Thermal Expert Examines Xbox 360, Figures Out What's Wrong

[Lemur]

Because Microsoft will never admit to any possible overheating problems with their beloved Xbox 360 design, Japanese-based Nikkei hired a thermal design expert to come examine the console. They looked at two—one made in 2005 and one repaired in May 2007. Here's what they found:

• The temperature gap with room temp was 22 degrees C. "When designing consumer products, it is common to seek a temperature gap of around 10 degrees C between exhaust and room temperatures," the thermal design expert said. "The 22 degrees C is quite a large gap..."
  
• The cooling fan was half of desktop PCs—apparently to reduce noise.
  
• The expert pointed out, "The heat sink on the graphics LSI is so small, I wonder if it can really cool down the board." The reason for this? Apparently, Microsoft had to downsize the graphics LSI heat sink so that the DVD drive could be placed above it.
  
• In five minutes after booting up a game, the graphic LSI heat sink temp rose to 70 degrees C. In 15 minutes, the temperature for the microprocessor heat sink stabilized at 58 degrees, but the graphics LSI heat sink reached 80 degrees C. If the room temperature was high (like 35 degrees C), the heat sink could possibly hit 100 degrees C. What's more, if the vents were clogged with dust, the temperature could also increase.
  
• The console repaired in May 2007 did not have a new heat sink placed in it.

This is bad design. Really, really bad.

[drone]

If you are adventurous:
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product...roducts_id=328

[edyzmedieval]

If you are adventurous:
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product...roducts_id=328

What in the contraption world is that thing?
Water-cooled Xbox. Sounds kinky.

[drone]

What in the contraption world is that thing?
Water-cooled Xbox. Sounds kinky.

Don't have an Xbox, so I don't know how hard it is to install in that chassis, but I have put together a water-cooled PC with Koolance parts. IGN has some pics on the inside:
http://gear.ign.com/articles/714/714899p1.html

The thing on top looks like their standard heat exchanger/pump/reservoir box, and the in/out hoses run from that to the Xbox. Looks like they have coolers on the CPU/GPU only, I'm not sure if that is enough to run with the stock fans turned off. The fans on the heat exchanger are pretty quiet (at least the one I worked with was), and have 10 speeds, so you can tune them depending on your temp readings.

Warrantly voided, I'm sure, and the kit costs almost as much as the Xbox itself. For true geeks and hackers though.

[Marius Dynamite]

Didn't microsoft already admit a flaw in the design and extend the warrenty for this flaw?

[doc_bean]

They did a redesign recently didn't they ?

[Lemur]

They did a redesign recently didn't they ?

Yep, and that's why the thermal expert also examined a July 2007 repaired Xbox. This is what people will be getting if they send in their Xbox 360s for refurbishment.

Of do you mean there's another rev on its way as we speak?

[lars573]

There is a new version on it's way. If you buy a 360 now or very soon it will have 65nm chips in it. Which M$ claims will solve the heat issue.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

What the 360 Elite? I only know it now has 120 GB space that's it.

[doc_bean]

Yep, and that's why the thermal expert also examined a July 2007 repaired Xbox. This is what people will be getting if they send in their Xbox 360s for refurbishment.

Of do you mean there's another rev on its way as we speak?

I thought the 'repaired xbox' was just that, a repaired old model.

They are currently selling a 'redesigned' model which includes an extra heatsink only previously found in refurbished Xbox 360s in Europe, from the article it doesn't seem like they examined this (though the pictures seems to say they did, rather confusing little article at that).
EDIT: damn my reading comprehension, they didn't examine the model with the extra heatsink, it's in the last line of the comments...

Like lars mentioned there is a completely new design on the way (I thought it might have been out already, it's actually due for the holiday season) which includes a much smaller chip, which should solve (most) heating issues.

[Fragony]

Dumdedumdum redringmania@Fragony's, just when Bioshock is around the corner am I happy? I am THRILLED

yes sir.

Game over man, game over

[lars573]

What the 360 Elite? I only know it now has 120 GB space that's it.

It's the new high end version. The 360 has three SKU's now, core, premium, and elite. The Eltie, besides being black has an HDMI port, and comes with an HDMI cable, and the 120 gig HDD. Probably has a few other bells and whistles to justify the extra $60 your paying.

[doc_bean]

It's the new high end version. The 360 has three SKU's now, core, premium, and elite. The Eltie, besides being black has an HDMI port, and comes with an HDMI cable, and the 120 gig HDD. Probably has a few other bells and whistles to justify the extra $60 your paying.

And an extra cooling unit (heat sink I think), apparently.

[lars573]

Probably has the 65nm chipsets too. But all 360 consoles are being made with them.