X360 gets "second heatsink"?

By Games Industry.biz Published 15 June, 2007

Updates are "commonplace" - MS

Microsoft has declined to comment directly on rumours that it has updated the 360 with a second GPU heatsink - but has said that such upgrades are "commonplace within the industry", GamesIndustry.biz reports.

The comments come after some European Xbox 360 owners reported that consoles they sent away for repair were returned with an extra heatsink installed.

There have been suggestions in the past that the 360 suffers from overheating problems, and there is now speculation that the addition of a second heatsink is an attempt to solve the problem.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz a Microsoft spokesperson explained: "Regularly updating console components is commonplace within the industry and is a standard aspect of the business for a variety of reasons including cost reduction, improved manufacturability and improved performance."

However, the spokesperson declined to specifically confirm or deny the second heatsink rumours, adding, "We do not provide details on these updates."

It is not known whether Microsoft may make this a permanent design change in all future console manufacturing, or if repairs done in the US will include a similar addition.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • kissthestick #1 5 years ago

    i hope they start adding these heat sinks into the newer 360's :(

  • peteb #2 5 years ago

    can anyone tell me can you only send your 360 back if it is dead or can you send it back if it has disc tray jamming fairly frequently?

  • spongebob #3 5 years ago

    Anyone know how hot Elite runs?

  • lambtron #4 5 years ago

    Mine is currently away for repair (3 weeks and counting). Absolute c**ts. Hopefully at least if they add this new heatsink in I won't need to send it back in a couple of months.

  • kmittal82 #5 5 years ago

    Same here, mines been away for 2 weeks now, called up MS and they said the console is in the "repair" stage. Once that is over, itll take another 4-5 days to get it back... wankers! Still, worth it if they add on a heat sink on there :)

    Peteb: I suppose you can still send your console off for repair even if its not dead, just call them up and ask them.

  • Katsumoto #6 5 years ago

    Mine arrived at MS last last tuesday, phoned them up on the Friday and they confirmed they'd got it, but said "Tuesday the 7th" which is worrying cuz Tuesday was the 5th. Then this Wednesday I phoned again to tell them to GET A MOVE ON and they were like "ah yes, we got your console yesterday on Tuesday the 12th" and I was like "uh you said last week you had it the TUesday before". Cue: 15 minutes of being on Hold with the guy eventually returning and saying "We got your console on Tuesday the 12th".

    On the plus side, he did say it was actually being repaired and that should only take 2 days.

  • spongebob #7 5 years ago

    So, anyone know if Elite crashes less?

  • oreillymj #8 5 years ago

    Does anybody remember the days when M$ where bragging about how fantastic their cooling solution for the 360 was and having sly digs at Sony over their lacking of cooling slots.

    Strange how they never mentioned the fact that their console sounds like a jet taking off.

    And who's having the last laugh now.

  • skuzzbag #9 5 years ago

    @peteb

    If your 360 is faulty in any way and within the warranty period then phone them for fixing.

  • septimus #10 5 years ago

    Got mine back a few days ago... took 5 days to repair.

    The letter stated the DVD drive had gone (it was sticking a lot but worked), then I got the ring of death.

    Anyway, got it back with a new BenQ drive. Much quieter.

  • onyxbox #11 5 years ago

    about time. I'm glad Microsoft are doing something to sort this out now.

  • ebe #12 5 years ago

    AT LEAST/LAT !! MS rekon it's console is a junk of, noisy, crap !
    Every XBOX360 is a timebomb. Mine is sent for repair, hope it comes back with the
    heat snks in question. My brothers' xbox, just bought 2 months ago, already shows the signs of a deffective one (freeze in game, disc unreadable (whil completely new), etc..) !!
    Anyway,MS unofficialy confirmed the 1/3 deffective Ratio with the warranty's changes (1y to 2 year in europe, 3 month to 1 year for the poor yankees), and now, they finally accept to try to bring a real solution ! THank you.
    Now, if only your console was less noisy ! Luckily we have the PS3 for now and the futur..

  • 3william56 #13 5 years ago

    No, no - we're not changing the design. Cos if we admitted that, we'd admit the original design was borked, and have a monster lawsuit up our nethers and be forced to replace every 360 sold so far.

    Has no-one done a decent survey of the return rate? Would love to know what it's done to the cost / loss per console, and compare it to the much derided PS3 losses. Must have closed the gap somewhat.

  • bioreit #14 5 years ago

    Makes sense - more cooling usually equals less problems. Hurry up Microsoft - catch up with the rest of the electronics industry already.

    On a side note:

    A friend at work had his 14 month-old 360 die a few weeks back. He was considering buying a PS3 because he'd heard about how difficult it was to get units outside their warranty repaired.

    I armed him with 'Arsey Technical Kowledge' and told him to either take it back to Currys and argue, or phone up MS.

    He chose to ring Microsoft. All he had a chance to give them was his serial number, his name and address and a description of the problem - they then asked if it was okay to put him on hold for a moment, he said yes but prepped his rant for when they got back, expecting to be fobbed off.

    They said that the pack-and-return box had been ordered and would be with him within two working days (it was) and all he had to do was ship just the console unit, sans HD and he'd get it back in 3-5 working days (he sent it off Thursday last week, got it back Tuesday). All for no cost whatsoever - not even shipping.

    Guess it just goes to show that like any call centre / repair group, you get excellent and crap results.

    I'll get him to check on the heatsink thang too.

  • bushwod #15 5 years ago

    I got the ring of death last weekend and MS are going to fix it although it is outside of it's warranty (by like 3 weeks).

    I just really hope I don't have to keep sending it back, that would piss me off.

    Guess I'm playing the wii for the next few weeks then.

  • afray #16 5 years ago

    Theoretically wouldn't the 360 be hotter if they had a second heatsink? It's the cpu that'd be cooler, with the heat being pushed out to the case by the second heatsink.

  • bloodflowers #17 5 years ago

    I'm on my 5th unit now. The timebomb comment is spot on. Additionally, I have a friend with an Elite which has done the standard freezing thing and is currently with Microsoft, so the fix is a more recent development.

    Given that this confirms what we knew already, that the cooling solution is inadequate - I'd suggest the least they can do is recall ALL the units to have them upgraded. I realise this won't happen of course..

  • richardiox #18 5 years ago

    It's already been said but admitting that this new heatsink was put in as the machines original design wasnt working is akin to admitting you have sold 10,000,000 defective consoles.

    So they play the "everyone makes little upgrades to their hardware over time" line.

    Farce

  • Razorus #19 5 years ago

    My friend's 360 died, they lied about the warranty, it got taken, fixed, and returned all within 2 days, free of charge. Mine died a couple of weeks ago, I had to pay £83, they told me it would take about 9 days, they forgot to collect it on the day they promised (UPS service), so I called them again. They came to collect it on Saturday 2nd June. I got an email from Microsoft on the 12th telling me they just recieved it and are working on it and they'll let me know when it'll be back. Still waiting...

  • Greebo #20 5 years ago


    Only just got my 360, but am holding my receipt tightly for when the moment comes and I have to send it back!

    Are the 3rd party cooling solutions worth a purchase as a safeguard against this, or a complete waste of time? (eg the Gamexpert CoolerKing)


  • richardiox #21 5 years ago

    Someone needs to do a straw-poll survey on % of failing 360s. Its common knowledge surely that MS's 3-5% it an outright lie. Personally, from reading the forums I'm imagining it to be over 50% failure rate and I think perhaps only 20% or less of the launch units will actually survive until November, their 2nd birthday.

    According to MS its all commonplace in the games industry though, hardware manufacturers are constantly adding new cooling solutions to thier machines.

  • Darren #22 5 years ago

    My Xbox 360, which died last month and was repaired with a new motherboard, still gets very hot and game discs come out very, very warm even after only an hour. It's stood horizontally by the way. In comparison, my vertically placed PS3, pumps out an awful lot of hot air through the top but, despite the fact that the disc slot is near where the air is vented, game discs come out the same temperature they went in at, i.e. cool! That suggests to me that the Xbox 360 has very serious cooling problems and I believe that it is this excessive heat inside the machine that slowly kills the components over a period of time, in my case it was 17 months.

    Whatever, the Xbox 360 is the worst built console I've ever owned and I have panic attacks everytime I turn the bloody thing on and I don't expect my repaired machine to last beyond 18 months either. If Microsoft sell 40 million 360s then it'll be because people had to buy a second console at some point... ;)

  • Raya #23 5 years ago

    My Wii Overheated! Was quite hot to the touch. Apparantly this problem is sorted now and was one that some early units had. It didn't die or crash it just put random dots on the screen - slow fry graphic chip. Nintendo replaced it. Took a couple of weeks. In comparison the new unit gets barely warm to the touch. Wii is near silent never had the new or old one crash ... yet ;-) Was tempted to get a 360 at some point though it seems that returns are rife. I don't want the hassle. I'll stick with my beefy PC for HD gaming

  • The-Bodybuilder #24 5 years ago

    >" have friends. Lots of friends."

    Lies.

  • The-Bodybuilder #25 5 years ago

    >"And who's having the last laugh now. "

    Nintendo?

  • captainrentboy #26 5 years ago

    Here's a little story I'd like to tell everyone...
    My 360 still works great , and it's a launch one too, it hasn't even so much as crashed on me. God I'm a jammy bastard!
    BUT, if it did decide to go kaput on me anytime soon I could just go into work and exchange it straight away as I work in Game. Yeay, for everlasting warranties.

  • SharkVLion #27 5 years ago

    Haha, come on M$ just admit it, you've created a great games machine but your design and manufacture is clearly well below par.

  • Greebo #28 5 years ago


    It's even more annoying in that MS use a lot of 'off the shelf' technology and still can't bolt the thing together properly!

  • barnard666 #29 5 years ago

    I purchased two consoles around launch (both are dead)

    Someone above said "why wouldnt everyon lie about when they purchased their console?" I did, but they had logged it from going on line, so I was screwed.

  • MikeP #30 5 years ago

    So they play the "everyone makes little upgrades to their hardware over time" line.

    Every single electronics goods manufacturer does this - there's always a comment about "specifications subject to change without notice" in manuals.

    Just remember that you can take it back to the retailer within 12 months of purchase for replacement/repair, if that's more convenient than sending it away. Your contract is with the retailer, not MS. Don't be fobbed off by shop staff saying you have to return it to MS, they're wrong.
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/07 @ 11:26

  • jonsaan #31 5 years ago

    There are many things that go wrong with the 360. I belive the ROD sequence for overheating is different to the many variations you can get for other failures. A second heatsink will not do much if the heat still has problems escaping that tiny, cramped case.
    Anyway, there's lots of things that can go wrong with a console (especially a 360 it would seem). Overheating isn't always the problem.

  • MrChuckles #32 5 years ago

    Mine was repaired in 3 days... Twas awesome customer service tbh.

    Well, when i say repaired, i just got sent a new one, then again, it was my DVD drive that was fuxxored.

  • kmittal82 #33 5 years ago

    The whole experience with MS customer service has been awkward!

    First time my console broke (faulty DVD drive), i got it back within 4 days of phonig, thats right, called on monday, had it back by thursday same week.

    Now, second time around (after 1.5 yrs), GPU goes bust (no display), my console has been with MS for over 10 days and is in the "repair" stage. So by the time i get it back, it would have been more than 2 weeks. So much for MS priding themselves in their quick turnaround time...

  • Carpathian #34 5 years ago

    The comments come after some European Xbox 360 owners reported that consoles they sent away for repair were returned with an extra heatsink installed.

    How do you know? Do you have to open it or is there some other tell-tale sign?

    I only ask as mine has been with them for 5 days and I'm curious to check when it comes back.....

  • BadBoyBonner #35 5 years ago

    Subjected one of my poor 360 to the double whammy of the indignation of a Wii sat on top of it, left in standby.

    Little did I realise that you had to keep the Wii button pushed in till it turned red (no doubt it tells you in the instructions - but if it does I will never know! lol). Thing was the Wii - was very hot, and subjecting the Cackola 360 design to untold misery.

    Got three rings last night after marathon Forza play (Ranked 2 on 200hp Semi Pro - don't ya know!). Waited - switched it back on - wouldn’t connect to live for about 20 mins - then worked fine.

    Luckily I bought two at launch (both working - touching wood) an have one to use while the other is away - which seems like won't be long now!)

  • davisorle #36 5 years ago

    Guys I really don't understand this.. I guess they would add one if they recieve one console with overheating problem and wouldn't admit it, but they will have to sooner or later I bet if it's true. Why not add it. I just feel so lucky I haven't had probs with it since I bought it on the release date :p ( do not hate me! ^^ )

    Most of my friends havent had a problem either. Only 2 guys that they told me they know had that problem with the so called rings of death and ( what a coincidence ) I hate them both. they are just stupid so i was laughting when I heard about it ( I repeat DO NOT HATE ME, just was funny to know about their luck )

    What is even more weird is that my xbox from day one I had it working without even shutting it down for at least 2 days in a row to 4 cause Id fall asleep playing from my bed some times and then wake up to get out and not even see I had left it on and just leave( my job back then sucked so Id knock out without a warning for the first time in my life ). TBH I was worried Id screw it up with forgeting it on with all that fuzz about the overheating but than god nothing hapened to it. ( *knocks on wood* ) So if it was a basic design problem wouldnt my console first of any other go straight to h*ll? Im not saying this to doupt anyone or something but its just weird. If my console was faulty Id go nuts... Id call MS offices here in Greece and tell them off in a way that they would never experience in their life again.

  • richardiox #37 5 years ago

    Mike P; Yes, you are right and manufacturers revise the design of hardware on an ongoing basis after launch. This is normally to reduce costs or to add functionality. In this instance however, MS are adding cost to their design which seems strange.

    Why would they spend all the money adding new heatsinks 18months after release unless they also KNEW there was a real problem with heat dispersal in the original design?

    Consequently, they are admitting the vanilla design was flawed making it even more unfair of them to ask their customers for £85 to swop it for a refurb if its just fallen outside of warranty.

    As for the idiots who retort with "it wasnt a problem for me, MS picked it up, fixed it and got it back to me within 10 days - great customer service crowd"...that's totally missing the issue. A £270 piece of hardware SHOULD NOT BREAK EN MASSE within 12 months. It's akin to me saying "Yeah my hospital cut costs and bodged my operation totally but give them a break - they took real good care of me as an out-patient."

    The issue isnt about how good or bad their customer service is, or even about the £85 out-of-warrenty charge (which is fair enough if a product isnt defective and/or 2 or 3 years old). The real issue is the reason these other things are gettign argued over. That being, that MS are knowingly selling a poorly put together product and continue to do so.

    They still havent acknowldged there is ANY PROBLEM with the 360 and STILL resolutely tow the "3-5% is totally normal failure rate for new tech". Is 30-50% a totally normal figure?

  • BadBoyBonner #38 5 years ago

    16 of my mates have 360's - with not one break (as yet) so either we are all very lucky, or the failure rate is not 30%-50%.

    While a very small sample size - it seems unlikley that at 50% failure rate we all purchased ones on release that have not failed.

  • BadBoyBonner #39 5 years ago

    And for anyone out of warranty who does not like lying.

    Here's something I am considering - might be the best tenner ever spent - not sure how loud it is though! lol

    [link url=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/INTERCOOLE R-FAN-COOLER-COOLING-FOR-XBOX-360-CONSOLE_W0QQitemZ250129272 814QQihZ015QQcategoryZ112846QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
    ]http://cg i.ebay.co.uk/INTERCOOLER-FAN-CO...[/link]

    Mind you nothing can be as loud as the 360 itself - when playing Crackdown late at night on a lower sound setting, makes me want to cry for my 360 the sounds that are emanating from it! Lol


  • Hawkins #40 5 years ago

    In my store we seem to get more returned faulty 360s than new stock! My own 360 also died just before a full year despite having lived in a nice clean open space. The failure rate is extremely concerning.

  • moggsy #41 5 years ago

    Someone needs to do a straw-poll survey on % of failing 360s. Its common knowledge surely that MS's 3-5% it an outright lie. Personally, from reading the forums I'm imagining it to be over 50% failure rate and I think perhaps only 20% or less of the launch units will actually survive until November, their 2nd birthday.

    Try here

    So far it's 100% for no breakdowns... ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/07 @ 13:22

  • davisorle #42 5 years ago

    @BadBoyBonner
    "makes me want to cry for my 360 the sounds that are emanating from it!"

    LOL are you serious man? ^^ Now im sure I know why I never even heard the sound of the console and thought of it weird hearing all the complains. Its cause I never have the volume low to even let me hear the doorbell most of the times XD
    ( I just love living through the surround sound too or I dont enjoy the game :p Even paid 100$ for my headphones for past midnight gaming! lol )

  • BadBoyBonner #43 5 years ago

    @Davisorle
    "LOL are you serious man? ^^ Now im sure I know why I never even heard the sound of the console and thought of it weird hearing all the complains. Its cause I never have the volume low to even let me hear the doorbell most of the times XD
    ( I just love living through the surround sound too or I don’t enjoy the game :p Even paid 100$ for my headphones for past midnight gaming! lol )"

    I have the 360 linked into a full Dolby Digital Yamaha amp with full floor standing speakers on spikes - sound system cost more than the 50" plasma - and live in a detached house.

    However - once the GF has snoozed off on the sofa (no doubt after playing Monster Puzzle on DS) I lower it down so she sleeps for as long as possible, thus prolonging her request for my attendance to bed! lol

    SIDE NOTE - Crackdown is awesome through surround sound (and a bit easier) as you can locate where you are being shot from!

  • Turambar #44 5 years ago

    Could just be that they are fitting refurb units using old boards (read: prone to failure) with these heatsinks.

  • GrandpaUlrira #45 5 years ago

    They fixed that problem quickly!

  • FunkyRenegade #46 5 years ago

    @bioreit

    I called Microsoft 15 months after I bought mine, they wouldn't fix it free of charge because they have an extra 2 month "complimentary repair" period, or some crap like that. Which would be the reason your friends was fixed free of charge ^_^

  • RazorObsession #47 5 years ago

    Sports cars are high maintenance and break down a lot as they are performance vehicles and tuned accordingly.

    it seems the xbox360 would suffer equally.

    if nothing is testing the PS3 as of yet, as Sony would have us believe, then when games do start to take advantage of that untapped potential, perhaps overheating may become an issue?

    if the xbox360 was overheating on day one, mayhap its bad design coupled with maximized performance far too early on in the systems life cycle that means MS may well be adding lots of little secret upgrades on the hush hush in the near future?

  • Calgon #48 5 years ago

    lol theres some crazy theories and missinformation in this thread is all Im saying.