Thursday, May 8th 2008
Report: Microsoft Prepares to Release the 65nm Xbox 360 ''Jasper'' Consoles in August
The China Economic News Service reported today that Microsoft has assigned Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Nanya PCB to manufacture, test and package the latest version of Xbox 360, codenamed "Jasper". TSMC will build ATI Xenos graphics and memory controller hub (GMCH) for the new Jasper console, using 65nm process. ASE was contracted to package and test the two chips, while Nanya has won orders to supply flip-chip packaging substrates, reports CENS.com. Current Xbox 360 consoles named Falcon utilize GMCH and eDRAM cores manufactured using 90nm process technology at TSMC as well as CPU built at IBM using 65nm fabrication process. The new Jasper Xbox 360s are projected to consume less electricity, use less complex cooling systems and logically produce less noise. In addition the revised consoles will fix the so-called "red ring of death" issue that plagued many Falcon systems. Microsoft will reportedly make available the Jasper version of XBox 360 game console in August this year.
Sources:
CENS.com, X-bit labs
26 Comments on Report: Microsoft Prepares to Release the 65nm Xbox 360 ''Jasper'' Consoles in August
PR department should fall on swords immediately.
X360 team should have gone back to OEMs much earlier and demanded die-shrink. It's kind of too late. The X360 brand is already spoiled, and a die shrink without NEW FEATURES to excite the consumer is another missed opportunity. :nutkick:
Marketing department should fall on swords immediately.
heck, I'd like to find out what percentage of 360 owners even know what size die the Falcon models are, let alone what a die shrink is or does :laugh:
Thing is, if they'd designed it well, then no matter the heat, we wouldn't have this issue.
(ask questions later)
Those new consoles are sweet, but I figure next Gen will be even better, with integrated PhysiX engines, multi GPU (let's no forget that ATI has a strong hold on the console market) and even better performing multi-core CPU (Die shrink and all), full HD capabilites with 7.1 sound, heck why not even implement a sort of operating system from wich you could access applications... SWEET and you know it will be available in not so long anyways. Let's name this thing, The all in one ultimate living quarters entertainment box.
Franck
One question; are the RRoD issues severe with the current Falcon models, as severe as they seemed to be on the time of release for the X360? Or should I just wait 'til August to get the console? Will it be a big-enough of a difference between the Jasper version and the current?
And it really depends on how quickly you want to get your hands on one. You're covered by a 3 year warranty against RROD, yes it takes 2-3 weeks for repair, but better than waiting 3-4 months for the new ones to come out wouldn't you say?
my 360 is on my desk next to my monitor and its deafening...
A: a cheaper fan on it
or
B: making it spool slower
in which case either a or b the xbox will still get 2 hot because their going to cut cooling for less noise and their simply assuming the 65nm will bleed less heat but thats not true if they slow the fan down..
i think they should
A: leave the current loud ass fan in their but make the HS have a copper core like the P4 days
B: have a copper core cooler and just put a nice quite high cfm fan in their
Microsoft is only JUST making a profit on the 360, but it's like $4 a console or something ridiculous like that.
Same reason why a 2900xt still costs in the mid 200$ range, but a HD3870 (die shrink, same core) can be had for a lot less. Or just the 9x00 series from nVidia is the same as the 8x00 series, but cheaper and cooler.