Ben Heck's latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

Even after five iterations, Ben Heck's portable Xbox 360 models are still a spectacle to behold -- he seems to keep outdoing himself every time, both in functionality and style. This latest model has the appearance of an oversized plastic polycarbonate Macbook when closed, and packs a 17-inch Gateway LCD panel. The big improvements here include the Jasper motherboard, a flush-mount DVD door and side panels, digital potentiometer / button volume controls, and an ethernet port in addition to WiFi. Not everything's been kept, as Heck says he ditched the camera, not seeing a point for it -- but hey, there's still two USB ports if any of his (already spoken for) customers want to add it. Impressive work, indeed. See it for yourself in the video after the break.

[Via TechEBlog]

[MrFairladyz @ Jul 5th 2009 6:36PM]

freakin awesome

[Celedhring @ Jul 5th 2009 7:12PM]

I was just over at Gizmodo and saw this, and stupidly I thought "oh, this article isn't up at Engadget".

[ishism @ Jul 5th 2009 7:51PM]

That thing is beautiful. If I had the money I'd buy one.

[DanielT @ Jul 5th 2009 7:58PM]

Of course giz had the first post today. Engadget's bloggers are busy fearing God on Sundays. This site has a cleaner interface because it has God on its side whereas gizmodo has the satanic priest gawker to blame for its fine mess.

[solarshadows074 @ Jul 5th 2009 8:11PM]

the one with the keyboard is better.

[james @ Jul 6th 2009 5:22AM]

Its like a giant Ds lite!!

[omnomnom @ Jul 21st 2009 9:10PM]

@DanielT you mean the sun god? It is Sunday after all

[Lando Calrissian @ Jul 5th 2009 6:37PM]

WRONG!

[Barry @ Jul 5th 2009 6:38PM]

omg i fail both posted at 6:36

[Barry @ Jul 5th 2009 6:39PM]

im new to engagdet do i have to verify every comment i make through email..?

[Gabe @ Jul 5th 2009 6:41PM]

Yes.

[a ham sandwich @ Jul 5th 2009 6:47PM]

not exactly. if you click on "returning" and enter your email and the password at the bottom of your confirmation emails, then have your browser save the password, you'll be cool from here on out. of course, you can click on your name in the comments and change your password from this default one.

don't worry. i was reading and posting on engadget for over a year before i figured it out. as it has been stated many times before, the comment system needs a massive makeover. :)

[Barry @ Jul 5th 2009 6:52PM]

thanks a ham sandwich

[patriotsn1 @ Jul 5th 2009 6:52PM]

since you're a "FIRST!!" posting douche bag, it'd be better for everyone if you just didn't comment at all....

[Barney @ Jul 5th 2009 7:06PM]

I think so Barry,
welcome to the club of guys that post in 1st page ;)

[mrspiteri @ Jul 5th 2009 7:22PM]

I've been posting for a while and I've been verifying each of those by email! Thanks HAM SANDWICH MAN.

[DanielT @ Jul 5th 2009 7:50PM]

Hey Barry, cool avatar! Where'd you get it?

[Kiv @ Jul 5th 2009 9:26PM]

Thanks sandwich, trying that out right now

[Mike @ Jul 5th 2009 9:46PM]

You can use an AIM account to log in... just click on the AIM bubble.

[Gabe @ Jul 5th 2009 6:40PM]

No keyboard? Weak.

[(01) @ Jul 5th 2009 9:09PM]

I love how after Heck puts one of these together there;sa group of complainers who try and tear it down. You know what? come talk to us after you've built something like this by yourself.

[RioRyan @ Jul 5th 2009 11:19PM]

Yeah, I liked the one with the keyboard better. It had more of the

"Nice laptop"
"No, dude, it's an Xbox"
"NO WAY"

effect.

[Alex @ Jul 5th 2009 6:40PM]

there're*

[Jagger @ Jul 6th 2009 1:45AM]

Shut up.

"There're" isn't a real contraction. Out of the three similar choices you have to choose from, (refresher: there, they're, their) you had to make one up.

When I see "there're", I imagine a fat dude picking his bellybutton in Southern Texas eyeballing an ugly whore with a lot of makeup thinking to himself "There're too boobehz".

[Alex @ Jul 6th 2009 7:13AM]

Yes I realize "there're" is not a formal contraction, but it sure is better than "there is still two USB ports".

[Mike @ Jul 6th 2009 11:18PM]

How about, "there are".

Moron.

[Jakko @ Jul 5th 2009 6:45PM]

Freeze much?

[Eddie.exe @ Jul 5th 2009 6:46PM]

You fail regardless...

[Cy Starkman @ Jul 5th 2009 6:46PM]

Barry you have no idea what u are getting urself into.

This looks fantastic. I love individual innovation.

[Barry @ Jul 5th 2009 6:52PM]

Ok ill watch out

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Jul 6th 2009 1:07AM]

Oh shit. Ben! Watch out! The fed's are gonna shut you down for this!!! It's pirate bay all over agaaaaaaain!

[Absolute92 @ Jul 5th 2009 6:52PM]

Is this legal ? Yeah its cool but its the first portable Xbox 360 I have ever seen thus I have nothing to compare it too.

[TTSGEB @ Jul 5th 2009 7:07PM]

It's just as legal as any other case mod, just a good bit cooler than most.

[nick @ Jul 5th 2009 6:52PM]

Does this have a battery?

[Barry @ Jul 5th 2009 6:57PM]

No it doesn't have a battery

[Vinnie @ Jul 5th 2009 6:55PM]

IT'S REALLY LOUD

[maty @ Jul 6th 2009 6:01AM]

All Ben's 360 laptops are water-cooled. Quiet, actually :).

[Aaronage @ Jul 5th 2009 7:07PM]

That's really awesome!

The design would be perfect if it wasn't for the ugly inside, does it need to look so... messy :P The rest looks so flush and clean :)

I'm not putting the work down, i could only dream of doing something as awesome as that!

[mick @ Jul 5th 2009 8:23PM]

making the inside of the "clean" would of made the build atleast twice aslong. dont forget this is one guy building it in his basement and not a team of pro's designing it in a lab. take a look at his forums at other portables and u might be able to start your own

[dasmith83 @ Jul 5th 2009 7:17PM]

Does Heckathorn have a industry related job? If not, Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, etc should all consider hiring this guy.

[Miguel @ Jul 5th 2009 8:10PM]

It's Heckendorn. And no.

[Wolfticket @ Jul 5th 2009 7:46PM]

I think Polycarbonate is a type of plastic.

[Bandit5317 @ Jul 5th 2009 11:26PM]

Indeed.

[Kinger @ Jul 5th 2009 7:54PM]

I can fap to that

[Cameron @ Jul 5th 2009 8:44PM]

Careful; if you don't keep it cool you'll end up with the RROC (red ring of chafing).

[Randomness @ Jul 5th 2009 7:59PM]

How does he mold the cases?

[Joseph @ Jul 6th 2009 2:15AM]

very carefully, so they look nice.

[nick @ Jul 6th 2009 5:39AM]

They're not molded, they're milled

[ishism @ Jul 5th 2009 8:20PM]

Thirty-fifth.
Welcome to the Doucebag Club

[jason @ Jul 5th 2009 8:26PM]

first