Xbox 360 GPU to go to 65nm in fall

Sources at equipment makers were cited by a Chinese-language Commercial Times report as saying that the Xbox 360 will be equipped with a 65nm-made Xenos graphics processing unit (GPU) in the fall and that corresponding foundry partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will see benefits.

The paper cited the sources as saying that an engineering version of the 65nm-made Xenos has been sent out and production will start in May. TSMC projected sales contribution from 65nm would amount to 5% during mid-2007.

On a separate note, TSMC announced the introduction of 65nm-made embedded DRAM in March. Embedded DRAM is one of the two dies that comprise the Xenos. In the 90nm version of the Xenos, embedded DRAM is manufactured by NEC.

[TriggerHappy]

Was the elite not recently released ? man watch Microsoft come out with some other edition of the 360.

[Halonator]

I think this will be just like the slim ps2.

[BIadestarX]

Interesting, I was under the impression that only the CPU was going to be 65nm.

[cdudeman]

for people that just bought the Elite. I would be P.O.

[TriggerHappy]

3 years before i pick up an elite, by then everything will be finalized(i hope).

[Mighty Boom]

WTF!!!???? I just bought one and I am FU&^inG pissed!!!!!

[frostbite06]

haha anyone that didnt know this chip wasnt in the elite is an idiot anyway. This has been the whole arguement against the elite since it was found out.

[SHaMROCK_73]

This doesn't affect the use or performance of the console at all. It makes no diffence. You only want it because people keep telling you you do!!!

[persian_prince]

word is it runs cooler. That would be beneficial to everyone (but probably not essential). Me, i would like mine to run cooler, but thats just me, so I will hold out for now.

[masterg]

Of cause we know what it means.

This chip doesn't generate as much heat.
This means there has to be less fan coolers in the box, and that means the box will be a lot less noisy.
With this chip its might also by possible that they can have the power supply internally.

[Silver Bull3t]

you lick nutz like stamps.... If you had half a brain in that booze-swollen potato-eating head of yours, you'd know that a die shrink will consume less power and hence produce less heat. Heat is what is warping boards and causing the RRoD.

[persian_prince]

this is retarded...seriously..why is microsoft shafting everybody? If your going to release an "elite" version of your console, why not include that 65nm piece? I think I will wait a few more months before I get the elite...

[TriggerHappy]

with you man, this aint time for me to pick up one just yet..

[TheMART]

Yeah Prinzdaman,

That's a wise thing to do

NOT

In that view, you can also not buy a PS3 (will also shrink the die as soon as they can) and in 3 years we're getting close to the release of the next gen consoles.

Like is said in other posts: die's of chips shrink constantly as technology evolves. Ofcourse it's nice to have a smaller CPU/GPU using less power, generating less heat. But that way you can wait forever. Playing the games remains the same you know...

[TriggerHappy]

It will be more stable, and i can know i know am getting the right thing for the money am spending. paying 300 for a console is not something you want to do every so often.

[WilliamRLBaker]

cause sony is looking into the 65nm techniques, as well the 65nm haven't even been created yet, why would they release the elite with 65nm 360 cpu, and gpu, when they haven't been created yet?

Simple fact: If the demand isn not their then the thing will not survive so we'll just have to see whos geting shaffted if the elite sells.

[joemutt]

Guess what, the computer your typing on right now, they made one better.

If you would buy a new 360 over this you are crazy, this gives no performance upgrades.

[hfaze]

"cause sony is looking into the 65nm techniques, as well the 65nm haven't even been created yet, why would they release the elite with 65nm 360 cpu, and gpu, when they haven't been created yet?"

Well... The 65nm 360 CPU's may not exist yet, but IBM has been mass-manufacturing 65nm Cell CPU's for a little over a month already...

http://www-03.ibm.com/press...

"IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that the company has begun producing a new, 65 nanometer (nm) version of the Cell Broadband Engine at IBM's state-of-the-art East Fishkill, New York microchip production facility."

Not to mention that the 65nm chips can go up to 6Ghz. You WON'T see 6Ghz Cells in the PS3, but IBM's Cell based BladeCenters are about to get one HUGE performance increase.

[jib]

the PS3 is going to go through the same process people, all consoles do. no need to start flaming.

[conjurdevil]

They have released 3 already 4th one in the making within 17 months strange they cant get one console right

[mr_steveo]

A year from now (est) we can expect most components being replaced with 65nano technology, if the CPU, GPU and DRAM, and thus fans poss removed or downgraded due to less heat outputted, wot kind of percentage of costs will be stripped from the current price for manufacture and retail?

[TheMART]

FOR ALL THOSE THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND

Getting dies of chips smaller is a constant process...
Sony droids, your beloved PS3 also will have a shrinked die over time. It makes it cheaper to produce, generates less heat and uses less power.

It has nothing, but then totally nothing to do with the fact how a game runs. It runs the same.

It has nothing to do with Elite, Premium or whatever.
If you don't understand were you're talking about then please shut up.

Plus, the CPU would shrink to 65 nm, so what's this about the GPU?Indeed Bladestar

[techie]

"Sony droids" has a sony fanboy responded to this post? Haven't seen one so far.

Yes reduction of die size happens all the time...I believe one chip in the PAL ps3 is 65nm

[Vip3r]

I bet 65nm version will be called the "Xbox 360 l33t". lol

[kewlkat007]

since there will be less heat, the fans won't be going buck wild, but I don't think you'd get more performance.(might be wrong)

So what should I do, I can't wait that long, I'm suppose to be buying an ELITE? Should I wait? When will the PS3 do the same?Seems like the longer I wait the better the PS3 will be, and now I have to think about the 360 parts also.(Cheaper too)

There will be plenty of games out by fall(with all them delays)...

[EZCheez]

Waiting isn't a bad idea, but what if you could get all three new consoles for free? I'm not saying this is fact, but look up 3604free on youtube (the 8 minute video). Apparently, people are living off of offers like this. And since there are so many of us, I would be more than willing to help someone else if they helped me. Just think, no one would have anything to argue about because we would have all of the systems!!!

Pipe dream, maybe. But if you are interested in trying this out, contact me!!!

[vidoardes]

65nm in the fall... anyone else smell a waft of a Christmas price drop? Seams like the timing is would be right, although I could see them trying to drink a little profit off it first...

And anyone who would be 'pissed off' about this, the companies (any of them) would be RUSHING to get to 65nm chips, it's not liek they have been holdign it back from us... it's cheaper to make, and they can fit more one one sheet, so it is only benifical for them as well as us. If they could do it earlier, they would.

[TriggerHappy]

all along.Think about this :

All the major games are getting delayed or push back to holiday season this year. why do you think that ? simple, Microsoft is building up their massive AAA titles for the holiday season and will introduce a price drop allong with all those darn good games. What do you get when you add fire to gas ? BOOOM baby.

[SDS Gamerfiend]

The Elite doesn`t have the new 65nm cpu inside! They are now gonna shrink the GPU as well. So it makes since to wait till then so that it will have both the 65nm CPU to go along with the new 65nm GPU! I`ll be trading in my current premium 360 for the elite then. I won`t have to worry about any heat issues while I play the living hell out of Halo 3!

[artman]

Silver Case
HD-DVD build-in
wifi build-in
HDMI 1.3
2 controllers
Halo 3 included
cooler
noiseless
no redlight
just for $599

pre-order now~

I gonna get one myself ... lol

[vidoardes]

If a die-reduction does come coupled with a price drop, it is quite a tempter for people like me who don't have one. I just wish MS would swallow their pride and put a %&@! Wi-Fi adapter in it! I refuse to pay that much for a crappy adapter

[Zinswin]

I really don't understand why people want WiFi integrated... it really should be a last ditch effort to get online. Fact of the matter is, a wired connection is always faster and more stable. Unless you can't drill though a foot thick cement wall, you shouldn't be using WiFi.

Your lag is hurting my game. So get a cable already. I bought a 50' cat6 cable on the internet for $40 2 years ago. No excuse to raise the price of the console for the few who are too lazy to hook it up.

[Somethnnew18]

And if you keep your 360 in a place where plenty of air is available to it....Then you should have no problem....I think what we all should be freaking out about the current selection of games we have on both PS3 and XBox360...I'm pretty disappointed...I heard all of this hype about Test Drive Unlimited...IT F-ING BLEW....It was flop just like everyother Test Drive game that has come out....I haven't played a good mainstream racing game since GT-3 A-Spec, Forza Motorsport 1 and Need for Speed Underground 1 and 2....

Other than Oblivion and Gears of War, and for PS3 fans Resistance:Fall of Man, and maybe Call of Duty 3...That's all we got other than our online games or our Arcade games....

Don't flame here...I just was pointing out something that irritates me...Remember, Opinions are like @SSHOLE'S!Everyone's got one!lmao

[joemutt]

If you were truly looking for a good racer you would know that Forza 2 is coming out at the end of the month. Have you played Motorstorm? It might not go a marathon, but it will curb your appetite for next-gen racing. DIRT is coming pretty soon too.

I think the game selection is great.

[tehcellownu]

lmao that explains why even the new elite 360 is bricking.haha..micrsofot jus keep on screwing people up..they should of added this 65nm from the start..they got all the money in the world to do it..but choose not too..lol..they jus in it to make the extra cash for this two year. This is the reason ill never goin to get the 360 is just total milkage..and if the system still break down..its the end of microsoft..

[Somethnnew18]

Pointing out the obvious....I was happy when I recieved a full year warranty added on to my console...So I run it like wild-fire and like Don Vito and Phil Margera chasing hoagies in the Fat-Boy Face-Off 2004...lol....I have yet to have it do anything...It runs all night long....Until it shut's down by it self....On run it on average about 70 hrs a week just to get as many hours on it as I can to see if I can get it to break down....lol....Dvd drive has still yet to burn out on me...lmao...

But PS3 fans...this is a 360 forum not a PS3 forum...So obviously we know you aren't getting a 360...SO STOP TELLING US ABOUT IT....I am still going to buy a PS3...So I can say that!

[ElementX]

The DVD drive is noisy, not the fans, as far as I can tell. A smaller chip with smaller fan won't affect the DVD noise.

[masterg]

They are both noisy.
Maybe you got a limited no noisy fan edition.
Hey maybe you didn't.

[Clinton514]

At everyone who thought they were getting something "elite".

I'm sticking with my premium until it finally croaks on me.

[Somethnnew18]

YOU THINK I AM FREAKING RETARD!...I Didn't say that any good racing games weren't coming out...I know that Forza Motorsport 2 is coming out...DON'T JUDGE A GAME JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS GOOD DOESN'T MEAN IT IS!....Just look at Test Drive Unlimited for the 360...IT SUCKS!...That's part of the reason I bought my 360...Was finally this open ended racing game was coming out for the 360 so I got it....I hated it...Traded it in...Got Call of Duty 2..Then I bought Oblivion....Beat both of them and got all one thousand achievement points for both....You act like I was crapping on the console...I was 'whining'...Because name a good game that has left an impression on the 360 0ther than Gears of War or Oblivion or COD2/3?....I want to see a damn RPG.....And I mean RPG by one's that are actually good....You know..PS2 good?....So yeah...Don't condescend me to your level please...I don't need it!

[Odion]

The dvd drive is actually a lot quiter, its not the same drive I am sure of that

[weekapaugh]

i think i'll hang onto my premium until 360 Version 7.67 comes out. they should have all the bugs worked out by then. its just comforting to know they really really know what they are doing [es].

[id dot entity]

If that's true it is not a smart move of Microsoft. Have bought a Premium last week because the GPU wasn't improved with the Elite... But now they are improving it anyway?

Man that sucks!

[Firewire]

Why didn't MS just wait till the holiday season
to release the Elite with the 65ns processing unit?

Oh yeah, thats right it likes screwing its loyal customers!
lol!

[snoop_dizzle]

will i buy the next one? no. I don't need it.
2. Its probably just a rumor. Wasn't this translated for ma Chinese article? You know how the "200 dollar HDVD player was false because it was translated wrong, so id take it with a grain of salt.

BUT
they might be trying to release it right with halo 3. Since it would sell well.

But i think they prob should've just done that already with the elite in the first place.

[BIadestarX]

I guess for the same stupid reason why Sony didn't release a 65nm version of the PS3 (Specially in europe) just 1 month ago. Wouldn't you say? I mean, Sony didn't have a problem removing hardware (PS2 games are not emulated) why not add the 65nm when you had your loyal fans waiting for a year delay after delay...

Oh yeah, thats right it likes screwing its loyal customers!
lol!

How come you are not b!tch!ng about that? It's not like you have a 65nm PS3 right now do you?

[DirtySyko]

Exactly why people should have waited to buy an Elite. I wasn't about to dish out cash and see something like this happen. Microsoft is f*cking up.

[BIadestarX]

Do you know how many hardware revisions there are for the PSP? How about the PS3, do you know? These kind of revisions are not the ones that hardware manufacturers need to be telling people about. Only fanboys such as yourself care about this. Try telling someone out there.. that you are going to wait for the 360 that comes with 65nm GPU. They would probably ask, "What the FK is that? does it play games better?". The only reason why hardware manufaturer do hardware revisions is to reduce cost which sometimes is a result of sometimes changing completely the a vendor that provided a particular part (i.e. memory). Sometimes a manufacturer of CPU or GPU may not offer 65nm and the console maker can't sit around until the part manufacturer can; Sony, Nintendo, nor Microsoft make most or any of the hardware; yet they have to stay competive. You don't think microsoft wanted to add 65nm on day one? It's cheaper to them. Does the console maker have to tell you, "don't buy our product now, since we have plans to change the ram in 2 years"?. Did sony anounced when they replaced the PSP like 4 times? If the specs are the same (CPU, GPU speed, etc) you don't need to know $h!t. You sony fanboys are making a big deal, because you hate microsoft and it's in your nature to spin this. What's funny about it, is that the PS3 does not have 65nm and we all know is comming, EVERYONE STOP BUYING THE PS3, SONY IS SCREWING YOU ON THIS! you people are pathetic.

[Somethnnew18]

It's not gonna be any faster..Any better or nething....Just smaller...More efficient with cooling.....But if you like thousand upon thosands of dumb@sses who put their 360 under their clothe's and expect it not overheat....Then this should mean something to you....DON'T WORK 360 fans....We aren't getting screwed as bad as you think.....We'll know where screwed if microsoft makes a game that requires the use of the HD-DVD drive.....Then only then will we be screwed!.....SO YEAH I'M HAPPY ABOUT MY PURCHASE....JUST GIVE ME SOME BLUE DRAGON AND SOME LOST ODDYSEY...AND I WILL BE OKAY!!!

[zonetrooper5]

Wait a minute you guys are complaing about something getting a little smaller, it happened to the PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, PC's and many other consoles. I don't see why your getting pissed off for, jeex you guys like moaning. If you like the Xbox 360 and games it has then buy one now, keep it in a place where it won't overheat or get the three red lights and make sure you keep care of it.

Trust me on this one, they are making the die and other stuff smaller on all these next gen consoles, one reason, it makes it cheaper for Sony, MS and Ninty to produce the consoles, secondly it will produce a little less heat and noise. Sony only did it early because the PS3 was costing a forture to produce as well as having the emotion chip inside it, these are called cost cutting measures. You guys must be at least 18+ or older, i'm 15 and even i know that. God some people are just plain silly sometimes.

[power of Green]

Dont be an idiot! What MS and Sony are doing does not mean a new SKU will be needed you fucin people are getting so bad its sickens me. I told you The hate will be off the charts as the Xbox 360 2007 line up draws closer the sales gap will grow wider between PS3 and the 360 and rabid Sony fans will seem angry and child-like.

[ErcsYou]

The hate will be off the charts as the ps3 2008 line up draws closer the sales gap will grow smaller between PS3 and the 360 and rabid M$ fans will seem angry and child-like. dont get me wrong their will be some "defensive" ps3ers on this site in 2007 because here at ng4, ps3 players are out numbered by 360 players, but the odds will someday change.

[power of Green]

What makes you think Microsoft will just roll over and die? you really think there won't be a killer line-up of 360 games in 2008 for the 360?.

I doubt thats true!; historiclly Sony fans have been the most rabid fans to date! because their legacy is threatend due to Sony's playStation becoming a way of life for Harcore supporters.

The PS3 launch was dangerous they also have been hateful sence the launch of the first Xbox i'v seen angry teen Sony backers start fights over the new Xbox 1 after it came to the market.

We(360 fans) just do not go out of our way to destroy Sony, hell we don't even have a hype machine even close to the PS front.

We play games you guys act like its some sort of political party. Price drops and many AAA's will start closing the gap. But Halo 3, Mass Effect, NG2 will sell millions of console by themselfs and after that with both line-ups inplay the 360 will have a hard time maintaining the speed in which it was pulling away.

[ErcsYou]

microsoft will never roll over and die but you act as if the ps3 doesn't have anything in 2007, come on man. i know you want to play heavenly sword, warhawk or killzone2. i know ,i know, killzone wont be halo3 ( even i want to play halo3) .but sony has put a lot of money, time,and hype in to it. will it be up to par with the trailer? probably not, but i bet it will be a "good" game. 2008 will be sonys year. all the huge games will be coming out then, you know the sequels to all the games that have been on the ps1 and ps2(ratchet and clank , gran turismo, mgs ) and who knows what will be announced for E3, you think all the rabid PS fans you talk about wont buy ps3's?

and for the record , the most defensive video game fanboys in history were sega fans. the 360 is pulling hard right now ( at least in america ) but this is a world wide console war and japan it self will eventually close your so called gap. and believe or not ps3ers play games too. ive bought a new game every two weeks since the end of febuary and they have all been good. if its really all about games then you will eventually buy a ps3. i will also buy another 360 ( the reason im reading 360 news) but that a whole different story

[Covenant]

Good news. Thought it would have happened by now. Still, better late than never.

[HaKeRsCanRotINHEL]

No matter which SKU you have, they all play the same games regardless!

[Bathyj]

This doesn't mean there is going to be another SKU. Surely M$ aren't that stupid. At the same time I have to shake my head a little bit.

To everyone saying, this is normal, its a process of refinement. Taking out slow, more expensive parts and improving them with cheap, quieter and just plain better tech. You have a good point and there's nothing wrong with that.

The timing of it makes me a bit stunned. They just released the Elite, to much contraversy and now they tell us this. Its really not in their best interest. They just gave us a reason NOT to buy an Xbox right now. Any minor hardware changes of this nature should be handled, not secretly, but they should just quietly change it when they're ready and then make an announcement about the fact. This is just going to slow down their own sales. You really have to start to think M$ are never going to settle on one hardware configeration and will keep alienating their existing customers each time.

Thats maybe a bit alarmist but after dropping XB1 in the dust, promising they wouldn't do the same to X360 and now all of these different models within the 1st 2 years in an attempt to play catch up feature wise, my confidence in them isn't rock solid, to say the least.

If PS3 ever does catch 360 in overall sales it will probably lead from there on out. As soon as M$ realises they've lost another Generation I can see them dropping 360 and moving on again.

I'm not saying this is going to happen, I'm just hypothesising, but it doesn't seem THAT unrealistic given the past and present behavour of M$.

[nebpredude84]

MS dont care about the people who buy their products..they're out there to make money....im gonna wait just like i did when the 360 came out.....i waited and got me a good 360 no redlights yet....so i'll wait till halo 3 or later to get one

[Bill Gates]

M$ should have never announced when they were planning to go 65nm. Now allot of people who have not purchased a 360 will wait until then, or after to purchase one. Dumb fuks!! What a shot in the foot.

That would be like Sony announcing when they were going to have a price drop. So stupid.

[Marriot VP]

that's business....bill

and the very very few people who even know about the 65nm cpu's should have been smart enough to wait till they came out instead of buying the elite on day one. Since those chips weren't in the elites, why would you buy one if you wanted the 65nm ones

[KA-BAR]

No, M.S. won't use the potential of the new chip-set, that would be a slap in the face to current owners, along with some tech. issues.

With that said, it will run cooler, it will have a different fan, and will make less noise. So, graphically no different, electric bill and noise level....you will have less of both.

[PS360PCROCKS]

Great news! This will help tremendously with the reliability issues of the 360. Plus it will be quiter and this will allow for price cuts right before Halo3 if Microsoft seems fit.

[OneBubbleBastard]

you xbots gonna need a spare @SS, so you can keep up with M$ rape..

[PS360PCROCKS]

I think the greatest thing about this comment is that we all know it's the only one you have so we can ignore it and move on with the conversation.

[IBLEEDBLU]

i have to admit...people who buy an xbox360 must have no life....honestly

for people to waste their time to take time off their day to A)call MS and talk about warrenty for 30mins+ B)get the consoled shipped to MS and wait a week for their other soon to be broken down console returns and then have to go get that.. C) deal with this stupid sh@t of signing a form to tranf data from ur old 360 to ur new one hahahha

man sooo much headache for what lol

http://www.gamespot.com/new...

[ER1X]

but I'm laughing at the ps3 fans who are flaming about this. You're drawing for straws on this one fellas...sometimes it's OK to just move along and not say anything at all. :)

[KA-BAR]

All my consoles work perfectly.
My NGC, XBOX, PS2, SNES, 2600, and PONG!!. No next gen worries here!

[chavafx]

ps3 players pay 600 for things they been forced to buy like blu ray wireless wi fi yeah for some is cool but for most is a rape thats why only about 5% of the ps3 owners use blu ray movies and ooo wait it cost you $600 in the us and euro. like $1000 and with no emotion engine chips ????? mmm who really got rape oo and plus you fan blinded by sony yes you also expirience thise cuz the 65nm chip is also coming for the ps3 and also a new sku with like 80 gb to 250gb
oo and let me remind you that if you like games xbox360 is way better and the future look brighter then ever with most of the exps1 ps2 exclisives coming to the xbox360 even before then the ps3 ver such us gh2 rige racer6 devil may cry 4 residen evil 5 virtua fighter 5 ace conbat 6 gta4 and much much more so with no doubt the ps bran is not the same any more and now xbox360 is the console to debelope for so wait for most of the games ex( oblivion reainbow six3 fear splinter cell 4 graw2 while we x360 owners enjoy new games. ooo and by the way saints row and dead rasing are now x360 platinum hits that mean we pay 29.99 while you ps3 owner have to pay 59.99 and worst online no achivements no gamerscore no multimedia in games no private chat any where.. so now tell me who really is getting rape ask youre self oo and by the way i have the wii 360 ps3 and im only disaponted with the ps3 love the wii love the 360 ps3 not so much and yes i have the 360 from day one and never had a songle problem but even if i did i will rechoose 360 ober ps3 cuz of games

[vettle1]

ok, im just a working guy with a wife and a kid. and my 360 which ive had since dec of 05 is still working just as good as it did on day one, and alot of my friends have 360's and none of theirs have had red lights either so im not so sure that this happens anymore i think its just left over from the launch days and now sony boys get on these sites and say their 360 broke. i could log into 20 sites and proclaim my ps3 crashed on day one but that is just stupid. you know who you are that do this too. im just saying i believe there are still some that do crash but come on more and more everyday, you really want me to believe that me and all of my friends and everyone i play online with that i ask are just the lucky ones that bought the ones that didnt crash. try it yourself, next time your online ask everyone most have had no problems MAYBE 1 in 200 people i ask have had problems. and before you start flaming about 1 in 200, most had their consoles repaired or replaced for free and have never had another problem. just let it go such childish people. and as for the chip-it doesnt matter how many ps2's were there and did you go out and buy all of them...stupid.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Chips your b!tching about chips as if Microsoft put new magic into these new chips or somthing. Heres a thought why don't you guys go to a best buy wait for someone in line thats buying a 360 and try to use (chips) as a reason for them not to buy a 360.

LOL you guys are so pathetic