The new Xbox 360 CPU will be built using technology that can reduce heat and power consumption
Microsoft to upgrade Xbox 360 CPU
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21 Apr 2006, Simon Burns in Taipei , V3
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.
Although hardware vendors generally sell consoles at a loss when they are launched, steady advances in technology mean that the manufacturing cost is typically cut by 50 per cent or more during the first five years of production.
The new 65nm technology is also capable of running software faster than that used in the existing Xbox 360 CPU, Chartered said.
But the company did not state whether the CPU's performance when running software would be upgraded in any way to take advantage of this potential.
It is uncommon for manufacturers to increase the speed of chips in games consoles which are already on the market, because this can cause unexpected compatibility issues with games developed for the original hardware design, as well as bad feeling among existing owners.
The term '65 nanometre' refers to the size of interconnections and individual components on the CPU. Reducing these sizes allows the manufacturer to shrink the entire CPU.
Although manufacturers do not release cost details, smaller CPUs are cheaper to make because of the economies of scale the builder can achieve by packing more of them onto each 300mm silicon wafer.
The triple-core Xbox 360 CPU contains 165 million transistors. Chartered is one of two manufacturers of the CPU; the other is IBM, which designed the chip.
IBM also helped develop the silicon-on-insulator technology that Chartered uses to make the CPU.
"We plan to continue with our strategy of dual sourcing from Chartered and IBM's fabs, which are operationally aligned and compatible, to give us the consistent product quality and flexibility we will need," said Larry Yang, general manager of Xbox console development at Microsoft.
Chartered said that it is also working on yet more advanced 45nm chip making technology, but has not said whether this will be applied to Xbox CPU production when it becomes available.
In related news, Chartered today reported revenue of $368m in the first quarter. The company's net profit was $25.3m, improving on an $84.4m loss for the same period last year.
© Incisive Media Investments Limited 2010, Published by Incisive Financial Publishing Limited, Haymarket House, 28-29 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RX, are companies registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 04252091 & 04252093
Do you agree?
Probly not
i bet they wont. planned obsolescence sux.
Posted by Dumpy, 26 Apr 2006
Free upgrade? Of course NOT
No, you will not get a free upgrade. You are an early adopter, and you take the new product as-is. This happens everytime there is a new console on the market. The first generation of a new console is always more prone to bursting into flames than the second generation. Don't expect a free replacement, and it is even foolish to believe you should get one
Posted by Nothing4Free, 24 Apr 2006
Warranty on older 360's
I was wondering what will happen to the people who bought an extended warranty on the first Xbox 360's to be released ? Will they get a free upgrade ? Or how will Microsoft handle this situation with the 1st to be released ?
Posted by Lex, 21 Apr 2006
Current Owners
What about us people that already own a 360? Will Microsoft offer a free upgrade?
Posted by YoRone22, 22 Apr 2006
This is wrong
I think that Microsoft should give us free upgrades. I mean, how can you do this to all the microsoft xbox fans, that bought the 360 because they love xbox so much, and then get ripped off because the new generation comes in. It just makes the die hard xbox fans feel like test rabbits.
Posted by IMC Repairman, 01 Jun 2006
stop your whining
its was blatantly obvious that this was going to happen just as build in HD DVD will come soon. And why did anyone buy a 360? halo 3 isnt out yet (proud owner of a xbox and wont upgrade till '07)!
Posted by n, 21 Sep 2006
Free Upgrades is right
I think that we should get the upgrades for free too, i mean when the xbox a/v plugin recall was in effect we all got free plugins, why not with this, it would just save them alot of lawsuits and make people who own and want to own a 360 happier. (halo 3 probably wont be that good anyways)
Posted by Jacob Chesley, 26 Oct 2006
I agree you should get better quality for $400
I agree with your your post on many fronts. My 360 hasn't died, but I also just got mine 6 months ago (wasnt a launch system) but even so mine has it's own fair share of quirkiness. Doesn't turn on the first time ever, get the E74 error msg. quite frequently, the red lights of death come on sometimes.....etc. My thing is you're right...if you can buy a pc for $400 and it can last you 10 yrs without problems, why is it that this pc-like $400 system cant last you more than a year? Obviously there is a defect(s) with the 360. ANY piece of electronics should last atleast 3-5 years in my opinion. That being said, goodluck with your fight against M$ and I hope they do change their tune,admit their product is faulty and provide the free upgraded cpu's these machines should have had in the first place had they not rushed production to make more $.
Posted by Joe, 25 Nov 2006
More Proof of Problems with the Current Design
This just further proves that the Xbox 360 in its current form is failure prone. I have personally refused on principle to pay Microsoft for repairs to my faultily manufactured Xbox 360 console that crashed in October, 2006. I have formed a Yahoo group to organize in protest of the current MS policy regarding faulty Xbox 360s In two weeks, with minimal exposure, we are 54 strong and growing. A small group I know, but as I said we are just starting out.
In my opinion, this problem is more widespread than Microsoft is admitting and I further believe as time passes, many of the Xbox 360 owners who like to brag that they have no problems with their consoles will be among the ranks of disappointed Xbox 360 owners that are growing by the day. However, I?d like to point out here that the main issue with Microsoft is their selective and extremely unfair policies in dealing with failures that are obviously due to manufacturing defects, more so than the actual number of failures that are occurring.
No one but Microsoft knows the actual number of failed Xbox 360 consoles and who can honestly say if the figures they?re providing are completely accurate or not. However, many indisputable facts, including this article support the probability that the Xbox 360 console is fatally flawed in its current design:
1) Microsoft has publicly admitted the "launch" consoles had abnormal failure rates after they quite obviously stonewalled the public on the reported failures until that tactic was no longer an option to them. They are doing the same thing now in regards to the ongoing daily console failures, using the same original company line of a normal 3-5% failure rate.
2) There have been no notable changes made to the overall design of the Xbox 360 console to date. This begs the question as to what separates console failures of units manufactured after 12/31/05 from the pre-12/31/05 launch console failures. Microsoft is blatantly using selective warranty policies on Xbox 360 consoles that are essentially the exact same product. If this is not illegal, it is certainly unethical and clearly illustrates efforts to reduce financial liability on the part of Microsoft.
3) The recent change in policy to the 90-day warranty plan, which excludes shipping costs can only mean Microsoft is paying more shipping than they anticipated when the original policy was set. This move by Microsoft has not been formally announced, which is understandable. This fact taken alone is big news, as it speaks volumes to Microsoft's confidence in the overall reliability of the current 360 design. Considering the known launch problems, it becomes extremely significant that they are deferring costs that should be negligible on a 90-day warranty plan, assuming the product being warranted is of quality manufacture.
4) Numerous reports of multiple and repeated failures of repaired and refurbished consoles are surfacing all over the internet. This would further lend credibility to claims that the system is prone to terminal failure, as it appears the units cannot usually be salvaged once they have failed. It is also another indictment of Microsoft's lack of commitment to supporting the Xbox 360 in a customer service capacity in regards to failures, as I have members of my own group who have received refurbished or repaired consoles that have had to be replaced as many as 5-6 times and they are still having problems to this day.
5) The mere existence of two aftermarket cooling devices for the Xbox 360 is further evidence that the consoles are prone to failure, in this case specifically due to overheating.
6) The recent Fall Update crashed a unknown number of Xbox 360 consoles and Microsoft immediately admitted it was a mistake on their part that caused it. This did not stop Microsoft from attempting to, and almost certainly succeeding in charging customers a $140 repair fee for their admitted mistake. I have several members in my group who personally experienced this appalling treatment in response to a Fall Update related repair claim recently. This further illustrates the damage control mentality that is in place at Microsoft regarding Xbox 360 failures and a pattern of charging customers to repair consoles that fail due to mistakes or shortcomings on the part of
Microsoft.
7) Increasingly frequent issues, ranging from minor complaints to major defects are being reported in nearly every internet gaming forum across the web. I will continue to actively campaign in an effort to bring every console owner who is having problems with an Xbox 360 together, in order to provide a united front against the unfair business practices currently being employed by Microsoft until these policies change.
8) The unauthorized Heat Gun Fix for the Xbox 360 that is circulating around the internet proves the existence of bad solder joints in the console, which is likely caused either by failure from heat emissions, production employee's inexperience using the new non-lead based solder recently mandated by the EPA, or a combination of the two.
9) A recent increase in lead time on repairs coupled with the fact that there are many refurbished consoles being shipped in lieu of actual repair of the original console further indicates that
Microsoft is overwhelmed with the current volume of returned consoles. This trend is also being actively documented and I am collecting testimonials from customers in order to provide evidence supporting this.
In conclusion, I will not allow Microsoft to charge me to rectify its own shortcomings in the quality production of the Xbox 360 console. In their position as a major corporation, they would be wise to remember who has allowed them to achieve this position and who controls their ability to continue occupying it. As customers, we have the ability to vote with our money as to whether Microsoft continues to gain ground in the gaming industry or simply becomes a footnote illustrating the dangers of indifference in regards to support of a faulty product. I sincerely hope Microsoft will consider the ramifications to future sales an alienated group of customers coupled with the power of modern media channels could present to their continued effort to gain shares in the gaming industry. As consumers we should all expect a certain degree of quality in the manufacture of a $400 piece of electronic equipment.
Regards,
Christopher S. Brown
myxbox360died@yahoo.com
Posted by Chris Brown, 18 Nov 2006
Take you medication you fools
You're all idiots for thinking you deserve a free "upgrade". Console components change all the time, how many different DVD and hard drives did the Xbox have?
Posted by William Axl Rose, 07 Dec 2006
You've got no chance of an upgrade
Why is everyone so suprised that microsoft are ripping people off again?
Since when has anything they have ever produced worked right the first time around?
The 360 is just the latest in the line of public beta testing, they might tell you they have all the bug ironed out but they have a track record that shows overwelmingly that this won't be the case.
NEVER buy Microsoft till at least the first major rethink!!!!!
Posted by Marti, 25 Dec 2006
Microsoft WILL do it again....
XP had some serious issues when it was first launched, the 360 has and I can tell you know Vista will as well. There are alarming reports that vista could quite easily render a computer useless if a piece of hardware has not been digitally signed off by M$. Some sort of push to prevent piracy, as requested by the film industry, and in turn making M$ VERY powerful in the PC market. The devil is starting to show his true colours.......
Posted by Ste, 18 Jan 2007
What is Wrong with you people
First of all, everything gets upgraded in time. It is called progress. Why would Microsoft pay to upgrade your xbox everytime new technology emerges.
Second, of course XP had some problems...and guess what, so does Vista. You write 5GB of code and find all the bugs in it before you ship it. If you can figure out how to do that then you my friend will be rich enough to make your own gaming console and pay to upgrade all of your customers at millions of dollars because two years later someone figured out how to make a better CPU. In the mean time, don't be so stupid.
Posted by BT, 03 Mar 2007
What is wrong with expecting a good product
The very first game I played on my Xbox 360 froze within the first 30 min. They had to of tested this product and knowed there were problems. We just won't to be able to buy a product and it work. Upgrades to improve tech has nothing to do with upgrades to fix problems. Upgrades are available for all kinds of other tech problems, why not this?
Posted by TT, 19 Nov 2007