It's still way more expensive than getting a $399, Blu-ray-equipped PlayStation 3 and a $99 HD DVD player, but the combo Blu-ray/HD DVD deck's new price tag represents a steep drop from the original $1,049 retail price.

Samsung reps have told Engadget HD that the BD-UP5000, originally announced back in July, will arrive in stores (finally) later this month. The dual-format deck can handle all the interactive special features of HD DVD discs (as opposed to the first of the Blu-ray/HD DVD combo players, the LG BH100), and it will also be upgradeable to the new Blu-ray profile 1.1, which adds support for picture-in-picture video commentaries.

It's a pretty sweet package, especially for anyone who wants to dive into HD discs without dealing with the protracted Blu-ray/HD DVD format war. And while the $799 price tag is still relatively cheap, it's a relative bargain compared to the $999 price of LG's upcoming successor to the BH100, the aptly named BH200. Of course, the real bargain would be picking up a $399 PS3 and a $99-to-$200 HD DVD player, but then you're talking two boxes and a lot more clutter. Anyway, with Samsung's latest price drop (and the inevitable online discounts, especially after the holidays), I wouldn't be surprised if we saw dual-format HD decks in the sub-$500 range within the next six months or so.

So how much would you be willing to pay for a combo Blu-ray/HD DVD deck?

Related:
Samsung's DB-UP5000 HD DVD / Blu-ray player: $799, shipping mid-to-late December [Engadget HD]