Xbox 360 with Jasper arrives on the scene in all its 65nm glory
By Stephanie Patterson 
posted Sep 29th 2008 10:07PM
posted Sep 29th 2008 10:07PM
Hey, those Jaspers we've heard so much about are finally popping up in Xbox 360 consoles -- a bit behind the anticipated August release date, but better late than never right? If you'll recall these boards come equipped with 65nm chips that draw significantly less power, along with reduced heat output. If you're thinking about picking one of the new models up, you might want to check that the manufacture date is no earlier than August 6, 2008, and lot number is 8031 or above. So if you just bought a new console, it's time to go foraging for that receipt, but if you're still not sold there's always Valhalla to look forward to.Update: Looks like this may just be some overeager entries in database -- we'll let you know when we get some hard proof. In the meantime, if you decide to launch your own attempt in identifying a Jasper, keep an eye out for changes to components on the board: the tell-tail sign of a Falcon is the orientation of the inductor rings near the CPU heatsink (two laying flat -- as opposed to three standing up.) A lower than 175W power supply would also be an indicator, though there's no telling if that will be the case.
[Via Joey Gadget]
Read - Xbox Forums
Read - Xbox 360 DVD Drive Database
Well, that explains the extreme price drops as of late.
Hopefully the reduced power usage leads to lowered fan speeds. I could use another 360 for a media center extender.
If you're using it as a media extender, you won't be using the DVD drive which is what causes most all of the noise. I'm using a Falcon system and it is pretty much whisper quiet except when the DVD drive is in use.
I know all the noise comes from the DVD. I currently have an Elite (picked up when it came out) and the DVD drive has loosened up to create quite the vibration. Im looking very forward to hard drive installs. Newer Elites dont sound nearly as bad as mine, and i suspect Pros and Arcades are the same.
The fan noise isnt too bad, but anything approaching silence is always welcome, and the 65nm can only help (i would hope). Considering some movies can have moments of complete silence, it would be great to also have a completely silent player as well.
But to be honest, i cant complain too much. The thing is so damn versatile.
Not so. As a media extender, without the DVD player in use, mine is useless. The fan noise is horrendous. I tried sound-proofing it but that got me the RROD and a replacement, which is no better. I really don't understand why so many people claim it is only noisy with the DVD drive in use. Mine can be easily heard in the next room when doing nothing but idling. My PC is much quieter.
Even by installing into the hard drive, It is still going to make noise. Due to the disc being required to be inside. But i really dont know if its going to be spinning all the time.
@christopher
dumbass
any word if its quieter than the current/older 360's?
Umm.....Finally?
Hmm I just ordered a 60gb premium, I read its new, is this even newer? o_O
I am one of those who just bought a 360.
Its gotta be worth it to exchange right?
Bought it on the 13th of Sept. So I can only hope that the new lot shows up before my 30 days is up at gamestop.
Hope no one peed on it while it was in the bathroom....
wait a minute.... after looking around at the comments on the drive page, I call shenanigans. Looks like no one is posting pictures, only assuming that they have the jasper board...
Here's a quote:
#13 - posted by AshTR (71.164.22*.*) 2008-09-25 06:31:03
There is absolutely no way this is a Jasper. Someone on the Xbox forums has a 360 from the exact same lot. ""Week lot 0831 seems to be the Falcon chip. My watt readings where the same as AnandTech give or take 1 or 2.I used Halo3 the same as the web site also.Sorry guys,I guess we will have to wait a little longer.At least we know lot 0831 in not Jasper.""
Guess im sticking with my falcon.....
Hey, that's me! I'll even give you the source for that when the Xbox Live forums come back up if you want.
intrglctcrevfnk is right, not a single post is backed up with pictures or concrete evidence so.... gotta call BS for now unfortunately
Unless you really care about a little less heat output and saving a couple extra dollars a year on your energy bill, I wouldn't worry too much about it. The RROD issue is basically a non-issue now. Be happy with what you have.
how do you check for the lot number?
Dear Santa, this new 65nm XBOX 360 just made top of my wish list. Thanks in advance.
The source went to 360drives.com as their proof, but no one on that site have proven that they indeed are in possession of the Jasper. None of them have taken apart their Xbox and none of them have provided photographs despite repeated requests for it (look at the comments on the site).
Without proof, this can only be a false alarm made by folks who have no conclusive evidence.
Indeed! Try actually reading your source next time, engadget. There's only four jasper boards listed, three of them are "I think it's a Jasper because it's quiet," and one is an obvious troll. Sigh.
Exactly! There is absolutely NO PROOF of Jasper consoles. The last I heard Jasper has been delayed. Everyone on 360 drives is just claiming to have a Jasper (or Casper according to one tool) because it's quiet or looks different.
Engadget needs to remove this post or edit it substantially. Many people read Engadget and take it for truth, as they probably can most of the time, expecting the editors to research before posting. These are just Falcon consoles...nothing else. And I certainly wouldn't trust 360drives as a source. Check the official Xbox forums, there are plenty of long established threads on this topic under 360 Hardware.
Look, smaller brick, less hot, less noise, less red! Join Xbox Live, buy stuff, rent stuff - its an online multimedia hub! [Wireless not included (last gadget of 2008 to claim this)]
Irony that my replacement Elite was manufactured on April 1st, 2008. Microsoft is laughing at me.
so is the brick smaller?
no more power bicks the size of chihuahuas?
What I don't get is they don't list the wattage on the power supply. My launch unit was like a 220W and my newer Elite is 175W. I would assume a lowered powered chip set would require even less power. It's not a 100% thing but a lowered power supply would be a clear indication of a new chip.
You Xbox owners make me laugh..
Going through so much fiddling and fussing just to get a revised system.
There all made by Microsoft, so they'll always have big flaws.
It was doomed to that fiat thanks to their incompetence just so they could be the first boy on the block for the next gen console wars.
How much is Sony paying you?
because even with all the flaws, somehow it's still the top system. Oh, it could be the superior online play, good exclusives, games that were formerly exclusives on other systems. Get out of here with your anti microsoft banter, it's not about the company, it's about the games that back the system.
LMFAO!
Fanboi = FAIL
The Hardware blows, don't give me that irrelevant sales or software crap. To stuff it and quit being so quick to jump to defend your holy white piece of Microsoft junk. Korea makes better quality hardware in there iPod knock offs, at least they work and don't need 5 revisions because of massive design flaws.
Funny how you assumed I'm a Sony person, thanks for demonstrating your ignorance and biased opinions.
Suck it fan boys.
I just sent my Elite in on this past Wed. for the red ring of death, will I get a new jasper one?
No.
ROFLAMO.. You've just been Micro-screwed by Sh!tsoft.
You'll end up with a older refurbished model in return for the possibly new one you just likely bought.
Firstly, can we keep it civil in here please? No need for all this ranting. Secondly, I seem to have bought a 360 with the lot number 8032, which should make it a jasper. The only difference i can see without opening up (I like my warrenty) is that it runs as cool as a fridge. The power brick is the same size i remember it from my old 360. Oh, also, it doesn't kick up so much row when playing a game, i can hear the TV now.
is the manufacture date on your unit mid-august or later?
Is there ANY other way of confirming the jasper-ness?
Anyone put a killo wat on one? Interesting to know how little power it draws.. (latest 65nm/65nm PS3's are 110w).
I tried putting a kilowatt into mine but it turned into a pile of ash :(
I was going to try 1.21 jigawatts...but I left my plutonium in 1985.
Brick is 175w instead of 203w i believe, almost no fan noise, and rarely hear DVD rom
Sounds like a Falcon to me...
yup thats a falcon not a jasper, i would estimate the jasper will probably be somewere around the 150W mark
How does one check the manufacture date? Is that printed on the outside of the box, or do you have to check the console itself?
The lot number tells you the year and week of manufacture,
i.e 8031 tells you it was made in 2008, week 31
It's on the back of the 360, on a sticker. Oh, i forgot to add my power brick is 175W.
Welcom to 2007, dumbass fools.
Thay really dont get to they.
Jay Allard once said "We want to focus on the software, its all about the software."
Well ya cant run that nice software if yer hardware aint working.
(my dream console, apple tv like casing,, hdmi, dualshock 3, no disc just a 250 gig HDD and Steam.)
why doesn`t anyone of those saying they have the jasper post a picture of the power brick which should be less than 175w?That way we could be almost sure it`s a jasper.Right?
dammit can someone post pics or open one of these up to see if its the jasper or not, i was looking to pick up an elite bc of the new ability to store games on the hd, ill go buy it today if the jaspers out
i'm doing the same...don't buy yet. it'll be several more weeks, most likely.
Or if you know someone that works at a Best Buy or other retail store and can get their discount buy an Arcade (they will most likely show up at Jaspers first due to the lower cost and higher turnover) and them zombie-piece together your own Elite. That's what I'm thinking of doing.
Here is a guy with proof : http://www.360drives.com/profile/3661
You are complaining, but the Jaspers will be available soon for you, north americans.
Brazilians have to wait until 2009.
How to spot a Jasper:
Manufacture date on or after 23 Oct 2008...Lot number 843XX or better (ie. 844XX, 845XX).
Look in the serial number cutout, and look for 12.1A. If it says 14.6A, then it's a Falcon.
This is for FDOU and CSOC team builds.
There are some 843XX manufactured 23 Oct 2008, but have 14.6A.
What is 843XX???? 8 = 2008 43=Week number (52 weeks in a year) XX = Line or shift or day of week 5 being Friday
So if someone is claiming to have a 85304, they are smoking crack! This would actually be 90104
You could see something like this 84305
Justification on the 12.1A indicator being a Jasper Board???:
Some power bricks are being shipped with a 175W for use on a 12.1A, others have a 150W. The console connector is keyed for the Jasper 12.1A board. You can't use an old power supply on a new Jasper or you could possibly fry the board. This is so they can get rid of the redundant 175W supplies. This will have no effect on the console whatsoever. The console will only use what is needed, up to 175W or 150W, which ever you have.
So if the unit used 12 volts and rated at 12.1 amps, it will use 145.2 watts. Yes, 12 volts, because the power supply takes the 110V AC current and transforms it into 12 volts @ 12.1A. Volts x Amps = Watts.
So with a new 65nm GPU and CPU, you don't need more amps to run it. That's why the change to 12.1A. A 90nm GPU and 60nm CPU (Falcon board) requires 14.6A to run it because the 90mn GPU requires more power.
Not exactly true. I have a Jasper from an Arcade Bundle.
Mfg date 10/14/08
Lot #0842X
175W Power supply
12.1a
Internal MU
Team FDOU
So the date and lot numbers can vary a lot.
I picked up a 360 Arcade package on Black Friday and was really hoping it was a Jasper! But I just confirmed that it's not, based on the 14.2 amps rating I can see on the bar code label through the hole in the retail box. I got this at Circuit City and I supposedly have until sometime in the first week of January to return it to them. The box is still sealed (it's a Xmas present for my kids). If I take it back to try to exchange it for a Jasper unit what excuse do I use? Do I just come out and tell them I want a "Jasper"?
Has anyone else tried to exchange a recently purchased 360 for a confirmed Jasper unit? I'd be interested in hearing about your experience.
I have a Jasper too and your point is confirmed, whitelightnin92.
MFG date: 2008-10-27
Lot #0844X
150W Power supply
That alone tells you its quite variable.