Xbox 360 upgrade!! - more reliable 360's on their way

Chong Warrior · 1 Oct 2006 at 13:40

Microsoft’s next-gen games box is about to get more reliable, thanks to a cooler processor coming next year.

Murmurs from the more technical corners of the internet suggest Microsoft’s about to switch to new processors for the Xbox 360, running cooler to make the machine much more reliable.

The new chips will use a 65nm process to run more efficiently than the console’s current 90nm chips.

According to the tech-heads at VNUnet, Microsoft will make the change in the first few months of next year, instantly reducing the temperature inside the Xbox and cutting down the amount of overheating issues experienced by gamers.

It's not the first update we've heard mentioned for the console, Microsoft's hinted at multimedia upgrades, and then there's the impending HD-DVD add on.

Chartered Semiconductor will be responsible for the new chips, and although they’re not as advanced as 40nm models in the pipeline from Intel and AMD, they’ll still make a big difference.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the new chips will give much of a speed boost to our beloved 'box, but in the wake of delays for the uber-powerful PS3, we’ll take reliability over speed and be thankful we’re playing at all.

xboxaddict

Kainz · 1 Oct 2006 at 13:44

It's been known about for a long time now. It's not really an upgrade though, just a newer revision. Overtime they're bound to run cooler and quieter as the technology for the gpu/cpu's improves yielding smaller die sizes running at lower voltages.

XPE · 1 Oct 2006 at 13:45

Wonder if it will have a new sku so when you go to buy one you arnt shafted and given one with an old chip.

Kreeeee · 1 Oct 2006 at 13:57

barnettgs · 1 Oct 2006 at 14:05

It was same with old PS2 and revisioned PS2 is smaller and cooler, am I right?

wedgie · 1 Oct 2006 at 14:06

Same is true for all consoles, standard procedure really.

Zico · 1 Oct 2006 at 14:19

Kainz said:
It's been known about for a long time now. It's not really an upgrade though, just a newer revision. Overtime they're bound to run cooler and quieter as the technology for the gpu/cpu's improves yielding smaller die sizes running at lower voltages.

Kreeeee said:
Quoted for truth as they say.

This is always inevitable with all technologies and is not an upgrade.

Quoting again hammer it in further.

No chance in hell that Microsoft would ever make the 360 faster just because the CPU/GPU revisions allow them to. The smaller dies will cut manufacturing costs and produce a more reliable CPU yeild.

Spyhop · 1 Oct 2006 at 14:30

XPE said:
Wonder if it will have a new sku so when you go to buy one you arnt shafted and given one with an old chip.

Not likely.. it's not something anyone other than Microsoft need know about.

Chong Warrior · 1 Oct 2006 at 15:27

Kreeeee said:
Quoted for truth as they say.

This is always inevitable with all technologies and is not an upgrade.

Zico said:
Quoting again hammer it in further.

No chance in hell that Microsoft would ever make the 360 faster just because the CPU/GPU revisions allow them to. The smaller dies will cut manufacturing costs and produce a more reliable CPU yeild.

Who said anything about it being made faster? :confused:

We know they can't upgrade a console in a way that makes it more powerfull or faster, that's so obvious it goes without saying

hence the mention about reliability in title? Last line in quote even says it's not about speed but reliability...

The HD-DVD is an upgrade, does that mean it must make the 360 faster?

Zico · 1 Oct 2006 at 16:48

Chong Warrior said:
Who said anything about it being made faster?

A lot of articles like the one above neglect to say outright that there will be NO speed difference between launch consoles and the newer revision. You personally have said nothing, we all know there won't be any speed upgrades.

We know they can't upgrade a console in a way that makes it more powerfull or faster, that's so obvious it goes without saying hence the mention about reliability in title? Last line in quote even says it's not about speed but reliability...

Actually it reads...

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the new chips will give much of a speed boost to our beloved 'box,

The newer revision won't give ANY speed increase at all. Kind of miss reporting there a little.

The HD-DVD is an upgrade, does that mean it must make the 360 faster?

The HD-DVD is not really an upgrade but more of an addon. You're not upgrading any function of the 360 with the HD-DVD but instead you're adding a new function.

At least it's not another article saying that Microsoft are going to build a newer 360 with built-in HD-DVD drive though.