Sadly, it's not great for low-light picture taking because it lacks flash.
We'll have to wait until the deal goes live on Sunday, March 29th before we can say with some certainty which Lumia 635 users are getting free of charge. The Lumia 635 runs Windows Phone and uses the same Microsoft Account as the Xbox One. With SmartGlass, users get access to their Xbox Live profile anywhere that their smartphone has an internet connection. Games downloaded from the Windows Store earn users achievements. Pictures taken with the Lumia 635's camera can autosync with the OneDrive app available on the Xbox One itself.
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