New (major) Xbox 360 redesign

[MinisterofDOOM]

Kinda ugly, but looks like it'll have a larger, more effective fan moving air through the larger, more effective side vent.
250GB hard drive.
And, perhaps most importantly, it has integrated Wifi. No more unbelievably overpriced MS wireless dongle.

That's if it's real. Ads appeared on some Italian website, but were pulled. It looks pretty legit, though. I imagine we'll see it officially revealed in the next couple of days.

Also, the horrendously poorly named "natal" has mercifully been renamed "Kinect." Which is still a stupid name, but nowhere near as terrible as natal.

[marlin29311]

I don't believe it.

Why make something in the same form factor? If anything, they should be considering an Xbox 360 Slim or something to that accord. There were Motherboard pictures and stuff earlier this year discussing that...

I can't see making the case sleeker and adding in some more air vents being the new 360. Makes no sense to me.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I don't believe it.

Why make something in the same form factor? If anything, they should be considering an Xbox 360 Slim or something to that accord. There were Motherboard pictures and stuff earlier this year discussing that...

I can't see making the case sleeker and adding in some more air vents being the new 360. Makes no sense to me.

It makes PERFECT sense to me.
The 360 can't get any slimmer. When those new mobo pics started floating around, the general concensus was that any redesign that used them couldn't be much--if at all--smaller than the current ones.

Anyway, it's not about form-factor. It's about fixing the still-present RROD problem. That problem is due to the motherboard arrangement, most specifically the GPU heat sink arrangement and its proximity to the DVDROM drive. That side-vented fan on the italian ad? That's not possible with the current 360's packaging. The DVDROM drive sits DIRECTLY above the GPU heatsink (which limits heatsink effectiveness and causes RROD). With the GPU and CPU on a single die with a relocated heatsink and larger fan exhausting directly out that side vent, overheating issues should be a thing of the past. this is the LONG-awaited REAL RROD solution.

At any rate, the "slim" redesigns of Sony consoles are NOT designed with form-factor in mind. That is to say, Sony doesn't do it just to have a sexier version out there. They're done to refine the manufacturing technique and make the devices cheaper to manufacture and/or to improve performance. The lack of slimming doesn't mean anything. The 360 can't really get much smaller. It has already offloaded the power supply to that big brick you have to hide behind your TV. There's really not much that can shrink at this point.

My roommate's latest-revision 360 actually RROD'd on him a few days ago...so the problem is definitely still not resolved despite minor revisions of the original form factor.

[BusyBadger]

Huhhuh...MoD said "dongle".

Looks like it might be time for me to pick up a second 360 though. And as far as I'm concerned, any redesign that improves the cooling efficiency gets a thums-up from me and the integrated Wi-Fi is a nice bonus.

I'd like to see some Bluetooth integration so I can stream pics from a digital device directly to the box as well as a Forza 3 style screenshot feature that works across ALL GAMES that sends the pics to the email address that's linked to my Live account instead of me having to download them from a third party website (that I need yet another login for). Yes yes, that's primarily a game feature but MSFT can at least start the ball rolling with their in house developers.

[Otto.]

The MS Media Briefing is about to start. If they unveil anything, it should be here.

[Otto.]

http://www.gametrailers.com/e3/livefeed/microsoft

[Otto.]

Confirmed

[ProudNissanFreak]

It's real, but I don't get why the price is still $299. It was hilarious when the guy was going "and the price...will be the same! " and people were slow to applaud. But when he announced they're being shipped to stores now and will be available next, the applauses came. Oh yeah, the people who were there...MS is giving away the new ones to them for free today.

[Otto.]

Yep.

In the interview after it was over they said that the price would go down to $250 I think.

[Axel Grungy]

If it really fixes the RROD problem i might have to pick one up. Shiny black?? looks like a ps3 lol

[ProudNissanFreak]

Yep.

In the interview after it was over they said that the price would go down to $250 I think.

Interesting. In another interview I heard that it was to be $299 still lol.

[Otto.]

I meant in the future. Maybe like... 6 months. idk.

I could have heard wrong though.

[MinisterofDOOM]

It's real, but I don't get why the price is still $299. It was hilarious when the guy was going "and the price...will be the same! " and people were slow to applaud.

Actually, I'm not surprised.

After I posted this yesterday I got thinking...it's black. Black is the Elite color. And 250GB is the elite HDD capacity.
So this is basically the new Elite.

But...the "same price" quote should have gotten applause, as we're lucky MS didn't raise the price back up to $475 citing the added cost of integrated Wifi. Their excuse for not having it before was always that they wouldn't be able to keep it as affordable with integrated wifi.

With a 250GB HDD there's no real need to drop the price much below $299. The 120GB PS3 is still $299, and the 250GB PS3 is $399, so it fits in nicely as the top-end model. MS has actually said they've already stopped production of the "old" 360 altogether, so we can expect this one to be followed up with cheaper models once existing Arcade and Pro stocks are depleted. I wonder if they'll still be black. Sure hope so: white has always been a horrible choice in my eyes.

Meanwhile, existing "old" 360 prices have all dropped $50, including limited edition versions.

[TurboSauce]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSZG8mjk ... re=related[/youtube]

[TurboSauce]

i wanted to be in that crowd as a birthday present.
now i'm fricken pissed that i wasn't
they all got free 360's.
dah f***?
f*** f*** f*** f*** f*** f***.
anyways i'm getting one when i go away in juluy. hopfully i can get to camestop and trade in my old 360
it's A frecking jasper that i got in january
YEAH MY 360 IS 6 MONTHS OLD
AND I JUST BOUGHT THE NEWER JASPER MODLES.
f*** MICROSOFT.
I'M STILL FORKING OUT THE 300 FOR THE NEW ONE, BUT I HOPE I CAN DO A TRADE IN SOMEWHERE.

[snwbrdr435]

Maybe if you red ring your xbox they will give you a new one haha

[TurboSauce]

lol, I was just pissed and excited that 6 months after i buy a new 360 they bring out another one.
FAIL

[MinisterofDOOM]

Here's a teardown article on Valhalla:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3774/welc ... 360-slim/1

Turns out Wifi's just a specially-built USB adapter connected to a hidden internal USB connection. Supports my earlier theory that the impending Arcade and Pro replacements (maybe just arcade) may not have built-in Wifi. Once you get the end-panel off one side of the case, though, you could easily add it (assuming the USB port is present on all models, which would make sense).

Maybe if you red ring your xbox they will give you a new one haha

That may eventually have to happen, yes. Jasper production ended before Valhalla (the redesign) was announced. There's only a limited number of Jaspers left to send back out as refurbs.

But that could actually be a BAD thing. Old-format accessories don't work with the new console. Hard drives are not compatible, memory unit support is completely removed (probably the reason MS moved to support flash drives for storage) power supplies are not compatible...

Interestingly, the new console is not capable of displaying red rings at all. In what I'm sure is an attempt to distance the newer consoles from the RROD stigma, all errors are indicated by the single central power LED in the power button turning red. The ring itself is green-only.

[Kompresshun]

I'm pretty impressed with what i've seen so far, at first it wasn't enough to make me consider replacing mine because all I would gain is a 250GB hard drive and less potential of it suffering from RRoD. I've had mine for 2 years now and had no issues so far, although I have been very meticulous with it.

I'm tempted to upgrade after going in Gamestop on sunday though, they told me that if I got one from them they would give me $140 for my current system and 60GB hard drive so I would only have to shell out $160 to get the new one. There's nothing wrong with mine now but i'm thinking it would be better to spend $160 while mine is still in good working order rather than shelling out $299 when mine does die.

[bmike818]

I want to get the new $199 model, no wireless or Hard drive. I should be able to live with 32gigs of memory (usb drive)

[TurboSauce]

^ that post. makes sense.
if i get wifi i'm not going to use it.
is the 199 model still black

[MinisterofDOOM]

I'm waiting for my roommate to pick one up (should happen soon). I want to compare the noise levels under load (while actually reading a disc and playing a game or DVD) to my Elite. If there's a noticeable decrease in noise from the console, I'll probably upgrade. My Elite is just intolerably loud. I already get jets flying over my house all day...I don't need my own personal jet engine roaring away while trying to enjoy a game (or movie...but I don't use the 360 for movies anymore since the PS3 has a bluetooth remote and superior video playback features).

I want to get the new $199 model, no wireless or Hard drive. I should be able to live with 32gigs of memory (usb drive)

With the way MS has packaged the hard drives for the 360 S (the official name for the new design), it's pretty much guaranteed that we'll see hard drives available for separate purchase the same way they are for the old 360 at the moment.

32 GB is pretty paltry if you intend to download much content. And to get that from flash drives, you'll need TWO drives. Flash memory support on the 360 is limited to 16GB per drive, and two drives max. So it's not really a viable alternative to an internal hard drive. Especially considering that the internal hard drive offers SATA throughput while flash drives are stuck at USB 2.0 speeds. Hardly ideal for playing games and loading content directly from the drive.

As far as Wifi, considering how easy it would be to add internal Wifi (just like the $299 version has) to the $199 version, I'd be surprised if a bunch of 360-compatible USB wifi adapters didn't pop up on ebay shortly after the cheaper model launches. It's as easy as popping off an end plate (plastic) and popping the adapter into the hidden internal USB port.
I imagine you'll be able to add Wifi to your $199 model for under $50...but you may end up voiding your warranty to do so. There doesn't appear to be anywhere to clip an external wireless dongle like the old 360 uses, so I wonder if MS has any intention at all of offering buyers of cheaper models wifi solutions of any kind.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Here's a teardown article on Valhalla:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3774/welc ... 360-slim/1

Turns out Wifi's just a specially-built USB adapter connected to a hidden internal USB connection. Supports my earlier theory that the impending Arcade and Pro replacements (maybe just arcade) may not have built-in Wifi. Once you get the end-panel off one side of the case, though, you could easily add it (assuming the USB port is present on all models, which would make sense).

Maybe if you red ring your xbox they will give you a new one haha

That may eventually have to happen, yes. Jasper production ended before Valhalla (the redesign) was announced. There's only a limited number of Jaspers left to send back out as refurbs.

But that could actually be a BAD thing. Old-format accessories don't work with the new console. Hard drives are not compatible, memory unit support is completely removed (probably the reason MS moved to support flash drives for storage) power supplies are not compatible...

Interestingly, the new console is not capable of displaying red rings at all. In what I'm sure is an attempt to distance the newer consoles from the RROD stigma, all errors are indicated by the single central power LED in the power button turning red. The ring itself is green-only.

Wait so what you're saying is that the accessories I have for my current 360 (data transfer kit, rechargable batteries w/ chargers, headsets, face plates, etc... won't be compatible with the new 360?

Also I have a 20GB, 120GB HDD and a 500 MB memory card for my current 360, and these won't be compatible? If so how am I supposed to transfer my game saves and data over to the new 360?

Also is there any word on how much Gamestop will be offering for those of us who trade in our current systems and accessories towards the purchase of a new 360?

I really want to pick one of these up, it looks sexy as hell, has the wifi and the 250GB HDD are worth it alone, the Kinect functionality is an added bonus as are the smaller design and quieter running.

[Kompresshun]

Wait so what you're saying is that the accessories I have for my current 360 (data transfer kit, rechargable batteries w/ chargers, headsets, face plates, etc... won't be compatible with the new 360?

Also I have a 20GB, 120GB HDD and a 500 MB memory card for my current 360, and these won't be compatible? If so how am I supposed to transfer my game saves and data over to the new 360?

Also is there any word on how much Gamestop will be offering for those of us who trade in our current systems and accessories towards the purchase of a new 360?

I really want to pick one of these up, it looks sexy as hell, has the wifi and the 250GB HDD are worth it alone, the Kinect functionality is an added bonus as are the smaller design and quieter running.

Controllers, batteries, and headsets should all be compatible. I'm not sure about the data transfer kit, the face plate wouldn't fit because of the size change.

The old hard drives will not work with the new hardware but i'm sure they'll have some way to transfer it. The memory card will be obsolete since you can use a flash drive in it's place now, which i've seen 2GB ones for as cheap as $6 in stores here.

Gamestop told me they would give me $140 for my current system and 60GB HDD, which considering I paid $230 for it 2 years ago I feel like that's pretty fair for a trade in. So you would be able to trade in both of your hard drives and system and probably end up with $180 or so. Then they're selling the system for $299 so it's a pretty sweet deal. You'd only be out around $120-140 for a new one probably.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Wait so what you're saying is that the accessories I have for my current 360 (data transfer kit, rechargable batteries w/ chargers, headsets, face plates, etc... won't be compatible with the new 360?

Nothing's changing with controllers and controller accessories. The controllers are getting a revision to an all-black look with some gloss, but that's it. Headsets (including the wireless one) and controller chat pads will still work like normal.
The faceplate on the 360S is not removable or swappable. I always thought that was a dumb gimmick anyway. I have a few promotional ones but the stock black looks a thousand times better.
Chargers and other USB devices will of course continue to be compatible. I haven't used a cable to charge a controller in ages, though; I have a pair of Energizer controller charging stations for my 360 and PS3. Whenever I'm not using them, they're on the charging stations. Since the 360 makes noise in charge-while-off mode and the PS3 slim stupidly doesn't charge at all when off, they're a nice upgrade.

Also I have a 20GB, 120GB HDD and a 500 MB memory card for my current 360, and these won't be compatible? If so how am I supposed to transfer my game saves and data over to the new 360?

There are no memory unit ports anywhere on the 360S. In retrospect, I'm sure this is why MS decided to support flash memory devices as storage units for the console (though the 16GB per device limit limits the usefulness somewhat). So you will be able to transfer individual saves that way. There will also be a transfer cable like the one provided to Elite buyers early on that will allow you to transfer your hard drive contents.

Also is there any word on how much Gamestop will be offering for those of us who trade in our current systems and accessories towards the purchase of a new 360?

It's Gamestop. They're not going to give you anywhere near what the console is worth. Their website says used 360s are worth $100 right now, and acts like that's a lot. Someone mentioned elsewhere on NICO that they got something like $150, which is better, but still crap. You'll probably be better off just selling privately. Hit up the non-car classifieds on NICO.

[Kompresshun]

Well my 360's drive started wigging out today, it won't read CD's right now. I guess i'm going to go ahead and drop the money for the new one unless it magically starts working again. I called Gamestop today though and they're only taking pre-orders on them still and they don't expect to have any available until August here. The also told me they're only giving $60 for the old consoles now, which is very ghey and another reason why I hate Gamestop. I can part out my system and make more than that off of just the 60 GB HDD and the wireless N adapter alone. It just sucks that I can't really make any money off of mine now but oh well, it lasted much longer than I expected since it wasn't one of the better models. It made it 2 years and never red ringed. So i'll post up some pictures and a review once I pick mine up.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Wait so what you're saying is that the accessories I have for my current 360 (data transfer kit, rechargable batteries w/ chargers, headsets, face plates, etc... won't be compatible with the new 360?

The faceplate on the 360S is not removable or swappable. I always thought that was a dumb gimmick anyway. I have a few promotional ones but the stock black looks a thousand times better.

I actually like my faux Carbon Fiber faceplate that I got when FM2 came out. That plus the refurbished black 120GB HDD that I have actually makes my white 360 look like a race car. I also have black rechargable batteries for my 2 white controllers. I'm such a geek.

[Kompresshun]

Well guys I ended up picking up the new 360 today. I went in Walmart earlier and decided to go through electronics and they happened to have one in stock, which was great because everywhere has been sold out so far. Somebody came and bought my wheels today too so it was a good day

I went ahead and got the extended warranty on it and so far it's excellent compared to my old one. The drive noise is MUCH quieter but it still isn't completely silent, the wifi was very simple to setup, and the unit is much smaller(that's what she said). It didn't include a transfer cable but I was able to use my 8GB flash drive to copy over all of my game saves and content with no issues. Overall it's nice but I could've waited to get one if my other one wasn't on it's way out, it seems a little quicker performance wise but overall the big differences are system noise, built in wifi, and the larger hard drive. Oh and of course it's not freaking white too!

[sup_mario]

Is this for real? Seriously?

[Kompresshun]

Is this for real? Seriously?

Yes, as I mentioned above, I picked up one of the new ones today. They released them a couple of weeks ago with the new redesign, which is a huge improvement over the previous models.