Microsoft Goes Small With 360 Processor
New chip manufacturer goes high-tech for better chips.
The first thing you notice when you switch on the Xbox 360 is how good the graphics look. For some, though, what soon follows is the realization of how hot the console is running. But a new deal by Microsoft could mean the end for that particular problem.
Microsoft revealed last week that it is working with Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing in Singapore on an updated version of the Xbox 360 processor that will be built at a smaller scale, according to Next Generation.
While the performance will be the same, or as close to identical as possible, the 65 nm process used for making the chip (as opposed to the current 90 nm process) and the use of silicon-on-insulator technology (which allows chips to work faster) could allow the chip to stay cooler, speculates Next Generation.
This doesn't mean that your Xbox 360 is going to be left behind as Microsoft is planning to keep the console's specifications consistent. The company has been adamant in the past that it has no plans to further split its hardware base.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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