XBox 360 CPU upgrade slated for early next year.

[swivel]

Simon Burns in Taipei, vnunet.com 21 Apr 2006
ADVERTISEMENT
Click Here!

Microsoft will upgrade the CPU used in its Xbox 360 games console early next year, the CPU's manufacturer announced today.

The new CPU will be built using technology that can reduce heat and power consumption, as well as potentially increasing speed. It will also help Microsoft cut the console's cost.

The improved Xbox 360 CPU will be manufactured using 65 nanometre technology starting in the first quarter of 2007, Chartered Semiconductor of Singapore said. The existing CPU uses 90nm technology.

Although the launch of the Xbox 360 last November was generally hailed as a success for Microsoft, the console has been troubled by reports of overheating causing games to crash or freeze.

These have come despite the unit using a pair of powerful fans, together with heat pipes, to carry heat away from the CPU core.

Microsoft acknowledged last year that it had received "isolated" reports of problems. One US buyer has initiated a class action suit against the company, alleging that both the CPU and power supply were prone to overheating.

As is common with advances in chip building methods, the 65nm technology that the new Xbox 360 CPU will use can provide lower power consumption and reduced heat output compared to older production methods.

While the new CPU may help Microsoft alleviate any overheating problems with the existing Xbox 360 design, it is standard industry practice for hardware makers to take advantage of newer semiconductor technology as it becomes available, simply because this helps them reduce manufacturing costs.

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2154491/microsoft-upgrades-xbox-cpu

The 3-core CPU is moving to a 65 micron process, which will reduce heat. Rejoice.

[ll Mista GT ll]

Mine doesn't heat up in the first place :) w00000t

[BuLLsEyEWTF]

Mine heated up once, then I moved it :) I should be ok for a while

[Whisper]

And will my Xbox be replaced free of charge if I want this update to the system that people who were loyal and bought on launch day don't have?

Absolute bull****ing****.

[Reclaimer]

And will my Xbox be replaced free of charge if I want this update to the system that people who were loyal and bought on launch day don't have?

Absolute bull****ing****.

That's why you never ever buy something the day it comes out. Especially technology items.
Not a new car model, not software, and not computer tech.

Always wait. Avoid being like the sheep, just sit back and see what happens.
Now I'm really happy I decided to hold out.

[Whisper]

Well gee I thought they had something called the testing process. You know, where products are tested to make sure major changes need not be made.

I'm sure Microsoft would give me the same advice. Don't buy our product when it first comes out, you know, just incase.

**** that. People have the right to know that when they buy something, it isn't ****ed. Especially when it costs a half months rent.

My xbox works just fine, but this is stupid. I might just phone and complain and get them to pay for everything, just to cause them trouble and cost them money.

Lets not send those troops that new body armor. After all they shouldn't have it when it first comes out.

[Kyle Static]

...you guys are complaining over nothing. It's fair to ***** if you've had serious issues with your 360 overheating or games crashing/freezing, but if you haven't...what the hell are you *****ing about? The power consumption won't be marginally affected I'm sure....nor will the supposed "speed" of the processor. I bet it (Max) takes 2 seconds off load screens at best. My 360 is working fine and the only game thats ever frozen is morrowind...which is understandable because it's such a whopping game....other than that relax guys.

If it really bugs you guys that much pull the ol switcheroo trick that so many of you stand by...buy new box..put old mint box in new boxes case....return box.....douche it up. :p

[Reclaimer]

Well gee I thought they had something called the testing process. You know, where products are tested to make sure major changes need not be made.

I'm sure Microsoft would give me the same advice. Don't buy our product when it first comes out, you know, just incase.

**** that. People have the right to know that when they buy something, it isn't ****ed. Especially when it costs a half months rent.

My xbox works just fine, but this is stupid. I might just phone and complain and get them to pay for everything, just to cause them trouble and cost them money.

Lets not send those troops that new body armor. After all they shouldn't have it when it first comes out.

1. And companies reserve the right to change their product at any time for any reason with or without warning. Nobody complained that the original Xbox went through 8 major changes for quality improvement. The orignal Xbox that's rolling off the assembly lines now, isn't even from the same assembly line the first run Xbox was built on, and the memory, hard drive, motherboard and so forth has been changed to new manufacturers several times.

What about car companies? Are you going to cry to GM or Ford because you spent 20K on a car, and they changed some major parts of the car a month later?
That happens all the time. Every car company is always changing and updating something inside their cars.

2. I doubt MS would give you that advice, but that's just common sense. You never want to pay that much for something that just came out. I know I'd never shell out 500 bucks for something I'd never seen work before.

3. You are not entitled to a product. You are not obligated to buy a product. If it costs half a month's rent to you, you shouldn't be buying something like that. This tactic of changing a product after it just comes out is nothing new, every company does it with or without you knowledge.

4. Try it and see. You never know but I have a feeling that they're expecting that to happen.

5. Yes, even in the military you don't want to be the first to have something. Even body armor. Believe me. Ten years in the service, they've given us all kinds of stuff that seemed like it would work but they just turned around and changed it and gave us something new at the last second because there was something wrong with the first thing.
Even body armor.. they issued us Second Chance Type IIA BPV's, a month later without saying a word about it, some guy comes and takes them all way and his partner hands us a new IIA BPV. I noticed in the care tag in small letters. (Model 1.1)
Great, God only knows what Model 1 was going to do. Now there's 1.1. We ran missions with Model 1's on before we got the 1.1's.

That's just the way of life in the military. You never want to be the first to go, or the first to try.
You're just preaching to the choir about the military stuff.

[swivel]

It is funny how the hype has died down, and we are now comfortable living in the Next Generation of gaming. We are already complaining about the lack of games, and a new revision to the console, and E3 is approaching with two more consoles. It makes me wonder if launching first is even important anymore. Not enough units will have shipped by the first of next year, I don't think, to change the order of the systems by much.

And consoles are becoming more like PC's, when what we really needed were PC's to become more like consoles. There was a not-so-bright member of our forum who once told me how the future of having a single gaming system was inevitable. Instead we have consoles launching with multiple configurations, and an upgrade cycle (bigger hard drive, HD-DVD drive, new CPU process, etc...) It's only a matter of time before you are having to buy a physics add-in card for the XBox2 in order to play the latest and greatest game. Crysis could even be that game.

I think the whole thing is a mess. I want more fun games, and less hassle. The best thing I've played on a console lately is Guitar Hero, and I'm not even into that kind of music. But the game is fun and addictive. Heck, it drags me away from Oblivion on my PC! Which makes me think that Nintendo is going to come along at just the right time. I'm already setting aside for the new DS Lite. Bring on the -Fun- !

[ReggieGrip]

oh well..don't really care. mine hasn't heated up at all, but then again, i keep it properly ventilated ;)

[AlphaRaptor]

That's why you never ever buy something the day it comes out. Especially technology items.
Not a new car model, not software, and not computer tech.

Always wait. Avoid being like the sheep, just sit back and see what happens.
Now I'm really happy I decided to hold out.
If everyone waited, the 360 wouldn't be around to get in the next year...SOMEONE has to buy them on launch day. Besides, having a next gen system before everyone else pwns. :hardcore:

I have no heating problems with my 360 btw...only a few ppl have had problems, and blow everything way out of proportion.

[Soda Jones]

1. And companies reserve the right to change their product at any time for any reason with or without warning. Nobody complained that the original Xbox went through 8 major changes for quality improvement. The orignal Xbox that's rolling off the assembly lines now, isn't even from the same assembly line the first run Xbox was built on, and the memory, hard drive, motherboard and so forth has been changed to new manufacturers several times.

What about car companies? Are you going to cry to GM or Ford because you spent 20K on a car, and they changed some major parts of the car a month later?
That happens all the time. Every car company is always changing and updating something inside their cars.

2. I doubt MS would give you that advice, but that's just common sense. You never want to pay that much for something that just came out. I know I'd never shell out 500 bucks for something I'd never seen work before.

3. You are not entitled to a product. You are not obligated to buy a product. If it costs half a month's rent to you, you shouldn't be buying something like that. This tactic of changing a product after it just comes out is nothing new, every company does it with or without you knowledge.

4. Try it and see. You never know but I have a feeling that they're expecting that to happen.

5. Yes, even in the military you don't want to be the first to have something. Even body armor. Believe me. Ten years in the service, they've given us all kinds of stuff that seemed like it would work but they just turned around and changed it and gave us something new at the last second because there was something wrong with the first thing.
Even body armor.. they issued us Second Chance Type IIA BPV's, a month later without saying a word about it, some guy comes and takes them all way and his partner hands us a new IIA BPV. I noticed in the care tag in small letters. (Model 1.1)
Great, God only knows what Model 1 was going to do. Now there's 1.1. We ran missions with Model 1's on before we got the 1.1's.

That's just the way of life in the military. You never want to be the first to go, or the first to try.
You're just preaching to the choir about the military stuff.


First Choice Body armor is the best in my opinion...you wont hear problems about them in the news...they are my personal choice above all others hands down.:cheers:

[l Maximus l]

Mine works great...now, my XBL headset that came with the console? That blows ass...I need a new one badly. I can hear fine; however, only once in a while others can hear me. I may end up picking up the Plantronics one instead...does anyone know if it's out?

[J3bus WTF]

And will my Xbox be replaced free of charge if I want this update to the system that people who were loyal and bought on launch day don't have?

Absolute bull****ing****.
I epected this anyway, same thing happened with the first xbox, and every other console as well.

You should have known this when you bought your's on launch day. :(

[Slam Dunker]

This sounds great. I'm onto my 3rd Xbox 360 console already and im pretty pissed off at the moment what with all the problems i've been having, it's sad that it's only comming out next year but i would prefer to wait and have something that actually worked how it said it would. So i guess i now have to return this Xbox and go without one for 8months :mad: or just keep getting them replaced :confused:

I'm so confused right now...

[Codefox]

That's why you never ever buy something the day it comes out. Especially technology items.
Not a new car model, not software, and not computer tech.

Always wait. Avoid being like the sheep, just sit back and see what happens.
Now I'm really happy I decided to hold out.

And when you get your console a year and a half after it first came out...I'll have been enjoying my perfectly fine 360 for all that time. There's no point in ever waiting with technology or you'll always be waiting for the better thing right around the corner.