I've been holding off on buying an X-Box 360 for quite awhile now. I love my PS3, but there are some games that are only on the 360 that I need. I keep waiting for Microsoft to come out with some new 360 that has radically redesigned insides: no x-clamp, better layout to avoid overheatin, etc. People are still getting the red ring and I'd really like to avoid that. Should I just take the risk and buy one, or has anyone heard about a new 360 on the horizon?

New chip set...that's about it.

Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. Either way, you won't know about a new design till right before its released. MS doesn't wanna kill their sales between the time a new console is being released.

Take the plunge now, the longer you wait, the more time you're gonna need to spend catching up on all the great games.

Yes but it will not be announced until the day after you buy an XBOX 360 :)

This generation there is a new console redesign rumor floating around 24/7.

Not to mention yesterday was April Fools..

New chip set...that's about it.

Yeah... the only thing I've heard was the Jasper chipset. 65nm GPU and CPU coming in Aug.

The 65nm GPU is actually a pretty big deal. Everybody thinks if they get a Falcon they are golden and will never have the 3 red lights. It's the GPU that's having the problem, and not the CPU. Sure the CPU benefits from the better heatsink, but the GPU is the real key. With a 65nm GPU, it's possible that MS could go with a whisper quiet fan, and we will actually have the Holy Grail (A Xbox 360 that doesn't sound like a jet engine).

I like the jet engine roar of the 360... kinda like the old cinema reel whurr... lol

The noise from the 360 doesn't bother me at all...ever since the beginning i've never complained about it. I think i just phase it out

I'm starting to believe the 160gb drive rumors...

The 65nm GPU is actually a pretty big deal. Everybody thinks if they get a Falcon they are golden and will never have the 3 red lights. It's the GPU that's having the problem, and not the CPU. Sure the CPU benefits from the better heatsink, but the GPU is the real key. With a 65nm GPU, it's possible that MS could go with a whisper quiet fan, and we will actually have the Holy Grail (A Xbox 360 that doesn't sound like a jet engine).


how do you figure that when it's the DVD that makes all the noise. No dvd spinning, the 360 isn't much different then the PS3 80gig I have sitting next to it. And my 360 is the old original style with samsung drive.

how do you figure that when it's the DVD that makes all the noise. No dvd spinning, the 360 isn't much different then the PS3 80gig I have sitting next to it. And my 360 is the old original style with samsung drive.

The noise problem is definitely from the drive however, some of the fans made by Delta can be pretty loud as well. The 65nm GPU will help with the heat which will keep the x-clamps from causing the board to flex and breaking the cold solder joints. That being said, if you are planning on waiting on the perfect 360, you are going to be missing out on some great games. I say go get a falcon and enjoy yourself.

I am still playing on my launch 360 with a Samsung without a problem.

I'm only a "casual" gamer nowadays but the 360 is starting to get some titles that look really great (e.g. Lost Odyssey, Ninja Gaiden 2) and I'd love to get one.

Like the OP though, the reported hardware problems have kept me at arms length.

I'm really hoping MS will do a redesign or a big technical revision that fixes them since the issues do seem to be scaring off some of the less "hard-core gamer" crowd.

I bought a PS3 at launch. Despite the fact I did so almost entirely just for BD movies (game library is abysmal right now and I'm not exactly the biggest Sony fan)... I have to say that the PS3 seems to me a much better buy. As of today I look at it and see...

Blu-ray
40GB HD - (Used by most/all games)
No major hardware problems
1 year newer
$400

vs.

SD-DVD
20GB HD - (Not used by most/many games)
RROD/Scratched Discs/Heat/Noise
1 year older
$350

It makes me wonder what MS is thinking. If they fixed those technical issues, and capitalized on their 1-year head start by cutting the price by $100 I think they'd really attract a lot of new buyers. In the current situation though... to me it seems Sony is in prime position to easily catch up and even get ahead of MS.