Chipmaker now making 65nm 360 CPUs, planning 45nm CPU?

Singaporean manufacturer began pumping out cooler chipset last quarter, hints that a smaller version could be en route.

Last month, Microsoft announced one of the costliest console problems in game-industry history. Following rising numbers of reports of Xbox 360 hardware failures, the company announced it would take a $1.08 billion charge to replace or fix any 360 that suffered the "red ring of death" for up to three years after its purchase. The extension was retroactive, meaning it applies to all consoles sold since the 360's November 2005 launch.

Microsoft wouldn't identify the exact cause of the red-ring failure, which is widely believed to be caused by the 360's CPU overheating. The console uses a customized chip based on three IBM 3.2GHz PowerPC cores made with a 90-nanometer manufacturing process. The chip's high processing power causes it to run at a high temperature, which requires the console's notoriously noisy fan to cool. Modders have also discovered additional heat sinks in refurbished 360s, bolstering the overheating theory.

The 360's cook off days are numbered, though. Last year, Singapore-based Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing announced a deal with Microsoft to make CPUs for the 360 by using a 65-nanometer process. The smaller size means more chips per production batch, which cuts manufacturing costs. It also makes for a smaller, more energy-efficient CPU--one that generates less heat and is less likely to burn out.

Microsoft promised the first batch of 65nm CPU-equipped 360s would arrive sometime this year, with recent reports pegging them as coming in the fall. As part of a recent earnings conference call, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing confirmed that it began manufacturing the chips last quarter--raising the possibility they could arrive even sooner.

More interestingly, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing president and CEO Chia Song Hwee strongly hinted that 360s would be getting even smaller, cooler CPUs next year. During the conference call, he was asked by an analyst about the level of interest from electronics manufacturers in 45-nanometer process chips, which will begin arriving in the second half of 2008.

"On the 45[nm] engagement, we have a pretty wide spread of products and customers relative to where we were at the similar stage at 65[nm]," said Hwee. "So from video-game-device type of products to baseband to wireless communication type of devices, we have customers engaged in those areas." When asked again about the 45nm chips, Hwee said that, "We have customer interest in products in CPUs...that go into video game devices."

221 Comments

  • coldjonathan

    Posted Dec 24, 2007 6:42 am PT

    Yeah, I would have to agree with some people on this. As a reasonably early adopter, e.g before the chip upgrade, im a bit sour about the change- that fan is annoying. Really annoying. But as somebody said further down, you have to be prepared for this sort of thing. And as yet, I havent had the ring of death, so Im ok, and i guess that as long as your 360 is working fine, just live with it. Its fun still, isnt it?

  • W_Claiborne

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 6:27 pm PT

    @ Gray Fox per 45nm

    Exactly... could be quite a while, I mean, if ever

  • Grayfox777x

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 2:20 pm PT

    I'll wait for the 65nm chips. It shouldn't be too long. I just don't want a system that has a 10 to 35 percent chance of dying really fast. No reason to wait for the 45nm chips... that could be quite a while from now.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 1:35 pm PT

    One of the cardinal rules of buying electronics is that you have to be prepared for the arrival of something better or cheaper to show up down the road. If you wait around for the "best value" to arrive, you'll never buy anything until it's nearly obsolete.

    Frankly, if you've been enjoying your 360 for a year or two, then that's easily worth the cost of what you paid for it. Just be glad that it hasn't died on you.

  • Dreski83

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:27 pm PT

    all the new upgrades are much appreciated and needed... yet it does kind of make an early adopter like myself a bit... sour

  • jaggi1

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 8:22 am PT

    Does this mean quieter fans?...because thats the thing that most annoys me about the 360(I think its louder than my fridge!!!).

  • jimmypop_04

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:33 am PT

    ok...so if i send my 90nm because of the red ring...would i get the 65nm chip? Or would microsoft just put in another 90nm chip to only fail in another year or so?

    But on a lighter note I have never recieved the red ring of death and I have had my xbox for about a year...but I have sent it in because it got shorted out and recieved a launch model as a fix and this current box has yet to fail me

  • burnteyeball

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 6:39 pm PT

    I just got the ring of death 3 day's ago. I called the xbox hotline and there going to take it for me.

  • Unkillable

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 6:27 pm PT

    I hope that puts an end to the 360 getting too hot, though I would like to see how good those 45nms really are...

  • WestCoastRida

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:57 pm PT

    i have had my 360 since March and its still running and none of my friends have had red ring of death experiences...

  • rose_please

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:25 pm PT

    No its gonna be 0.25nm chips ROFLLOLPEWPEWLASERSWTFOMG?

  • UltimateRAGEX

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 11:43 am PT

    What's next 1nm 360 CPUs?

  • Soupflakez

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 10:35 pm PT

    kragore, yes xbox 360 overall has had trouble with overheating. I have a first generation xbox 360 and it still works. Personally I have had no trouble with my xbox, but my brother bought one in January and it craped out in June. I think it could be that MS, while dealing with an increased demand for the product, might have gotten lazy on the quality of the console and are now paying the consequences. Btw My GC was the most durable console ever, and my wii is pretty durable. My original ps2 craped out after one year of use, so i waited until the slimmer version came out and it was awesome. SO don't say sony wins when they pull a similar move that MS is pulling right now.

  • X360PS3AMD05

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 9:59 pm PT

    $300 65nm 360, what i've been waiting for for 2 years now.

  • dryden555

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 3:49 pm PT

    the fall release of the "new" 360 is a compelling reason to wait to see what it is before you buy a 360

  • murlow12

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 12:09 pm PT

    This makes the choice even more difficult. When do I buy a 360? Do I buy it next week if the rumored $50 price cut comes true? Or do I wait untilt he new chip is released, possibly not for a couple months?

  • Ra-Devil

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 11:48 am PT

    Anteraan, you have to request that it be your console, and it only applied to consoles sent in since just a few months ago. I got a different one back too, then within just about a month M$ said they would send back your console. I was really upset, but my friends console messed up too (it's his own damn fault for leaving the thing in a tiny DVD player area under his TV cabinet), and when he sent it in, he asked if it would be his console he got back, as I told him too, they said it would. Sure enough, he got his back in about a week, and he could access all his content on it. I really don't care anymore, as most of the content I had owned at the time was for stuff I don't need anymore, but it is really stupid and seriously inconvenient. Couldn't M$ just let you transfer your data to the new console with some Key-Code they could give you? It's really, really stupid.

  • sizzlingdviper

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 10:41 am PT

    Well i hope the new cooler running chip is going to be used in the Elite,otherwise your going to get same dreaded 3 red lights on this newer 360 version

  • Anteraan

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 10:00 pm PT

    Randy120 posted: "Microsoft will repair your Xbox 360 and return it to you. Don't believe me? Write down your serial number it will be the same when your box is returned."

    From my experiences, that's patently untrue. I sent mine in for the old RRoD and the one I got back had a different serial number and a production date that was about 7 months newer. Two of my friends have had similar experiences, and based on the shipping/turnaround times, MS didn't have time to perform a repair. They just sent a different one upon receipt.

  • dg440

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 1:29 pm PT

    Lets Commend MS!!!!! but be Skeptical that this new chip will solve the overheating problems..... Its just a waiting game.. I will wait 2 months to see what feedback others have from the new chip.

  • clawboy

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 7:06 pm PT

    If this new version of the xbox 360 elite can run cool and quiet then I may have to make a purchase but I personally think it will continue to run loud and hot.

  • Valen_Ca

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 11:32 am PT

    You're right kragore there really haven't been, of course that could be because after all of the hardware issues Sony suffered through with the PS1 and PS2 they probably realized that good QA is worth the money. Now if you want a console based on hardware reliability then go with a Wii, 'cause let's face it, Nintendo still makes the most durable consoles on the planet.

  • kragore

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 9:46 am PT

    haha sony win again, not hardware problems in the ps3 eh? didnt think so! M$ kicked themselves when they decided upon this dodgy hardware, i pity them for that. if the 360 was much better built, then perhaps i would consider to buy it, but seeing this whole fiasco with sucky cpu's, melting power supplies, and overly noisy fans, just puts me off. and having not heard of any hardware issues in the ps3 just yet, it really makes the customers think, do i want to buy a poorly made, problematic console or something that's well built and will last far longer? and thats my two cents

  • prioritymail

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 9:33 am PT

    I want the new CPU in my box............. But Im sure my 360 will break at least one more time so I will get the new cpu then when they "fix it" (they just send new ones back, right?)

  • randy120

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 8:18 am PT

    Microsoft has no responsibility to current Xbox 360 owners to give them a new box with the updated CPU. All games consoles go through design changes during their life cycle that is the nature of the beast.

    Intel and AMD constantly change their chips. Do they give all previous PC owners new computers? No they don't. Waiting for a CPU that may never ship is not very wise. The 65nm will be available in the next few months, but you are not going to see even a change in the packaging to indicate there is an updated CPU. Waiting will also make sure you miss out on the huge number of great games coming out for Xbox 360 in 2007.

  • Evanrocknuma

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:42 pm PT

    This is very good but microsoft had better make an option for us already owners of our 360s to be able to send them in and get this new cpu... I dont care if it costs like 50 bucks or so to do the freaking change I will do it. My 360 already got the ring of death once and I already sent it in for repairs... I have no intention of doing this again unless im sending it in for a permenant fix or a better cpu... until then I will sit and wait and in the meantime buy the air flo cooler by pelican

  • Theman3788

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 7:31 pm PT

    why is everyone hating on the new chip. Everyone that has bough the console before now knew exactly what they were buying. They announced this chip like a year ago. and by the way, we still have a 3 year warranty on the system. Why is everyone bashing the 360 when they tried to do right on the consumers part and taking actions towards helping the consumer even more in the future?

  • mat2g

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 4:45 pm PT

    Now this is the new 360 I will be getting. When I heard about the Elite and it wouldn't include the new chip, I shook my head hell no! I will be getting the elite with the new chip, and by that time I'll prob be cheaper too.

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 2:21 pm PT

    Ill stick with my PS3, i realize many 360 owners have not had any problems what soever but, as far as I know there are no big concerns slated for my PS3 and watching blueray videos is also very nice. I like the new selection of games coming out for it also.

  • Dills334

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 1:15 pm PT

    They better hurry up that's all i'm going to say.

  • dg440 posted Aug 3, 2007 10:58 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    dg440

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:58 am PT (hide)

    if PS-3 was not so overpriced and was more resonable lets say around 350 or so it would wipe MS off the MAP.....

    Too bad the WII has such lousy games or I would buy that.

    MS lost over a billion on the original system and I can see why the new one is a big pile of junk

  • dg440

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:53 am PT

    Who knows if the new chip will even greatly stop the problem. It may only help slightly. I need independent hard evidence anything that MS states is always FALSE and full of lies. I would not dash into the new chip but wait 2 months and see what kind of experience others have.

  • Zaxex

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:05 am PT

    I'm on my third Xbox 360 and replacing the broken one's has been incredibly easy and considering the hundreds of hours i've spent playing the games it's well worth it. Though i've also managed to break 2 wired headsets , 2 rechargeable battery packs. (This stuff breaks the instant it hits the ground)and 2-3 games. That said the console's provided the best gaming experience for me personally so it's hardware flaws are unbalanced by the sheer entertainment i've received from it.

    Having them not break would help though..

  • Shaolinlee

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:53 am PT

    its about damn time. All my friends x360s are dying and they say they're going to PS3 for their next console purchase. Who the hell am i to play with MS.

  • Colsworl

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:45 am PT

    It's no good for people who have already bought the console. MS should have done a lot more testing of the console before releasing it. So good I suppose.

  • crystos

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:40 am PT

    HURRY UP MS!!! I am still on my self imposed ban on buyinga 360 till ya'll replace the chip!

  • Hawk456

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:36 am PT

    mehh, big whoop. So they're making it cooler and smaller, i.e., less likely to burnout within the warranty... I say shrink the board, keep the console size and increase the heat sink

  • MiamiRedHawks

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 7:58 am PT

    Good news

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 7:30 am PT

    Over the PS2's 7 years of life this far it's undergone 14 hardware revisions. In fact the 1st two versions of PS2's that shipped in Japan did not even have DVD drives.

    This is nothing new...the only thing that has changed is the number of kids that whine about it.

  • monstabon

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 6:55 am PT

    well i went through 3 x360's and me last one was mailed off to microsoft only to get it stolen in the mail i love 360 but im not going to keep buying them every couple of months fix your damn systems

  • fizzyfunk

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 5:47 am PT

    But won't this put people off buying one on the off chance that there may be a smaller version with the new chipset? seems a bit too early to be doing this kinda thing, anyone else think so?

  • Freestyle_20

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 4:45 am PT

    what so this is supposed to stop rrod or is it just a smaller chip arrhh for god sake ms get it right the first time don't end up spendin 1.6 bil on a bad hardware falier which should have been fixed years back

  • chamber303 posted Aug 3, 2007 3:41 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    chamber303

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 3:41 am PT (hide)

    crazy, MS is struggling with new smaller chips and Hardware failiure issues while SONY and NINTEDO are focusing on development.

    Very sad

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 2:41 am PT

    I could definitely see 45 nm happening. Then 20 nm after that.

  • RabbiRambo

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 1:36 am PT

    The box is the most defective console ever made. Buying it is like a lottery. I am waiting for mine to be replaced since March. Very next generationesque.

  • paskal1987

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:15 am PT

    Im still on my 90day warranty =] cmn MS and hurry up

  • JohnnytheFuture

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 11:20 pm PT

    this is standard procedure for any console, the big companies rush out their consoles, and make adjustments as they go along. It happened with the PS2, so it shouldn't be surprising to see it with the X360. I'm, in a way, glad to know that soon enough my X360 will burn out, if only for the fact that I'll be getting a 65nm console in return. (i have the Best Buy swap policy)

  • sashah

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 10:15 pm PT

    i am so sick of MICROSOFT, i had the ring of light 3 months back and since then i have been trying everything to fix it myself because ediots like microsoft haven't launched 360's in Pakistan. Just imagine how much profit these guys are making by not launching 360s in all countries and compelling ppl to buy another new one just to find out that the darn thing also doesn't work. yesterday i gave the 360 to a local repair guy who fixes 360s...lets hope my 360 comes back alive although it went to him dead.

  • xbill1

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 10:11 pm PT

    I will be interested in purchasing a 360 with the new cpu, but how will I be able to identify it and not get the current model?

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