Xbox 360 Elite Teardown, Video

http://www.insidechips.com

Semiconductor Insights revealed the insides of Microsoft's latest Xbox 360 -

the Elite - with a video teardown. Microsoft launched the original Xbox 360 a

year ahead of the competition and is hoping to keep this edge with the Elite

launched this week in the US. There are few hardware differences between

the Xbox generations. The systems are the same size, the board designs are very

similar, and most of the components themselves are the same. Arguably, the

biggest story is what's not different - namely the IBM processor.

Leading up to the launch of the Xbox 360 Elite, there had been considerable

speculation regarding the process lithography of the IBM CPU, specifically,

whether or not it was 65-nm. After completing a cross-section and measuring the

transistor gate length, SI can unequivocally confirm that the IBM processor in

the Elite is not 65nm. As well, SI's preliminary analysis of the Elite indicates

that the processor uses the same 90nm technology as the original Xbox 360.

The Elite does incorporate a larger hard drive than its predecessor (120GB

vs. 20GB) and HDMI v1.2 output for higher screen resolution. This added

functionality enables more downloads from Xbox Live to be stored and higher

graphical resolution to meet the demands of gamers and high definition movie

watchers. This signals Microsoft's intent to evolve the Xbox from a gaming

console to a fully functional media center.

The CPU in the Xbox 360 Elite seems to be assembled in Canada whereas the CPU

in the previous Xbox was marked 'Taiwan'. This may indicate that while the

previous CPU was built on Chartered's Fab7 in Singapore and assembled in Taiwan,

the CPU of the Elite may be built in IBM's Fab B323 in East Fishkill, New York

and assembled at IBM's assembly facility in nearby Bromont, Quebec. IBM and

Chartered share design data at the 90-nm node. SI seems to have evidence now

that Microsoft is using both sources for the Xbox CPU. Concern about the

original Xbox 360's power consumption may also have been addressed. Microsoft

has redesigned some aspects of the power architecture, resulting in a lower

component count.

Semiconductor Insights has completed a full video teardown on the Xbox 360

Elite.

Semiconductor Insights advises the world's microelectronics community. SI

supports its clients in asserting their IP rights and developing and

commercializing new technologies and products, through in-depth technical

investigation of integrated circuits and electronic systems. Typical clients are

major electronics and semiconductor corporations in Japan, Korea, Taiwan,

Europe, and North America and their representing law firms. SI has participated

in virtually every major semiconductor licensing campaign since the company's

inception in 1989 and clients include such Infineon, Intel, TSMC, and Texas

Instruments.

Contact:
Gregory Quirk, SI technical marketing manager