Check if your 360 has the new heatsink... w/o voiding warranty!

velvet396

velvet396

CAGiversary!
Feedback
4 (100%)
The awesome Ben Heckendorm does it again! He's found a simple way to check if your 360 has the added heatsink. You look in the bottom vent! D'oh! If you can see through to the DVD drive, the new heatsink isn't there as it would block your view.

Here's the link to his site, with pictures, which is loading rather slowly.
http://benheck.com/08-02-2007/see-if-you-have-the-new-xbox-360-heatsink-without-voiding-the-precious-warranty#comment-2904

And here's a quick screencap I posted on my flickr:
998267512_0f85e23012_o.png


"Here's the text of what's on his page:
Or as I call it 'DIY Xbox 360 Endoscopy'.

​
The lens should “focus around” all the small holes. Be sure to use a flash so it lights up the inside.
​

​

As you can see my XBox 360 Core, purchased in June with a build date on the faceplate of 11/07 does not have the new heat sink since we can see straight through to the side of the DVD player. Darn. Good thing I kept the receipt.

So now everyone can check their new Elites, Premiums and Cores to see if and when the new heat sinks started showing up in units. You can find a manufacture date behind the not-voiding-to-remove faceplate, which of course is just the date of the faceplate but should give some indication."

Of course the manufacture date is also stamped on the back with the serial number and other info by the ethernet & A/V ports. An alternate method involves a bright flashlight & your imagination.

​
 
[quote name='velvet396']purchased in June with a build date on the faceplate of 11/07 does not have the new heat sink since we can see straight through to the side of the DVD player. Darn. Good thing I kept the receipt.[/quote]

I'm glad you kept the receipt, too.. Core from the future!! :joystick:
 
As expected, I can see my dvd drive fine (Manufacture date: 10/2006)... good thing I have my 3 year warranty. The countdown begins.
 
Considering I got the replacement unit I'm running on back in January, I know of an easier way to be sure: I already know it doesn't. :whistle2:(
 
So I guess July is the mfg date w/ new heatsink? I am buying a new 360 on Aug 12 so I want one with the Heatsink

Btw, heatsink is a device for removing heat. =D I think its a fan.
 
[quote name='AzN_BaLLeR']
Btw, heatsink is a device for removing heat. =D I think its a fan.[/quote]

Ah, ok. Sooo......it's really nothing special then?
 
[quote name='Sofa King Kool']Sorry for being a n00b, but what is the heatsink?[/QUOTE]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology

What does it SOUND like it means to you? Seriously, I'd hope you'd be able to guess.


A HEAT-SINK is something that DRAINS HEAT, like a sink would drain water.



Also, an answer as good as any you could get on a forum could be gotten in about 3 seconds by googling "heatsink".


Google is your FRIEND.

[quote name='Sofa King Kool']Ah, ok. Sooo......it's really nothing special then?[/QUOTE]
Not "special", no, since most CPUs have them. But certainly necessary. Especially with the loads of heat that the chips in the Xbox 360 produce.

Without a heat sink your chip will melt, crack, and break. All 360's have a heatsink, some of the newer ones have more efficient cooling systems.
 
[quote name='richierich']Too bad you can't check before buying your 360 in a store.[/quote]

You can, when the clerk gets the box, there is a tab on the top they can open to check the serial and manufacture date. I would guess you would want a 360 made June or later.
 
[quote name='PyroGamer']http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology

What does it SOUND like it means to you? Seriously, I'd hope you'd be able to guess.


A HEAT-SINK is something that DRAINS HEAT, like a sink would drain water.



Also, an answer as good as any you could get on a forum could be gotten in about 3 seconds by googling "heatsink".


Google is your FRIEND.


Not "special", no, since most CPUs have them. But certainly necessary. Especially with the loads of heat that the chips in the Xbox 360 produce.

Without a heat sink your chip will melt, crack, and break. All 360's have a heatsink, some of the newer ones have more efficient cooling systems.[/quote]

Good Lord I want to kick you in the nose SO bad.
 
[quote name='Maynard']Good Lord I want to kick you in the nose SO bad.[/QUOTE]


Good to know I wasn't the only one that thought that was quite the prickish answer.
 
Hey, PyroGamer, why do you have to make an idiot out of a guy who was just asking a simple, honest, question? Is it becuase you know that he'd probably have kicked your ass if you did that in real life?
 
[quote name='Maynard']Good Lord I want to kick you in the nose SO bad.[/QUOTE]
:lol:

[quote name='PawnTakesKing']Thread derailed. Topic over.[/QUOTE]
Actually, discussing my "prickishness" is much more interesting that the original topic, which would have been replied to by a few people making worthless comments about whether or not their 360 has a new heatsink.
 
I got my replacement console yesterday with a manufacture date of 10-06. I just looked into that end of it and could see it had the new heat sink. I had to move it around and get the light just right but I def could make out the added stuff.
 
i never thought about the sink in the word heat sink, but i guess that makes sense.

as for having the new heat sink, i sent mine off around the end of april got it back mid june. i checked yesterday and i apparently missed it as the reports came in a few days after i got mine back.

[quote name='zewone']I don't even know what I'm looking at in the 3rd picture.[/quote]

as for this process it works, but you don't need a camera and the third picture actually confuses things. in the last image you're looking at the enclosed DVD drive inside the console. it looks closer to the right side than it actually is in the picture because of the camera's focus. if you just shine a flashlight through the holes on that side you'll be able to tell that there's space between where the drive is located and the right side of the console. if you have the new heat sink you shouldn't be able to see the drive because the new heatsink would be in the way.
 
I tried it out this weekend, and it's easier to tell what is or isn't there then the example. Unfortunately for me, I was looking at the side of the drive. :cry:
 
[quote name='zewone']I don't even know what I'm looking at in the 3rd picture.[/quote]

Nor do I. Im not even sure if this will make a difference in peple who already have a 360. Are you going to now abuse your 360 if you have one?
 
User on Xbox forums named MR CUR who for some reason seems to know exactly what he's talking about sez

"What Heck said is laughable. He basically has no idea what he is talking about...

The problem was not the CPU. The heatsink was geniously designed for the small space with the use of a heatpipe. This has worked extremely well, which is evident in the design of the new GPU heatsink. MS realized that the GPU hatsink design was horrible, and relying on the DVD drive to move air across the entire heatsink was a ridiculous idea. That is why MS implemented the new heatpipe into the GPU heatsink which greatly helps quickly move a lot of heat away from the GPU die.

The main problem with the GPU design was the fact that almost no heat moved away from it (only the very very back part of the heatsink had any air moving over it because of the design) and the X-Clamp design as well. The X-Clamps that MS uses have a small piece of plastic on them which applies pressure directly under the GPU. The idea was to keep constant pressure on the GPU die (this design is also used with the CPU heatsink, but doesn't cause problems because of the heatsink design) which would keep it in even (yeah, that never happened) pressure with the heatsink above.

What ended up happening is the heat built up right on and under the GPU which caused the motherboard to begin warping from the pressure of the X-Clamp. This caused the GPU to "pop" off of the board, causing the infamous RoD. This happens within 2 years of use (normally), which explains the 3 year warranty. The epoxy fix was implemented as a quick and cheap (remember, MS wants to be saving money at this point, not spending more. Too bad they didn't fix this earlier...) fix. The epoxy helps keep the GPU (the CPU as well, but that is a non-issue as you can see) connected to the board, even if it warps.

The new GPU heatsink moves heat away from the GPU die into the airflow path of the CPU heatsink. (Before the new heatsink the CPU's heatsink was under-used. It's a good thing since MS was able to move the GPU heat in front of it.) Because of this, the board does not flex (and even if it does a small bit, the epoxy will keep the GPU down) which stops the RoD (yeah, finally). "

That seems to put all of the pieces that I've heard together. Seems like the heat sink & epoxy would fix the 3RL.
 
just got a new elite the other day with credit from EB for my wife (actually she will get my premium;) ) and it has a build date of 6-18-07 and it sure looks like it has that heatsink in there...
 
no new heatsink for me - I'll keep on enjoying the great games the 360 currently has, and replace it when it needs it thanks to the warranty, and patiently wait for a cooler & quieter redesign to come along.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top