360 Elite Dissected, Layout Changes Revealed

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6992

"More retailers are selling Xbox 360 Elite systems before its April 29, 2007 release date. This time, a Wal-Mart in Minneapolis, Minn., sold an Xbox 360 Elite ripe for dissection. Microsoft previously announced its Xbox 360 Elite SKU late last month. The new Elite SKU adds HDMI, a 120GB hard drive and a black finish.

There were rumors the new SKU would swap IBM's 90nm Xenon PowerPC processor in favor of a cooler running 65nm variant. Microsoft made no mention of such swap with the official announcement of the Xbox 360 Elite. Popping off the heatsink reveals a different CPU revision. It is unknown if the different revision correlates to a 65nm Xenon, however, other changes to the PCB raises further speculation.

Microsoft has revised power delivery on the new Elite. The Xbox 360 Elite makes use of smaller capacitors arranged in slightly different arrangements. Microsoft has also reduced the amount of MOSFETs installed in the power supply section of the PCB. There are also fewer resistors located above the CPU as well.

However, despite the power changes, the die size remains the same as with the HDMI-less Xbox 360. One could speculate the Xenon CPU is still 90nm but Microsoft has opted to integrate a different thermal bin, similar to how AMD bins its regular Athlon 64 X2 and Energy Efficient models.

Xbox 360 owners have had issues with the red ring of death, including DailyTech staff, which is possibly due to the BGA packaging of the CPU and GPU. When things get too hot, the connection between the BGA part and the PCB can disconnect when the PCB warps. Microsoft has attempted to address this problem by surrounding the CPU and GPU with epoxy on the Xbox 360 Elite. It is unknown if newer revision Xbox 360 Core and Premium bundles feature the same preemptive measures."

XBOX 360 MAINBOARD

XBOX 360 ELITE MAINBOARD

So, they fixed the rings of death? Too bad that $470 is more than i would play for it. Perhaps later.loco145

So, they fixed the rings of death? Too bad that $470 is more than i would play for it. Perhaps later.loco145

So, they fixed the rings of death? Too bad that $470 is more than i would play for it. Perhaps later.loco145

i dont like the idea of making a unit with better capabilities than their last unit. they should have had it at launchdownPlayDemon

Better capabilities? What can the Elite do that the Premium can't? 

[QUOTE="thirstychainsaw"]

[QUOTE="downPlayDemon"]i dont like the idea of making a unit with better capabilities than their last unit. they should have had it at launchR-Dot-Yung

Better capabilities? What can the Elite do that the Premium can't? 

HDMI

Anyway, HDMI 1.2 cane out mere months before the 360 was released--probably too late to fit it into the design. 

[QUOTE="R-Dot-Yung"][QUOTE="thirstychainsaw"]

[QUOTE="downPlayDemon"]i dont like the idea of making a unit with better capabilities than their last unit. they should have had it at launchHuusAsking

Better capabilities? What can the Elite do that the Premium can't? 

HDMI

Because not all TV's have a VGA connection or can accept/display 1080p through the component. Also if ICT were activated on HD-DVD movies all XBOX 360 HD-DVD owners would be screwed without HDMI.

[QUOTE="HuusAsking"][QUOTE="R-Dot-Yung"][QUOTE="thirstychainsaw"]

[QUOTE="downPlayDemon"]i dont like the idea of making a unit with better capabilities than their last unit. they should have had it at launchgmastersexay

Better capabilities? What can the Elite do that the Premium can't? 

HDMI

Because not all TV's have a VGA connection or can accept/display 1080p through the component. Also if ICT were activated on HD-DVD movies all XBOX 360 HD-DVD owners would be screwed without HDMI.

[QUOTE="HuusAsking"][QUOTE="R-Dot-Yung"][QUOTE="thirstychainsaw"]

[QUOTE="downPlayDemon"]i dont like the idea of making a unit with better capabilities than their last unit. they should have had it at launchgmastersexay

Better capabilities? What can the Elite do that the Premium can't?

HDMI

Because not all TV's have a VGA connection or can accept/display 1080p through the component. Also if ICT were activated on HD-DVD movies all XBOX 360 HD-DVD owners would be screwed without HDMI.

You think studios are going to screw over Microsoft and Xbox owners just like that? 

[QUOTE="HuusAsking"][QUOTE="R-Dot-Yung"][QUOTE="thirstychainsaw"]

[QUOTE="downPlayDemon"]i dont like the idea of making a unit with better capabilities than their last unit. they should have had it at launchR-Dot-Yung

Better capabilities? What can the Elite do that the Premium can't?

HDMI

Anyway, HDMI 1.2 cane out mere months before the 360 was released--probably too late to fit it into the design.

Uncompressed Video>Compressed Video signal

thats the diff and the diff is noticable, just saying

Huh?!  Uncompressed video is non-existant,  and won't be in our lifetime...

Your confused with uncompressed audio...