Report: Xbox 360 Jasper chipset contracted for production, Valhalla on deck

by James Ransom-Wiley { May 8th 2008 at 10:55AM }

Reports that Xbox 360's Jasper chipset will begin shipping in August continue to hum along, as China Economic News Service has named three Taiwanese companies that have been contracted to manufacture, test and package the pair of 65nm microprocessors in preparation for a summer rollout. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will build the chips, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering will test and package them, and Nanya will supply flip-chip packaging substrates (which sure do sound important). The Jasper combo will ideally use less power, simplify cooling and, most importantly, cut back on the console's jibba jabba.

Industry analysts have also pegged TSMC as the primary candidate for Valhalla chipset production (in addition to the Jasper contract, TSMC has also built 90nm chips for an older version of Xbox 360). Valhalla is rumored to be a single super-chip that combines the properties of a 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU, and is expected to be incorporated into Xbox 360 hardware in the fall of 2009.

[Via X-bit Labs]

Tags: 65nm, chipset, jasper, valhalla

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

lee @ May 8th 2008 11:01AM

well its too late for us now isn't it?
:'(

James @ May 8th 2008 3:22PM

Instead of the chips, how 'bout a quieter Disc drive? my toshiba drive sounds like a jet plane taking off every time I run GTA:IV

JCD @ May 10th 2008 2:18PM

You know, there are so many legitimate things to complain about with the 360 I'm constantly baffled that the one people piss and moan about the most is the sound of the dvd drive. Seriously, it's not that bad.

I've sent my 360 in 3 times now for RRoD problems. And on the last one, they made me send in my PSU and the replacement one didn't work. I'm still waiting "7 to 10 business days" for that lil' gem (that might not work).

Their customer service is horrendous. You cannot get an American on the telephone (no offense to those of you in India, but some call center people have accents thicker than molasses), they refused to overnight my replacement PSU (stretching this last repair window out even longer!), and they have no means of escalating customer service complaints. You want to complain how you were treated? They'll give you the address of their legal department, but not their customer svc dept. Because, my guess is, they don't /have/ a customer service department.

I won't be buying a ps3 because it's just a waste of money since most everything that I want is going cross platform or MS exclusive, but I still freakin' hate the 360. MS knows damn well what causes all of the problems (heat + x clamps + shoddy BGA soldering), and their solution, 65 nm chips, has taken over 2 years to be implemented. For crying out loud, everyone else is looking at 45 nm solutions!

Jasper will probably solve the RRoD issues (since the falcon only has a 65 nm cpu, which wasn't the prob in the first place), but so what? At that point they'll have had 3 freakin' years of a reputation as a company that makes crappy hardware. Screw MS, screw the 360, screw Jasper/Valhalla/whatever, and screw fanbois. I just don't like them.

/end rant

ZeroCorpse @ May 11th 2008 5:24PM

Ahh... But it IS that bad, depending on which model of DVD drive you have.

The BenQ is pretty quiet, comparably, but the others are pretty noisy in some games.

I've had several 360s since launch (never a bad one. I just like to upgrade.) and of them, only one (the BenQ DVD drive) had a bearable noise level. The others have all been relatively noisy.

I've never had a RROD or problem with my 360s. My launch unit worked up until I sold it last year (and I assume it's still fine). My BenQ drive model is working happily at my nephews' house (it was their Christmas present from me) and my current Falcon is fine and plays cool.

I think a LOT of the RROD were from people who simply don't take care of things like I do. How could I have three 360s that were all perfect and never failed, and yet some other people seem to go through them constantly? I think it comes down to the environment the unit is kept in, and the way the end-user treats it. Certainly, there were 360s with some bad connections inside, but I think the problem was exacerbated by misuse, mishandling, and people who just sought to exploit the bad reputation and warranty, hoping they'd get a Falcon as a replacement.

Not one bad day since launch. . . But that DVD drive sure is noisy.

JCD @ May 11th 2008 7:48PM

Zerocorpse, I didn't misuse my xbox in ANY way. Do you take me for a fool?

My 360 has always been on the top of my entertainment unit, with nothing next to it, on top of it, or under it (except the counter top of course). I don't use 3rd party products that make things worse, like the intercooler (yes, the intercooler really does draw too much power, which could cause a 3 RRoD PSU error, and the pelican system cooler actually obstructs more airflow than it helps).

In fact, I have known, every single time, what was wrong with my system. It was actually the same thing every single time (you can check what caused the error via a 'hidden' error code). Answer: the system gets too damn hot, causing breaks in solder joints on the GPU.

The sound of the dvd drive is almost as lame an argument against the 360 as the size of the original was an argument against it. Judge the system on it's games, judge it on it's reliability, but don't tell me you're actually so vacuous that you actually base your purchases on the sound of the drives.

koehler83 @ May 8th 2008 11:02AM

Does that mean its almost a safe investment to buy an Xbox?

Frankly I'm thoroughly sick of my PS3.

why not the LS2LS7? @ May 8th 2008 11:07AM

The current 90nm 360s aren't nearly as loud as the originals...when you're playing a game off HDD. But when you play a game off the optical disc, that baby spins up to 8X or 12X and it's still very loud.

Reducing the feature size of the main chipset to 65nm or 45nm isn't going to make the optical drive less loud. So I can't see how this new unit will be noticably different in loudness.

I do hope MS dumps the current shape of the 360 and goes to a "360 slim". The current shape is as large as it needs to be because of the cooling requirements of the original units and doesn't need to be that big now. Additionally, the current shape is connected to unreliability in many people's minds. If they make a new one in a new shape, a lot of people will feel "okay, now it is safe to get a 360, this isn't like that old crappy one". I know the 360 has changed a lot since the early units, but they kept the same shape and people do judge a book by its cover.

Noshino @ May 8th 2008 11:14AM

why not the LS2LS7?,

Its not because of the shape, its because the unit is still unreliable, remember how insiders have mentioned it? so unless we see Microsoft making a clear statement that they have found out what the problem was and that they have been able to fix it, no one will believe them

crackp1pe @ May 8th 2008 11:25AM

The noise from the dvd-rom is a a much bigger issue than anything else in my eyes. I literally bought GTA IV for my PS3 because I can't stand the noise from the dvd drive on my 360, and am convinced a continually-streaming game like GTA will finally kill my (3rd replacement) system. When you have a nearly silent machine that you can count on as an alternative, the ridiculous noise that the 360 puts out becomes a very big issue. I prefer the 360 online experience to the PS3, but I'm buying all the multiplat games on PS3 moving forward.

driven2sin @ May 8th 2008 11:35AM

i got the home theater so cranked i won't know if my 360 screamed like all the bitches in the park i beat up on

NO ONE COME THROUGH MY PARK

deaftly @ May 8th 2008 11:37AM

The DVD drive noise bothers you that much? Do you play your games on mute or a 13" tv or something?

why not the LS2LS7? @ May 8th 2008 11:57AM

deaftly:
I don't like my equipment telling me how loud I have to make my stereo okay? Yes, I have sufficient amplifier to drown it out (except of course in silent scenes), but I'm not interested in doing so.

My PC is quiet, my Mac Mini I use as a home theater PC is quiet, my PS3 and Wii are quiet. I'd love for my 360 to be also.

As to the comments above that the problem with the 360 is that it's still unreliable and not just the shape. Well, you're right. A friend had his Falcon die within 5 weeks. The Falcon he bought because he had to send his original into MS again. But still, if you're MS, you need to break that correlation in people's minds to increase sales. The new one may not be super reliable, but it's at least 4X more reliable than the originals and that means it should be able to make something out of a fresh start.

Laggy @ May 8th 2008 12:06PM

Mac Mini? Wii? PS3? The 360 might be louder than them, but it's the system with the games.

why not the LS2LS7? @ May 8th 2008 12:45PM

Yeah Laggy, that's why I didn't bitch about the games on 360, just the unit itself. Do you have any other unrelated things to mention? Maybe you should just retreat to "if it's too loud, you're too old" like the other posters.

That being said, I haven't turned on my 360 in months. Last thing I played on it was Assassin's Creed (which I borrowed) and PGR4. Why? Because anything I can get on PS3 instead of 360 I do get on PS3, partially because it's so much quieter. GTA IV? PS3. Burnout:Paradise? PS3. Rock Band? PS3 (although the drums are so loud maybe that one didn't matter) Lego Star Wars? PS3 (okay, I borrowed that one too)

Vidikron (FU) @ May 8th 2008 1:04PM

@deaftly

"The DVD drive noise bothers you that much? Do you play your games on mute or a 13" tv or something?"

Well, first, I'm not sure what the hell the size of the TV has to do with audio. Also, is DAMNED LOUD. The hight picted whine it makes can actually be heard piercing though even fairly loud audio levels. Now, in the middle of a fire fight or something I don't hear it or simply forget about it, but there's plenty of quiet times. Even if you have your volume cranked it's not like games have a constant white noise in the background that drowns out the noise of the system. Cut scenes and other lulls in the action often reduce the audio level considerably. Then what about at night? A lot of us have familes to consider and must reduce our volumes at night. During those times the DVD drive becomes especially troublesome.

Vidikron (FU) @ May 8th 2008 1:06PM

Damn... please ignore the numerous typos in my previous post. Posting while at work isn't always conducive to coherent posts.

NATO_Duke @ May 8th 2008 1:09PM

"A lot of us have familes to consider and must reduce our volumes at night. During those times the DVD drive becomes especially troublesome."

That was my thought exactly. The DVD drive is the loud and annoying part of the 360 for me, and I can't crank my sound to 11 when people are sleeping. I really would love a way to have that drive be quieter and would probably buy a newer model if it had that feature.

FrankTheCrank @ May 8th 2008 1:25PM

It's janky....no doubt.

That's what happens when you rush to production.

I'll be sure to wait till September to pick one up. Finally. By then a price drop should be in place, better hardware, and the good games will be dirt cheap.

Hopefully it will have some life left to it. It's already three years old. You remember what happened year four of XBOX1....they pulled the plug.

NATO_Duke @ May 8th 2008 2:18PM

They pulled the plug for the next generation model though.

Vcize @ May 8th 2008 3:46PM

They pulled the plug because the thing was a huge failure that was bleeding money. They don't have that problem with the 360, so I'd imagine they'll go on supporting it quite a bit longer.

SharpBlade @ May 8th 2008 6:23PM

No they plugged the plug because they didn't own all the components inside the original Xbox. Nvidia wanted crazy money and was threatening a lawsuit and since the Xbox was struggling they pulled the plug.

MS did not make that same mistake with the 360 and they won't be pulling the plug in the same time frame as the original.

To the others talking about how loud the system is it really depends on the DVD drive you have. The newer systems have a BenQ drive and it is considering more quiet than the Toshiba and Samsungs. It is still louder than the PS3 but not by much once the PS3 has been on for a few hours and those giant fans in it kick on.

Kizzle @ May 8th 2008 11:05AM

I keep holding off on buying a new 360 (I have first-six-months console right now) because new stuff is always "coming soon." I think the Jasper setup is probably the one I'll actually drop the money for though. The old one can go to the younger brother or something.

Still no interest in a PS3 right now. Maybe after a redesign and/or pricedrop.

Korova @ May 8th 2008 1:11PM

I bought mine in november. Its my primary dvd player, gaming system and music streamer. Works just fine.

I will get a PS3 when they put dual shock 3 in the package and a Wii if I stumble on it.

If you already have one working, waiting is ok, I guess. But if not, just get one and play the games.

PojoMofo @ May 8th 2008 11:10AM

YES!!!!! This is what I have been waiting for!!!

A reliable 360 = MS getting my money again.

Im not "sick" of my PS3 per se, but it really doesnt have enough to keep you satisfied.

Matt B @ May 8th 2008 2:24PM

Between GTA4, THe Show, HSG5, and MGO, I feel stretched to thin.

Noshino @ May 8th 2008 11:16AM

meh, PS3 owners might be waiting for the next game to "save" the console, but 360 owners wait for the chip to save theirs...

DemonGSides @ May 8th 2008 11:19AM

And idiots keep waiting for one more article to turn into an argument.

xFenixKnightx @ May 8th 2008 11:39AM

Hey Noshino how was Haze? lol, I played it last night. What a POS.

Noshino @ May 8th 2008 11:51AM

Fenix,

It was good actually

Runs great, no lag at all even when playing 4 player online co-op, hell, no wonder they didn't need Hi-Res, great work on the graphic department.

the Nectar effects feel ok, but then again, this is a demo of the beginning of the game, it should become deeper as the story goes.

Gameplay is just great, you are even given the option to re arrange every command.

meh, let's put it this way, its Halo, but better in every sense...(Im refering to the first Halo, as it is considered the best one, and also because I haven't played much of the other 2, around 4 to 5 hrs max)

xFenixKnightx @ May 8th 2008 12:03PM

OK keep telling yourself that. Just when I thought you would come to your senses. The game is MEH man, don't defend it. Even PS3fanboy thinks its meh and a clone wannabee...

"Overall, the demo was fairly fun, though it does seem like a genre generic title ... and by the merit of this demo alone, shooter fans probably may have felt the experience seemed a little too close to another shooter by a single name of four letters (well at least the very beginning). Can you guess which one?"

Now Killzone 2, MotorStorm 2, and WipeoutHD...those games are what Sony is really about baby!! Now if we can just get those accomplishments ;)

MASTUR CHEEF (Yes I pay for Xbox live you cheap ass scrub) @ May 8th 2008 12:21PM

What kind of account do I need to download Haze American, Japanese or European? Cuz I have a Japanese account and I could only find SIREN but I couldn't find Haze.

PojoMofo @ May 8th 2008 12:54PM

Mastur cheef, The demo came out in EU on Tuesday, to mixed reviews, and the Us one is today. no idea about JPN release, although I would MUCH rather play Siren!!

NATO_Duke @ May 8th 2008 1:13PM

Noshino, you are the first person to praise the graphics in Haze.

Congrats - you officially live in your own world now. ;P

xFenixKnightx @ May 8th 2008 1:23PM

Good ole' Duke, tellin it like it is. +1

Noshino @ May 8th 2008 2:20PM

NATO_Duke

its funny that some time ago people were even comparing Haze to Crysis...back then when it was multiplatform...

But yeah, I admit that the game doesn't have "HOLY SHIT" kind of graphics, just look at the edge of the helmet...but the animations and everything in general runs so freaking smooth that I just think it wasn't really necessary for them to use "Eye Definition"

Matt B @ May 8th 2008 2:27PM

I'd buy a 360, but I'm afraid it would turn me into a douchebag like you guys.

E.J. @ May 8th 2008 3:41PM

Don't waste you money, Matt B. You already are.

Matt B @ May 8th 2008 8:17PM

Whatever you say random internet dude. For ever vote you got upped proved my point all the more. Thanks xbots!!!

DemonGSides @ May 9th 2008 10:05AM

Go drop another 600 on a Ps3, fanboy.

marauder800 @ May 8th 2008 11:20AM

The 360 is loud by comparison, but the only time I hear it is during start up, and not during games or movies. Still I'm all for improving the system. My PS3 is super quiet, but that may be due to the fact that its powered down all the time until when I need a Motorstorm fix :D

PojoMofo @ May 8th 2008 11:23AM

Actually my 360 is waaay quieter, because its had a fried mobo for about a year now...

Kujel @ May 8th 2008 11:29AM

PojoMofo maybe you shouldn't have spilled that can of pop on it.

PojoMofo @ May 8th 2008 11:33AM

Well Kujel, The 360 was running kinda slow and I just thought I would give it some Mountain Dew to give it a little pick-me-up. Was that not a good thing to do?

deaftly @ May 8th 2008 11:38AM

That better have been Halo3 Mountain Dew!

PojoMofo @ May 8th 2008 11:58AM

Crap deaftly, it wasnt gamer fuel, that is why 360 crapped out on me. It was like "WTF is this???" and then commited suicide

Carl Abrams @ May 8th 2008 2:32PM

If it's just the chip, and it's not covered by warranty, then go do the llama.com 360 fix. I was quite surprised how easy it was to do. Took me about 3 hours total, and cost about 20 bucks for the silver compound and the washers/bolts. (I do recommend having some adhesive cleaner and alcohol (not the drinkable kind) to clean the chips with - alcohol alone doesn't cut it.)