Rumor: Next Xbox 360 chipsets are Opus, Valhalla
We know it's a little weird to be pumped for Xbox 360 chipsets, but we here at Joystiq HQ are all pretty excited about "Jasper". When we see each other in the halls we'll often exchange a look and we don't even need to speak it, we just know: It's Jasper. Now, if Jacob Metcalf (the guy who broke the Bungie/Microsoft split story) is right, we'll have to start exchanging an additional two looks for the upcoming "Opus" and "Valhalla".
The first, "Opus" is basically a third-generation ("Falcon") board built to fit first generation ("Xenon") cases, primarily for the recycling of red-ringed systems, giving them cooler, more dependable guts (though no HDMI). The second, "Valhalla", is rumored to combine the 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU into one awesome super chip. It would only require one cooling system, meaning Valhalla would be quieter and (one would hope) more dependable. It would also be considerably cheaper.
Both chips (again, if Metcalf is on the money) are a ways off, with Opus coming in 2008 or 2009 and Valhalla following a year later. As excited as we are for the new builds (even though our eyes are getting sore from exchanged looks) we'll be happiest if this news means Microsoft won't euthanize the 360 as quickly as its predecessor.
