As if 3 SKUs wasn't enough, the Xbox 360 Falcon.

Kayden

Kayden

Banned
Dean Takahashi reports that Microsoft is almost ready to start selling the next generation of the Xbox 360, code-named “Falcon”. Dean says that “Falcon” uses a 65-nanometer manufacturing process for both the CPU and the ATI graphics chip, reducing manufacturing costs and overheating for the console. Once the revision makes its way into the manufacturing pipeline, something Dean says will be completed this summer, Microsoft will have multiple options for the Xbox 360.
They can:
  • Sell the Xbox 360 at its current price, and make a higher profit on every sale due to lower costs, as well as touting the lower temperature of the system.
  • Lower the price of the 360 to improve sales, cutting off Sony’s still-expensive PS3 and better competing with Nintendo’s Wii.
  • Improve the design of the 360, making it smaller.
  • Add more features inside the 360 (like an HD-DVD drive), taking advantage of the fact that things are a lot more stable inside.
The point is, these new Falcon-based 360s represent a major change for the 360, getting it to be cheaper to make and finally ending the heat problem, and makes Microsoft far more competitive. The new chips cost half as much, which puts Microsoft in a great position against Sony.
Click to expand...
http://microsoft.blognewschannel.com/archives/2007/07/09/microsoft-readying-new-xbox-360-falcon/
 
It doesn't sound like a new SKU. The codename is likely what the Msoft folks internally call the 65nm 360s . I think we all knew this was coming, the only thing we didn't know was the Falcon monicker.
 
At least it's a rather nice codename... not like "sleepy weasel" or "longhorn" :D :D

I assume, for current stock's sake, the new "falcons" are going to be indistinguishable from the other boxes? Unless the announce a "new bundle".... They'd hate to have a boatload of old-size premiums and cores to deal with.
 
They should change the box art on the old systems. I'm thinking a picture of a Xbox 360 console holding a gun to it's head and spinning the chamber.

Xbox 360: Russian Roulette Edition
 
[quote name='CheapyD']They should change the box art on the old systems. I'm thinking a picture of a Xbox 360 console holding a gun to it's head and spinning the chamber.

Xbox 360: Russian Roulette Edition[/quote]

I like the boxart, the circles entertain me...

But a 360 with tiny little arms pulling a trigger and having little bits n' pieces flying out would be awesome
 
They should've called it Blue Falcon.

I honestly expect the Fall Update to come out the day before Halo 3 and include an install feature for games onto the HDD. Well, that's what I want.
 
Its not like you need to collect all the SKUs ... they're not pokemon.

They all play the same games.

(and this is not another SKU anyway. lets stop saying SKU in general though, shall we?)
 
Just when the 3 year warranty comes along, I decide I don't need to wait much longer to make the purchase. Then PS3 drops and so I should wait for the 360 drop. So now I guess I need to wait for the drop and the new chipset? Its hard to make a decision, I don't want to feel like I'm missing out on something for not waiting a couple months.
 
[quote name='CouRageouS']Just when the 3 year warranty comes along, I decide I don't need to wait much longer to make the purchase. Then PS3 drops and so I should wait for the 360 drop. So now I guess I need to wait for the drop and the new chipset? Its hard to make a decision, I don't want to feel like I'm missing out on something for not waiting a couple months.[/quote]

thats how consumer electronics work. try buying an ipod. no mater when you buy it, its just before somethign better.
 
[quote name='Mister Switch']

(and this is not another SKU anyway. lets stop saying SKU in general though, shall we?)[/QUOTE]

Agreed, "SKU" is the most annoying addition to videogame vocabulary since "gamer" and "fanboy". It makes this hobby of playing videogames seem way more serious than it should.
 
Sounds good but I'll stick with my old 360 for now until the 3 year warranty is up. Then I'll make the jump to whatever version of the 360 MS is on at the time.
 
[quote name='mr ryles']Is it going to be black?

This sounds like the 360 that everyone wanted the elite to be.[/QUOTE]

It isn't a new sku. You likely won't be able to easily tell in the store which 360 has falcon parts or it would make the existing stock completely worthless to stores.
 
I'm anxious for this to actually happen, the fact that they keep rolling out general seasons for announcements rather than actual dates or timelines won't get me to hold my breath though. I hope a redesign doesn't happen either, least not at first, I'd rather see them put the contents of this "Falcon" and the Elite into the Premium system like they hinted at doing sometime ago.
 
[quote name='Halo05']Agreed, "SKU" is the most annoying addition to videogame vocabulary since "true gamer" and "fanboy". It makes this hobby of playing videogames seem way more serious than it should.[/quote]

fixed ;)
 
360s.jpg


Gray 360?
 
I'm glad I'm still waiting on a 360 purchase. By the time I finally purchase one, the system will be slightly larger than the PS2 slim and a hard drive as quiet as an iPod's. All the bugs will also be out of the system and it will carry an MSRP of $149.99.
 
I really don't think they'd call it falcon. That's just like Nintendo's dolphin, flipper, broadway, hollywood, etc. parts names.

Yeah - saw that gray 360 pic up on joystiq. Another sku, sure, call it falcon, fuck no they won't.

[quote name='Caliburn']I'm glad I'm still waiting on a 360 purchase. By the time I finally purchase one, the system will be slightly larger than the PS2 slim and a hard drive as quiet as an iPod's. All the bugs will also be out of the system and it will carry an MSRP of $149.99.[/quote]

really? My emphasis would be on the system or cooling fans being quieter first. I'm surpised you can even hear the hard drive over them.
 
Shouldn't the code name be something like "Sub-Zero" or "Iceman" or "Frozone" or some other comic book name that makes you think things will be cooler?
 
Weren't the beta testing 360s gray? Before the console was initially released? Maybe they're showing a timeline of development.

In other words, they had BETTER NOT be announcing a new 360. I'll be fucking pissed having just bought an Elite. This SKU bullshit needs to stop. Nintendo got it right by having only ONE model.

~HotShotX
 
[quote name='HotShotX']Weren't the beta testing 360s gray? Before the console was initially released? Maybe they're showing a timeline of development.[/quote]

I was thinking that as well.. Every 360 in that pic has a hard drive attached to it though.
 
The falcon isn't a new SKU.

However, there have been pics posted of four Xbox 360s set up at the E3 stage, thwo white ones with chrome DVD tray, and the elite, and one that appears to be grey, whith chrome tray, but might just be grey because of the lighting... I highly doubt it's a new SKU, though, if they just left it lying around like that. They'd have it locked up for dramatic unveiling.
 
[quote name='HotShotX'] This SKU bullshit needs to stop. Nintendo got it right by having only ONE model.

~HotShotX[/quote]

If you think that's gonna last, I've got a bridge to sell ya. Look at every other piece of nintendo hardware, new colors and redesigns will come.
 
[quote name='klwillis45']If you think that's gonna last, I've got a bridge to sell ya. Look at every other piece of nintendo hardware, new colors and redesigns will come.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but at least those will likely just be new colors. Not major redesigns with new chips etc. i.e. there will really be no reason to "upgrade."
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, but at least those will likely just be new colors. Not major redesigns with new chips etc. i.e. there will really be no reason to "upgrade."[/quote]

WTF? do you plan on buying every single hardware revision? why?! THEY ARE NOT POKEMON!

(also i guess you don't remember the Game Boy advance SP, and micro, and DS Lite, all major redesigns on existing hardware. There are loads of others in nintendo's history but i see no reason to get into it, the point is made)
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Good to hear it is coming with the cooler chips. I'll definitely wait on that before finally picking one up.[/QUOTE]

How will you find one? You plan sit in the store and open up each box and open up each 360 and look at the motherboard until you find one?
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']How will you find one? You plan sit in the store and open up each box and open up each 360 and look at the motherboard until you find one?[/QUOTE]

If it's a different sku, it won't be necessary.

If not, I'll just wait a few months after the new chips are sent out to improve my chances of scoring one. I've waited this long, another few months won't kill me.
 
[quote name='Mister Switch']WTF? do you plan on buying every single hardware revision? why?! THEY ARE NOT POKEMON!

(also i guess you don't remember the Game Boy advance SP, and micro, and DS Lite, all major redesigns on existing hardware. There are loads of others in nintendo's history but i see no reason to get into it, the point is made)[/QUOTE]

In the portable world, yes. Nintendo has a terrible track record with releasing flawed hardware, only to follow it up with a substantially improved version. Definitely sucks ass. But it's not happened with the consoles. New versions of the NES, SNES, N64 etc just offered cosmetic changes, no hardware improvements.

The 360 is a flawed console with a ridiculous failure rate due to overheating problems, so it sucks for those who have had to deal with it that there best bet of getting a problem free system is to rebuy this new redesing whenever it rolls out.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']In the portable world, yes. Nintendo has a terrible track record with releasing flawed hardware, only to follow it up with a substantially improved version. Definitely sucks ass. But it's not happened with the consoles. New versions of the NES, SNES, N64 etc just offered cosmetic changes, no hardware improvements.[/quote]

Flawed hardware? which nintendo hardware was flawed?!
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']If it's a different sku, it won't be necessary.

If not, I'll just wait a few months after the new chips are sent out to improve my chances of scoring one. I've waited this long, another few months won't kill me.[/QUOTE]

You'll be waiting a long time.

No way in hell is Microsoft dumb enough to create a 4th SKU. Why would they undercut the hundreds of thousands of consoles already in store stock by releasing what people are assuming is a "new more reliable version"? What the heck would the stores do with all their other Xbox's? Your talking about a loss of millions to create a 4th sku so everyone can ignore the other models.

I am still extremely skeptical about this "falcon" assuring higher reliability in the first place. The number one reason a company goes smaller die size with chips is cost. They will have a higher yield on the production lines, that's it. In theory they should also run cooler, but nobody has any firm numbers that overheating is the main problem in the first place, it's all assumption.
 
[quote name='Mister Switch']Flawed hardware? which nintendo hardware was flawed?![/QUOTE]

I can honestly say I have never ever bought a piece of nintendo hardware in my life. And I have been gaming for 24 years.

The reason for that, is I have never much cared for the weak hardware abilities (compared to the competition at any given time) or the games on the systems. So from a certain point of view, all their hardware was "flawed" to me... simply because it was made by nintendo. :bouncy:
 
[quote name='Mister Switch']Flawed hardware? which nintendo hardware was flawed?![/quote]

Virtual Boy.

I think what the other guy is talking about is the redesigns on the Gameboy and DS systems. You could find ways to improve almost any console though.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I can honestly say I have never ever bought a piece of nintendo hardware in my life. And I have been gaming for 24 years.

The reason for that, is I have never much cared for the weak hardware abilities (compared to the competition at any given time) or the games on the systems. So from a certain point of view, all their hardware was "flawed" to me... simply because it was made by nintendo. :bouncy:[/QUOTE]

This is probably the most ignorant post I've read today.
 
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