Xbox chips are already at 65 nanometres

WE PREVIOUSLY told you about the latest update to the Xbox 360 hardware platform, codenamed Falcon.

The Falcon packs 65nm versions of the PowerPC triple-core CPU and the ATI Xenos graphics core that powers the system, and consequently puts out less heat - Microsoft's fabled solution to the 'Red Ring of Death' problems that have plagued the 360 over the last 12 months, and which led to the $1 billion warranty programme.

Well, it seems that the chaps at Chartered Semiconductor have let the cat out of the bag about a further revision to the hardware. Chartered is one of Microsoft's console production partners in the East. Its CEO told these guys that not only had 65nm Xboxes been in production for the last two quarters, in various forms of prototype, but hinted that his company was already playing with 45nm versions.

Don't expect to see 45nm Xboxes on the market anytime soon, but we nontheless think it's interesting that Microsoft/Chartered is fairly close on the coat-tails of Intel, which intends to bring its manufacturing might to bear on 45nm in time to have chips out for Christmas.

Meanwhile, the Xbox is expected to get a $50 price drop across the board on August 12 in the US, as advance promotional material for stores all but confirms the new pricing. Don't get to excited though, Brit-o-philes - Microsoft has again iterated, in strong terms, that no UK price cut is coming imminently. So just quiet down and content yourselves with being ripped off, won't you? µ