http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/ Engadget Comments for Microsoft 'Falcon' to bring cost reductions, 65nm CPU to the Xbox 360? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 8:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 4:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 8:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 8:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 8:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
http://www.dailytech.com/Xbox+360+to+Get+65nm+Falcon+Makeover+This+Fall/article7972.htm

they say the CPU and GPU will get a 65nm shrink named falcon.]]>Jul 10th 2007 9:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 9:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
I really don't understand it why they take it as if not a major manufacturing and design defect. And by the way, the $1 billion that MS has put aside for repairs is no warranty. It's an admission that they've released a defective item.

I don't know who's worse, buyers for taking it like it's nothing and have no choice other than to deal with it, or MS for getting away with it.

Amazing.]]>Jul 10th 2007 9:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
I'm not here to bash anyone, as I don't own either one of the new generation game machines. I'm speaking as a consumer in general. ]]>Jul 10th 2007 9:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 12th 2007 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 12:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 11:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 21st 2007 10:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/]]>Jul 10th 2007 11:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 11:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
Back on subject though. I will be buying an 65nm elite once they hit the UK.]]>Jul 10th 2007 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
How quickly we forget about the dreaded DREs of the PS2 age. Disc Read Errors claimed my launch-day unit.

I bought a couple more - why? Because the PS2 was the system to have last generation. ]]>Jul 10th 2007 10:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
Don't think I didn't take it care of it, or that I'm an Xbox fanboy, because I did take care of it (wiped it down and cleaned the dust from it weekly), and I loved the PS2; Quake 3 Revolution was fucking amazing with friends or alone (I was really good, too... The bots were always set on "Nightmare" and I reamed their assholes...).

Why do you think there were revisions, anyway? Because of problems they were having with the console, just as they are doing with the Xbox 360 (now).
]]>Jul 10th 2007 4:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/ i dont have now and dont intend to get one because of the noise from the DVD drive.
it's funny that my pc is quieter than my console. i hope they do soemthingabout the dvd drive because i like the 360 .]]>Jul 10th 2007 10:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
I bought my 360 back in Dec 2006 so I lucked out by a couple months, yea I hate the noise too but once a game starts, I keep the speakers loud enough not to notice.]]>Jul 10th 2007 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
300-400 dollar machine with phenomenal games, amazing online service, and more awesome games coming out every day, or a 600 dollar machine that has no use other than Blu-ray movies. You decide.]]>Jul 10th 2007 4:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 4:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
I would just as many others too and that's why we're are getting PS3s. As for 600$ collecting dust.. the price has gone down and the PS3 dollar for dollar was and is even more so now a better deal then the 360.

The failure stat has been proven, I'm on my third 360 since launch.. Everyone has had one die on them online.. First they up it to a year admitting wrong doing, now it's 3-years with a cost of 1billion to them. Oh yeah, AND it plays Blu-ray and output true native digital 1080p by way of HDMI unlike the 360 that software upscales. You do the math the facts are there.

As for the games.. They're all there on the PS3 as well.. I'll pass on Halo and enjoy MGS, Heavy Rain, Warhawk, etc etc.. PS3 online is free not 50$ a year and the games support WAY more players to boot.

lol @ the csr comment! what a fanboy, you know no end buddy.]]>Jul 10th 2007 5:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/When they add pack-ins to old consoles the new bundle gets a new SKU too.
But no-one sells 'just an xbox' after they have 'xbox and 2 games' on the shelves.
Besides, smaller internals doesn't necessarily mean 'redesign' or new SKU. The existing SKUs have varying drives and minor chips and such. MS will just swap in the 65nm supply and save cash.

the grey 360 SKU is probably just the IPTV set-top box.]]>Jul 10th 2007 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
haha but if this is a 'cheaper' xbox 360 then what is going to happen with the expected xbox 360 price cut? they think that the elite, the pro, and core with drop down to $400, $350, $250, respectively. so will this cost $200? i believe everything when i actually see it]]>Jul 10th 2007 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
Considering that a failure rate below 5% for products is acceptable, six times that is outrageous.

3 year warranty or not we as consumers have to hold these companies responsible for putting out defective products or they'll just keep giving us junk.]]>Jul 10th 2007 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
Besides, have you seen today's generation of youth? Most of them don't take care of their shit. I blame it mostly on them because most of my friends haven't had a single problem. The ones who have (I have noticed) are the ones who don't do anything to take care of it (leave it in a confined space, set shit on it be it food, clothing, etc, or don't clean it).]]>Jul 10th 2007 4:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
the 360 must be *that good* for people to put up with repeated hardware failures. i mean its not like people who own 360s are genetically defficient or come from another culture - they just like it that much.

one day i wont be poor and then ill buy one. ]]>Jul 10th 2007 11:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 5:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
People who are still having trouble sound like they keep sending the same problem machine back to MS and getting the same problem machine back from them.]]>Jul 10th 2007 11:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 1:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/

My two first PS2's broke pretty early with laser issues. Everybody saying Xbox 360 is the worst console ever is either too young or just didn't own a first generation PS2. Commodore 64 had 50% failures out of the box...]]>Jul 10th 2007 11:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/--------------------------------------------------
My two first PS2's broke pretty early with laser issues. Everybody saying Xbox 360 is the worst console ever is either too young or just didn't own a first generation PS2. Commodore 64 had 50% failures out of the box...
---------------------------------------------------

Being old enough to remember, the first gen PS2 had no where near the number of problems 360's have now.

]]>Jul 10th 2007 1:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/Jul 10th 2007 1:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
The Sony system from reports does have a lack of games, but is this because of the internal architecture ?. In reports on Ars Technica, the initial rersponse from Valve was that the multi core processor was not the best approach as it was too difficult to program using parallel programming techniques. Valve 6 months later stated that their software engineers were now comfortable with the architecture and had devloped the software (???) to program the PS3 for parallel processing (Cell Processor). I understand that the XBOX360 uses a cut down version of this processor (3 cores), whilst PS3 uses the full architecture (9 cores). I'll get to the point. Perhaps Microsoft have done the right thing strategically. They were aware of the difficulty of programming the system using 9 cores, but 3 cores is easier to implement software wise, but could benefit from some parallel processing. The Sony system would be difficult to implement software and the 9 core parallel processing techniques would take time to develop. Microsoft may have brought out the console with design issues, but they could very easily get a head start on Sony, with HD gaming etc., XBOX Live, and hopefully increase their market share with a console offering in the initial 3 years the same power as the PS3. No doubt the PS3 with the 9 cores will take over in terms of realism due to the extra 6 cores that can be used for physics and graphics programming, but Microsoft will then be able to introduce another console with either the same capability or greater capability (most probable) where the hard work on parallel programming techniques and software development has been completed by the Sony system programmers, and Microsoft can reap the benefit later.

I remember the PS3 adverts on TV where the boxer is punched in the face and the graphics do look very good with the ripples on the flesh etc., - but where are these PS3 programs at the moment that have these advanced physics ?. How long will it take to produce games of this capability at similar costs (probably greater) to existing productions ?.

I think Microsoft have the correct strategy in the long term by releasing the XBOX360 when they did.

(I know i am gonna get flamed....)]]>Jul 10th 2007 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/An important technical difference between Cell and other processors is that the extra cores, or "SPE" units are not a processors. They are a very special purpose processors that have limited instruction sets and can't be programmed using the same methods as your regular processor.

The cell processor is like a single Pentium processor with 8 MMX-extensions attached it. Cell != 9 cores. Cell == 1 core + 8 partial cores.

The single general purpose core of the Cell is very similar to each of the cores in the Xbox 360. The cores of both machines are a stripped down version of what you find in the PowerPC Mac's and IBM's enterprise PPC servers.

Does that mean the 360/PS3 is better? Not necessary--just different to program. Once the game developers figure out the Cell's learning curve, we should be able to see which is really the better technology.]]>Jul 10th 2007 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/microsoft-falcon-to-bring-cost-reductions-65nm-cpu-to-the-xbo/
Contrary to popular belief, its not 3.2GHz processor speed multiplied by 7 or 8 (according to how many cells) to get the full processing speed. The full processing speed is 3.2GHz with everything working at maximum.

I find that the Xenon chip in the Xbox 360 (CPU) is more like the "brawn" (able to process with more power and do larger chunks) while the Cell is more the "brains" of the group.

I feel the Cell processor will be rendered useless once more games come out, because I think we have seen the extent of this processor with MotorStorm and other games that are out right now.]]>Jul 10th 2007 4:24PM