Apparent Xbox 360 "Jasper" spotted in the wild
By Donald Melanson 
posted November 27th 2008 4:48PM
posted November 27th 2008 4:48PM
We've had some false alarms in the past, but it looks like the first Jasper-equipped Xbox 360s may now finally be starting to make their way out into the wild. While there unfortunately still aren't any pictures of the motherboard to completely put this thing to rest, everything else certainly seems to be pointing in the right direction, including a 150W power supply (25W less than the current models), a manufacturing date of 2008-10-23, an 0843X lot number, and a power adapter that most definitely won't fit in a Falcon console -- head on past the break for a pic of it. Now, anyone feel like cracking open some cases?
Update: Picture of the guts now posted over at xbox-scene. Interestingly, it appears that the new mobo brings 256MB onboard flash memory (up from 16MB). Those look like 65-nm process chips to you?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: Picture of the guts now posted over at xbox-scene. Interestingly, it appears that the new mobo brings 256MB onboard flash memory (up from 16MB). Those look like 65-nm process chips to you?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Interesting.
What a shit first comment.
What a shit second comment.
Yes, it is interesting. New model, though I see no major cosmetic changes on the 360 itself from what I can see.
Not really, even at 150w, it's still a tonne more than a PS3, which is between 90w - 110w, in it's current 65nm/65nm configuration, and moving to 45nm very soon.
The big question, is will these 360s finally work? I somehow doubt it.. It's clear Microsoft havn't got a clue to make hardware, and Sony have a very good clue..
Who cares if it draws more power, at least there are games worth playing on it.
I have a theory that the reason we're seeing so many broken 360's is not because they are badly manufactured, but because they are so damned fun to play that people just play them to death!
Its also very clear ddd doesnt have good grammar.
my bro will be so pissed, he just bought an xbox in order to beat the crowd on fri
If he is going to use his Xbox as a weapon anyway, surely the model number won't matter to much? After all, one hit to the head off an Xbox, and you've had them all.
As long as your brother has a new Xbox 360 with the HDMI included in the chipset he'll be fine because those have almost no chance of RROD...
So? Just have him return it ASAP. Shouldn't matter if it's opened or sealed, depending on the store where he had purchased it.
Beat the crowd? He has has 3 years... 360 is last years news...
Whatever happened to talking to deal with issues? what about making love? He should make love to all those guys.
Platinum_Skeet:
Actually, all Elites have HDMI and the early ones had horrendously high RROD rates. Even higher than the rest of the Xboxes if that's even possible.
If you get a Falcon (175W), you should do okay though, at least in terms of the RROD. You're more likely to have optical drive problems.
I just had an E74, the 4th quadrant ROD. It's the same GPU melting problem. But I towel trick'd it, and it came back to life, for now hopefully.
My Xbox had an HDMI, but wasn't Elite.
shame it cant play games as good as my appletv
microsoft sux.
O WAT?
It doesn't play DVDs as well as my Segway either.
I'm Jackie Chan and I approve that comment.
I'm Chuck Norris and I DISAPPROVE yours :)
I like turtles.
This series of comments should be preserved for posterity as example of what most comment threads degenerate into.
Oh it can still degenerate further, we haven't seen Godwin's Law come into effect yet
*hrm* apple...microsoft...turtles...NAZI GERMANY! need it be made clearer, sheeple? damn police state...
Lucky. I'd personally ask them if it's quieter.
Who cares at this point really?
Microsoft has shown that even if your hardware is crap for three years, there are still people stupid enough to stay loyal to your product. And they call Apple and Nintendo fanboys delusional.
Hi Hater!
Microsoft has shown that one major detractor isn't enough to deter people if you get almost everything else right - large games library, lots of (albeit mediocre) exclusives, good online service etc. And to be really honest, very few of the newer consoles RROD anymore, I know quite a few people with RROD'ed Xbox's and they are all pretty much the machines bought on launch day (PS3 owner here btw).
Apple has shown that no matter what insane price you charge, no matter what sub par hardware you use, no matter how dangerous your products can be and no matter how secretive and anti-competitive you are that there are still people willing to say that Apple products are good value for money.
I believe MS has brought the failure rate of the 360 WAY down since the initial ~30% failure rate it started at. Last year I recall reading that it was a single digit failure rate now. So I wouldn't say they've been providing shit hardware for 3 years.
And even if your 360 does RROD (slim chance if you pick one up today) you're covered for 3 years with a solid warranty. Mine RROD'd last march and I had it back in less than a week.
And any fanboy is delusional. MS fanboys are delusional, nintendo, Sony, mac, Nikon, Canon... pepsi fanboys. All delusional. If you can't even see any negatives in your product of choice, or any positives in a competing product... that's delusion... or ignorance.
Have to disagree with you there Weggles, not all fanboys are delusional. Pepsi is waaaaay better than Coke ;-)
I just traded in my launch core console to get the arcade (new chipset falcon was way better and HDMI) I just looked at everything looks like I got a Jasper. The thing makes no noise at all It's completely quiet when I am playing L4D (it's installed) plus it doesn't get all heated up either.... I just got it Tuesday... From the gamestop my brother works at and this was part of the shipment they got in for the Black Friday sales.
Mine's not a Jasper, but it is an HDMI model. Compared to my last Xbox 360 (Which is sitting in Microsoft's repair shop as we speak), this thing is whisper quiet. My old 360 would sound like a windtunnel, to the point that my roommates were complaining about it. Power supply's also noisy as hell too.
Hopefully, no RRoD on this one.
Does your console have the 150W PSU? Just because it's quiet doesn't make it a Jasper, especially since the Falcon consoles are also very quiet.
Maybe another attempt at Microsoft to stop people using 3rd party accessories?
The intercooler goes between the xbox and power cable, so they'll suffer "financial difficulties"
Also, intercoolers suck bawls anyway, so no loss.
I think you could make it like pokemon cards... put a little "Jasper" engraved below the logo on the side of the console. I can imagine a LOT of people wanting that on the side of the xbox.
Hopefully they've moved the GPU, no?
I havn't gotten another Xbox before I traded my core in for a the Arcade I just got but I noticed the power brick was considerably lighter...
The Xbox360 progress more and more reminds me of state of PC industry and Windows: "here, here, look! with this upgrade()s and this patch(es) it will finally work well!!!"
In my eyes, way MSFT handles its hardware's QA defies the whole purpose of game console.....
Are you trying to say that consoles shouldn't get hardware/software updates? Most every console as far as I can remember has had them to fix problems/increase functionality....even the NES was a hardware revision.
I'll wait for the software patch for your comments before replying. Reading that mauled English just gives me a headache.
Let's look at some common everyday items that require updates to improve the product.
Iphone / Iphone 3G = check (Not to mention just about every cellphone)
AppleTV = check
PS3 = Check
Xbox360 = check
Nintendo Wii = Check
..... The list goes on. (I think you get the picture)
One thing that may need an patch is your brain.
I have a Falcon Elite and I didn't RROD but I still had to send mine in. Instead of Ring of Death it would just freeze randomly. I bet it was the DVD-ROM so nothing can stop this thing from breaking. If it is not one thing it is another. I am on my 4th 360 now. I gave the original to a friend and bought an ELITE after the original broke for the second time. Still it is pathetic that happens at all. This never happens with my PS3.
Your experience is exactly what I wanted to avoid and makes me super happy that I bought a PS3.
I've had my 360 since launch and no issues other than the DVD drive is starting to go. On the other hand, my roommate's got a RROD on his launch console after about 2 years. The only noticeable difference is that his got used about twice as much as mine, and it was in a slightly more confined space with worse airflow.
Finally! Now why it took THREE YEARS to get to this point???
I am glad I bought one a year after launch (when Gears came out), judging correctly that the new one won't be out for a long while and I might as well enjoy the games.
What the hell are you talking about? My launch console has been great.
i just think some people are hard on their consoles. I have 2 launch consoles, bought months apart, and have never had a problem with either one.
I was not hard on my console. It has plenty of air and I really had not used it very much. It was not even a year old. I agree hardware can break but it should not happen multiple times in a short time period. Microsoft rushed this console to production and obviously they knew of these issue but released it anyway. That is what bothers me.
ALL hardware has issues, no matter who makes it. It's par for the course, electrics fail.
I'm on my 6th 360 and 4th PS3, and hardly use the bloomin PS3 as can't stand the controller (anyone know a ps3 controller that's not designed for 11 year old Japanese kids?)
Anyhow, live with it, it's the way hardware is made nowadays, everything is 'throw away' at the end of the day.
I'm still on my original wii.
Same with my ps3... but what you don't understand is that these people wouldn't be on the their 2nd or 3nd or even 4th 360 if the system wasn't incredible. We all wish these problems weren't here but as gamers we measure the pros and the cons, and trust me there is a reason why we keep coming back.
Don't even get me started on the wii... all i have to say is that i am surprised more wiis haven't broken due to all that dust gathering up...
@iCoy
Man, that was the most intelligent comment I have seen today.
The thing might be like shit, it is a shame that someone should give us "crappy" HW (yes, I have two, and one of them has been sent back for repairs twice, free of course), but people keep playing on it, and I probably will be playing on it forever even if I have to go buy one every year. I've my mind up so I consider this device a service that hits my wallet for less than 200 every year (+60 for subscription), and it looks fair to me (mostly preferable to keeping the pace with every iteration of Mr. Jobs' products)
I have tried the three of them, and for what I really rank a gaming experience, it's games and the ability to do REAL TIME worldwide online gaming, I rate it really high in comparision with the Wii (irrelevant) and the somehow lame PS3 (it makes me cry when I play GT5 P. and I see the other cars disappearing and appearing anywhere in front o me, even of people I know that live in my very same city)
So the thing is, it is good to hear that the HW might be improving, at least for the ones that care or will care, but guys, we are getting old for these shit of fanboys revisiting their love of hate for brands (why care???), that as som smart people point out here, is so sad that makes our love for the human being a waste of time
Let people be