Hackers dissecting the Xbox 360 “Slim” report a disturbing discovery – internal parts thought to be associated with RRoD failures remain unchanged, causing some to speculate that the new model may have the same problems which plagued older revisions.
At the heart of the speculation is the so called “X-clamp,” a part which is claimed to be one of the major contributory factors to RRoD, and which hardware hackers quickly noted with some consternation remains substantially identical between the models.
An explanation given by “modders” (actually just pirates using the usual euphemisms about “backups” and “modding”):
What are X-Clamps?
X-Clamps are metal brackets which hold the Xbox 360 CPU and GPU down tightly onto the motherboard. There are two individual x-clamps within the Xbox 360 which hold down the heat sinks for the CPU and GPU.
Since they have been poorly designed the x-clamps bend when introduced to immense heat (if you’ve ever played an Xbox 360 you know it gets hot), and with that bend the Xbox 360 motherboard and break the connection between the GPU (sometimes CPU too) and the motherboard, thus you will have a RROD.
Although there are many things that can cause the RROD this is the most common.
Supposedly after-market clamps can stave off these failures.
Failure rates in the later revisions of the hardware are said to be less dire than the oft-quoted 54% figure, but the console still possesses an apparently well deserved reputation for atrocious reliability.
As to what parts cause most of the failures, only Microsoft can say (and they certainly seem intent on saying nothing), but excessive preoccupation with cutting unit costs at the expense of quality seems to characterise Microsoft’s gaming hardware.
Just how reliable the new version will be remains to be seen, but it seems Microsoft’s cunning removal of the red LED may have been its only effort at eliminating lingering problems in the new model.
INSTANT SOLUTION! MOVE TO CANADA AND OPEN A WINDOW!
🙂 The climate may not be so forgiving to inhabitants, but why in the f♥♥k would you go outside anyway if you have a 360?
By BluMarvelLegion (Find me on one of the “chans”)
Check this link out and judge the new 360 for yourselves. http://www.anandtech.com/show/3774/welcome-to-valhalla-inside-the-new-250gb-xbox-360-slim/
IMO the redesign isn’t vulnerable to the failures of the older 360’s. The smaller manufacturing process is proof of that. One failure of the new 360 is that you cannot move it while the disc inside is spinning.
How appropriate. My Xbox 360 had a second RROD the other day and I don’t know if I should get a new one (it’s pretty old) or just save up for a PS3. Either way, this development doesn’t look too promising.
f♥♥k this article! I have seen the disassembled xbox 360 in anandtech website. The cpu and gpu is in one die and the manufacturing process is 45nm. Which means heat is greatly reduced as well as power consumption. The motherboard pictured above is the old xbox 360. The only true weakness of the new 360 is the inability to move the console while a disc is currently spinning.
and now it gave me another though about buying it or not. i’ve already seen my friend’s xbox with its problem which ended up with him buying a new console.