About a year ago, Chartered begun the process of creating a smaller CPU for the Xbox 360, from 90 nm to 65 nm. At this point Microsoft ordered approximately 10,000 300 mm wafers from TSMC, which will help Microsoft economically support the company’s ongoing strategy to reduce the production cost of the console.
TGDaily reported that the Xbox 360 is scheduled to ship in an "all 65 nm" package this August.
"Consumers won’t notice the refresh, unless Microsoft decides to put a Blu-ray drive into the Xbox 360. We were not able to receive a confirmation either way, and we keep digging to find out if the Asustek subsidiary Pegatron will manufacture regular Xbox 360’s or units with an integrated Blu-ray drive. In any case, Celestica, Pegatron and Wistron will have a busy summer cranking out millions of refreshed Xbox 360 console. Unfortunately, none of use will actually see much of a difference if we purchase these new 65 nm consoles."
What might be more dramatic in visible change to the Xbox 360 is the integration of the "Valhalla chip" which will be the foundation of the mid-cycle refresh of the Xbox 360, thus called ‘Xbox 2.5′ or simply ‘Xbox 540′ (360+180), in fall of 2009.
The change and intergration of this chip will most likely follow with a redesign of the console, perhaps bringing a new slim-design that has been due for awhile. "We believe that TSMC will use a 45 nm process for this Multi-Chip-Module package (CPU+GPU+eDRAM)." On top of the new chip and redesign of the case of the console, Microsoft is shopping around for newer, more efficient cooling solutions.
So what do you guys think of the upgrade the Xbox 360 looks like it will undertake? Is Blu-Ray really going to find a home in the hands of Microsoft? Will the new model solve the problem of the RROD?
