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360 failure rate put at 16 per cent News
Xbox 360 News by Ellie Gibson
SquareTrade, a firm specialising in selling electronics warranties, is claiming the failure rate for Xbox 360 consoles is 16.4 per cent.
As reported by 1UP, SquareTrade based the figure on a sample of 1000 consoles. Sample lots "in the high hundreds" of PlayStation 3 and Wii units gave a failure rate of just 3 per cent.
According to SquareTrade CEO Steve Abernethy, the overheating problem associated with Microsoft's console may cause the failure rate to climb.
"It is reasonable to believe these failure rates will increase over time, since the Xbox 360 failure issues tend to increase with prolonged use where overheating appears the main culprit," he said.
The company's data states the 'Red Rings of Death' error accounted for around 60 per cent of the sample failures. Of the different hardware variations of the Xbox 360, Abernethy stated that of the associated problems he "would estimate most if not all were the original motherboard".
Last year, you may recall, Xbox boss Peter Moore apologised to gamers whose 360s had busted. Microsoft extended the warranty of the machine to three years and agreed to pay for repairs. The company declined to offer a solid failure rate figure but Moore told our friends GamesIndustry.biz, "You know it when you see it. We saw it, and it was unacceptable."
This morning a Microsoft spokesperson told GI.biz, "The majority of Xbox 360 owners have had a great experience with their consoles. We do not disclose internal hardware repair data and we do not comment on speculation."
Which ought to cheer up Eurogamer's Bert, Rich and Scott, all of whom have suffered from dead Xbox 360s within the past month.
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SlackMaster
14/02/08 @ 09:47
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I had two RROD consoles, but all were swapped out pretty quickly. The motherboad in the new Arcade Core deal is supposed to have the new smaller motherboard that solves the overheating problem.
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Kirly_Wombat
14/02/08 @ 09:52
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Doesnt really tell you much from such a small sample of 1000. Another place would have more failures, yet another might have less.
I know you get people say "everyone I know is on thier 3rd or 4th 360" but then you read someone else say "of all the people I know, only one has had any problems". Even if Microsoft released thier figures, Im not sure who would trust them to be accurate. We know the amount of FUD that comes out of Microsoft at times, just google for the linux patents fiasco. I know the 360 has a higher failure rate than Wii or PS3, but I can put up with it as for me, its the best console. Obviously others prefer the other consoles, its all good. |
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Consoles made in 2007 all have the new motherboard so I'm a little suprised that they expect the failure rate to climb instead of fall, especially as they even admit that most or all of the failures are caused by the OLD motherboard.
I guess if I were microsoft I may want to look into just who funded this study....... |
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The high failure rate is all that's kept me from buying a 360, if MS ever give me reason to believe they've solved it then I'll probably buy one. Unfortunately MS are so keen to keep quiet about the changes they do make to the console that it's really hard to tell whether a given 360 has updated components, or what specific difference those components make.
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Penguinzoot
14/02/08 @ 10:15
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@Bloodkult
They need to stop sending out fucked ones when you send one in for a repair. It should be a straight swap for a new falcon model, none of this recycling the old shit. It's not recyling old shit though. Very often, the only thing that isn't junked out after a refurb is the case itself. AFAIK every refurb had a new mobo, which from now on I presume would be a Falcon, and sometimes a new DVD drive. It did take a long time for MS to figure out a final solution to the RROD, so maybe that is what the study alludes when suggesting the figure may go up - i.e. there are still a lot of 360s out there without the "final" rev Falcon mobo which are still vulnerable and may likely fail. |
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GamesConnoisseur
14/02/08 @ 10:16
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I only had one RROD and have a few X360 mates who hasnt had a problem, one thought he did but was just a video cable that got loosened a bit.
So 16 percent does indicate for me that the percentage of RROD in my circle to be basically correct, and some other must have just gobsmacking astounding extreme streak of bad luck (for 16 percent odd) to have 4 RRODs in a row and also their mates, neighbours and the postman?! However it could be RROD chance varies in hot countries compared to the more cooler ones? I m up in Newcastle and that may account for my rarity of misfortune despite the sizeable hours of gaming?!
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most recently on 14/02/08 @ 11:16
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I'm taking the optimistic approach of thinking that when/if mine goes (it's lasted a year and a half at this point), hopefully it'll be swapped for one with HDMI socket that's maybe a bit quieter. In fact, if it's still working in a year's time, I might have to leave it on the radiator or something to get it failing good and proper.
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ParanoidZombie
14/02/08 @ 10:22
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i'd like to find ps2's failure rate, because 3 ps2s died on me from 2001 to 2006, and my 1st 360 is still going strong after 15 months. I guess I have one of the 85% reliable ones.
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MrChuckles
14/02/08 @ 10:27
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MY DVD drive died in my 360, the whole unit was replaced within a week and has worked fine ever since. I was pretty impressed with the speed they got it back to me more than being annoyed it broke in teh first place.
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Carpathian
14/02/08 @ 10:28
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Had four 360's
Had four 360's die from RROD, between 6months and 2weeks usage for each. Had terrible returns hassles, including one of them taking 8 weeks to come back. Shrugged my shoulders and flogged my fourth one for nearly the cover price I originally paid. Won't now touch another with your bargepole The above would make you think I was somehow against Microsoft or a PS3 bot but the sad truth is that the games on the 360 were excellent and the Live! service is head and shoulders above anything so far tried by any other side - giving up on the machine was a real shame but inevitable until something is done about it. There are titles out for it now I really want to play but my faith has been eroded, machine by machine, and it's this they must realise is happening and take seriously. Still, the bright side is that I dug my Cube out and got my stash of games from the cupboard - still cracking and still works fine after 18months of not being touched. Oh well. |
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Eventhough Sony has no excuse for the fail rates of past (16.4% i think was never reached though)
technology has evovled enough to solve most of heating problems and motherboard inefficiencies for the time being i have to say one thing if the ever arrogand Sony can make CELL a power hungry monster as quiet and as Cool i think MS has no excuse none so ever for its machine with all those different versions of it.... once again she fails my trust when this all gone by perhaps i ll consider it but for now NOT |
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If I had an early machine close to the warranty expiring, I'd block up all the vents bar one. Attach a hairdryer on full blast, then leave the thing running Halo 3 until it dies.
Get a replacement unit that may actually continue working until Xbox720. BTW, it's not dodgy Chinese contractors to blame, but MS's incompetent design team. the rushed the console out to beat Sony, without obviously doing adequate soak testing. |
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oreillymj
from what we read you really wouldnt need to try all that much to make it stop working plus you would be fairly optimistic to believe it would last till near expiration (of warranty cough cough) date since some in here have had 4 already,,,,(MS says we are happy with shipment figures lol) |
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convercide
14/02/08 @ 10:39
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I'd say that's about right. About that percentage of my friends list has had the RRoD.
I bet this becomes another 200 posts of 'my console is better than your console.' It's almost like EG wants the attention... |
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monkie_king
14/02/08 @ 10:49
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Not disputing the figure, but is a company that sells console warranties necessarily the best source for this? I mean, could it possibly be that they're scaremongering to drum up business, perhaps?
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The company's data states the 'Red Rings of Death' error accounted for around 60 per cent of the sample failures.
Which would mean... Last year, you may recall, Xbox boss Peter Moore apologised to gamers whose 360s had busted. Microsoft extended the warranty of the machine to three years and agreed to pay for repairs ...that around 40% of broken 360's don't fall under the terms of this 'extended warranty'. Assuming the 'Red Rings of Death' error above actually refers to the infamous 3 RROD error. |
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markypants
14/02/08 @ 10:50
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I recieved my 3rd Xbox last Friday from being repaired and it died again this Monday. That means that 4 Xboxes in under 2 years have died on me... I have just ordered a PS3 and will start buying the multiplatform releases on that. I'm a huge fan of the Xbox, but there is nothing more frustrating than being 3 weeks without a gaming machine. Annoying to say the least.
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muscleblade
14/02/08 @ 11:00
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Dont see the problem here. My first 360 bought on release died right before Chrismas. I didnt want to wait for a new one so i bought another one. When i got the new one back i just traded it in for some games. No hassle and didnt loose any gaming time or money either.
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BadBoyBonner
14/02/08 @ 11:01
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I have been caning my 360 from day one minimum 4 hours a day and it is fine the other I have for upstairs is fine too. Not feeling quite so lucky if failure rate is 16% as opposed to 30%.
With the MS pledge of 3 years RTB I can't understand why anyone would be put off from buying one. Especially with the bargains available from Argos in the software stakes - do yourself a favor and jump on the 360 bandwagon - it's my fav console since the SNES. |
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BadBoyBonner
14/02/08 @ 11:08
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Let's be honest here.
Anyone who has only ever owned a cartridge based console and then moved to a 360 will think a cornflake packet could have formed a better chasis for a console than the 360's and something that fell from said cornflake packet would behave more reliably than the 360 does. Anyone who has ever built/owned and run a PC for any given length of time as a games machine, thinks the odd RROD on 360 is a piece of p**s. |
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thenastypasty
14/02/08 @ 11:09
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iv had my 360 since launch but had rrod last tuesday, they should not have released a console that had not been tested enough ,it is still the best console to play games on though !!
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"With the MS pledge of 3 years RTB I can't understand why anyone would be put off from buying one."
That warranty only covers 3 RROD, which according to this article is around 60% of all faliures. So even taking in to account this warranty, 360's are still over twice as likely to fail compared to other hardware, and MS won't do shit about it unless you pay them. So yes...I am put off buying one again. |
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jonthepymm
14/02/08 @ 11:16
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Remember that the warranty covers rrod only. Fine for my first 360 when it achieved the lovely 3 red lights, but no good for my second which had DVD drive failure. On my 3rd now, but my heart is already with the PS3.
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I just find it shocking that the company hasn't had serious legal action taken against it for negligible conduct. It may be greatest console for the established gaming genres, but there's no price for quality hardware... Or maybe there is, why else would so many gamers put up with the constant uncertainty in their gaming.
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Im on my fourth. Incredibly frustrating as the last time I sent mine off I got it back and it RROD'd again within two weeks. I rang up complained, they sent me a complimentary wireless pad and promised to sort the problem. I now have the same xbox 360 back in my hands and all is well. It sounds like they have completly replaced the insides as it is a lot quieter than my previous returns. Its always stated as a mobo problem. Every single one of my friends who has a 360 has at least sent one back. Nuts. Its annoying because when the console is working its the best on the market.
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16%? Pull the other one! Out of 12 people at work who I know have a 360 - 2 have not yet had the RROD. I was praying mine would go before the warranty ended and sure enough just before Xmas it went. To their credit, MS had it back to me within 10 days - that's including xmas and new year + a complimentary month of Live. I'd be amazed to hear of a launch machine still running after 3 years. It's onlya matter of time before it goes.
Incidentally my SNES bought in 1993 is still working beautifully 15 years later :oD (aside from discolouration on the light grey plastic!) |
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