Frankly, the fact that this is indeed news is quite laughable and very sad at the same time. "New Xbox 360 might not die like all the others," really isn't good news, because we shouldn't be in a position where such news is even possible. Sadly however, it is, and for that reason alone I am not welcoming news that the Elite is designed to withstand the infamous red ring plague with open arms. Citing design problems with the original machine, Microsoft's president of the Entertainment and Devices division, Robbie Bach, has told shareholders that the Elite is different. Like, you know, it should be. While you're at it, why don't you recall the machines you're still knowingly selling with faults?
“It's a design challenge that we've had to work around and create a new design to solve that problem, and for the interaction of a variety of different components. And so that's a Microsoft design question, not some component manufacturer's problem or our manufacturing partner's problems," Bach recently said, as confirmed by Spong. "It's something we've had to work on. We know we have a much better design in the market now. We verified that.”
If Microsoft knows it has a much better design released now, then really there should be no excuse for expecting customers to maintain its prior shoddy hardware. Honestly, I love my Xbox 360, but this news makes me even more angry, simply because it doesn't solve the problem of countless condemned consoles still floating around the marketplace, and earlier adopters still greatly inconvenienced.
In light of these claims, has Microsoft truly fixed the problem? There are those who have their doubts after looking inside the 360 Elite themselves. Hit the jump for more.
Llamma.com recently cracked open an Elite to take a look at what changes are inside. Most of what the guys there said is far too technical for this humble Englishman who still rides in a horse and cart (seriously, what are wires?), but details on Microsoft's red ring fix are interesting to say the least:
One a side note, we all had a good belly laugh here at the shop when we saw Microsoft's most creative measures to minimize the dreaded Xbox 360 3 flashing red lights "ring of death" error caused by poor BGA connections of the CPU and GPU. It seems that that the good ol' a dab will do ya methodology applies here. Take a look at the epoxy surrounding the CPU and GPU which is intended to prevent the BGA connection from popping as the board warps. This has to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Will it do the job, we have our doubts, but it will remain to be seen. It certainly seems like taking the easy way out instead of fixing the real problem.
Microsoft taking an easy way out? Never! Check out the site for the full gory details on the Elite's guts and giblets, but I felt that was a pertinent paragraph to share. The 'Soft really doesn't need to design itself into yet another black hole, but whenever there's a cheap alternative, the company that spent millions of dollars for downloadable content will always take it. Very poor.
Contest:
11:25 AM on 07.31.2007
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Are they going to upgrade refurbished ones to have these (cheap) features when they're returned? If not, FAIL.
I have no doubt that the incidence of RROD in the Elites is significantly reduced. This is why I almost bought one. Still, there was no guarantee, so I got a PS3. Despite the 3 year extended warranty.
but the 3 year warrenty had to be done...or there be alot of dead M$ peeps out there.
Hard disk drive.
I've mocked the PS3 for a year now, but be damned if it doesn't look prettier every day. Fatties need love too.
It's a trick to get 2 games for the price of one.
About the 3RLOD on the Elite: you can slam it too, seems to work for some people (the expansion of the board gets knocked around or something). And you can put pieces of eraser-gum on the motherboard with a brazilian home-made fix.
They should just release those Falcon's already though, the old hardware are really pieces of shit imho.
a recall will never happen, ever. It costs to much, it will cost Microsoft more than what the machine has sold for. They still haven't turned into profits for a almost 2 year old machine that was supposed to make profits per machine sold, unlike Sony's abomination that already is costing sony $100-$200 per machine sold until the upgraded version comes out, but they planned it that way by investing BRD.
The only thing M$ can do now is extend the warranty so they dont get sued and FORCED a recall, as long as they keep promising its going to get fixed they wont get sued, but the reality is theres over 10million machines sold, being turned into 3rd party Manufacturing labor, for minor upgrade of heatsink, refurbished then shipped back to different clients.
Only hope you can have is that M$ says: "Ok people, we will ship our Falcon ship to our Manufacturing 360 plants all over the world to replace the faulty chip!"
The day they mention that is a happy xbox marathon (this assuming it fixes the problem LOL) but so far they only mentioned heat sink upgrade, which just extends getting RROD than sooner.
If you put the hard drive on a different 360 than you downloaded the game from it says you don't have access rights to the file.
@ Professor Pew
I knew you could do this, but I thought there was a limit to the number of times you can do this. I already have 2 360s that I share Live Arcade games with, but my girlfriend and I have separate Live accounts and I want to be able to access the games with both of our accounts. Does that make sense?
All I know is my two launch 360's haven't broken down... yet. *knock on wood*
Hey Mr. Bach, if mine break, use that 6+ million dollars you got and buy me a new one! K? thanks!
How is that bad? If its gonna break its gonna break within that 3 year period, and most likely by the time it does it will be replaced with a 65nm version.
get a $20 used/old mini-fridge that works off of craigslist, and throw your 360 inside it while you play it.
cuts down on the sound, never overheats, no rings of death, and you can put fucking beers in it.
jeez, use your fuckin heads people.
until the 65mn chips are in then there will always be considerable heat causing issues. As long as MS fix these in record time then I dont really care. I would NEVER give up my 360.
ah yes, but the 3-year warranty is only for RROD, and i just had my console fail (epic fail) on me WITHOUT the RROD. luckily (well, unbelievably, but you know what i mean) it was within the first year of purchase, which covers ANY problem you have with the 360, but after that year mark you need to get the RROD. and that just blows.
lollll that's too funny epoxy ... duct tape lollllll
it's funny 'cause everytimes there's a good news for the PS3 you 360 fanboys always bashing in every possible way ... and now it's so funny to checking you looking for excuse for epoxy and duct tape lollll
Even then, I agree there is no excuse for poor workmanship, but I have had other consoles die on me in the past, this is no different.
IMO its just the broad acceptance of the internet and gaming in general this generation, you are hearing more about it.
You rarely hear anything about PS3 hardware failing, though, which says something about it...
All this rrod stuff almost makes me not want a 360,but the lure of halo 3 is too strong...