Microsoft's next move? Code-name Falcon

[Heller]

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/200...me_falcon.html

Here's a trade secret that Microsoft is unlikely to publicly acknowledge.
Sony's cutting the price on the PlayStation 3. How will Microsoft react? We'll find out soon. But a key part of the strategy is going to be a project code-named Falcon.

Falcon is the name for the latest internal electronics in the Xbox 360. It will have an IBM microprocessor and an AMD/ATI graphics chip that are manufactured in a 65-nanometer production process. These are cost-reduced chips that do the same thing as their 90-nanometer predecessors, but they're smaller.

Microsoft is in the process of qualifying the new Falcon chips and motherboard this summer. I expect it will launch Xbox 360s with the new Falcon innards this fall. That is why the company has been able to say that it has solved its manufacturing quality problems. Microsoft is likely to spend a little more money on heat sinks to make sure that the overheating problem doesn't resurface with Falcon.

The good thing about the smaller chips is that they will likely be easier to make in mass quantities and they shouldn't fail as often. Quality should automatically go up. That's what folks said about the 90-nanometer generation. But the 65-nanometer production process is a known quantity at this point at places such as IBM for sure and possibly at other suppliers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. So rather than fix the problems with the 90-nanometer machine, Microsoft has the easier problem now of getting a 65-nanometer machine to work right. I suspect that is why Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment & Devices group, said on Thursday on a conference call with analysts that the company has "its hands around it at the engineering level."

About damn time.

 

[tatteredpotato]

I'm sure there are a lot of people waiting for this.

 

[Jules]

Not sure what to do. Sold my xbox 360 in march and that was the worst decision. I thinking about getting another one as i just sold my 8800gtx.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Not sure what to do. Sold my xbox 360 in march and that was the worst decision. I thinking about getting another one as i just sold my 8800gtx.

I'd hold off for a little bit yet, there's still a chance for a price drop before the holidays.

 

[Jules]

Originally posted by: BlameCanada

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Not sure what to do. Sold my xbox 360 in march and that was the worst decision. I thinking about getting another one as i just sold my 8800gtx.

I'd hold off for a little bit yet, there's still a chance for a price drop before the holidays.

Hmm sounds good. I think ill just pick up a x1900xt to hold me till then.

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: BlameCanada

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Not sure what to do. Sold my xbox 360 in march and that was the worst decision. I thinking about getting another one as i just sold my 8800gtx.

I'd hold off for a little bit yet, there's still a chance for a price drop before the holidays.

Hell there may be a price drop next month.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth

Originally posted by: BlameCanada

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Not sure what to do. Sold my xbox 360 in march and that was the worst decision. I thinking about getting another one as i just sold my 8800gtx.

I'd hold off for a little bit yet, there's still a chance for a price drop before the holidays.

Hmm sounds good. I think ill just pick up a x1900xt to hold me till then.

My 360 is going in for repairs and I'm going through withdraw. i am getting more projects done around the house...but it still sucks.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Well, if Microsoft gets this out in time for Halo 3's release, I'll probably pick one up and catch up on all the gaming I've been missing out on. Its actually kinda nice to take a hiatus every so often, then you have plenty to catch up on. Actually, it'd be really nice if they have it out before then, so I can play back through the first two co-op.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Well, if Microsoft gets this out in time for Halo 3's release, I'll probably pick one up and catch up on all the gaming I've been missing out on. Its actually kinda nice to take a hiatus every so often, then you have plenty to catch up on. Actually, it'd be really nice if they have it out before then, so I can play back through the first two co-op.

I'd agree with you...except that I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with all the games coming out...I can't imagine the pain I'll be in when all the titles hit this fall. It's a good pain.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: PricklyPete

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Well, if Microsoft gets this out in time for Halo 3's release, I'll probably pick one up and catch up on all the gaming I've been missing out on. Its actually kinda nice to take a hiatus every so often, then you have plenty to catch up on. Actually, it'd be really nice if they have it out before then, so I can play back through the first two co-op.

I'd agree with you...except that I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with all the games coming out...I can't imagine the pain I'll be in when all the titles hit this fall. It's a good pain.

Yeah, the pain is gonna be in my wallet! 🙂

 

[Beev]

I sold my 360 back in March and it was the best decision I ever made. However, I fully plan to pick up one of the new models so I can play Halo 3, Blue Dragon, etc.