It is not news that the Xbox 360 has some serious tech issues and it breaks a lot more than it should. Fine. MS has changed the chip configuration and there are some benefits to see if the Xbox 360 you are about to buy is the right one.
Here is how:
All you need to do is look at the UPC symbol and see the 175W, which is the wattage for the newer power supply. This confirms that a Falcon chip is inside and not the Zephyr, which is an older model.
The Falcon chipped models have a much less chance of failing due to aluminum heat sinks and uses much less power so will be a lot quieter.
So this Holiday Season, make it a Falcon if you can. Thanks to www.falz.net for the close up.
53 Comments
Write a Comment»I saw an Elite Falcon at my local Best Buy tonight while I was out Christmas shopping. Too bad I didn’t have my busted one with me to exchange it out.
I’ve go a Falcon but in the box the wattage was 203W, but the power suply is 175W.
There are may Falcon inside 203W boxes. If your power suply inside the box is 175W you have got a Falcon.
Greets.
Guys with an Elite Falcon,
can you pls post the lot no. and the team as they appear on the sticker on the box? That’d help a lot!
Also you may report such data on http://www.360drives.com/list to help other xbox360 buyers
thanks!
there are some Falcon units sold with old (203W) power supplies *and* there are some Falcon units sold with a double label on the box, with one of the labels stating it’s 203W and the other 175W. Sometimes the newer label disappears during transport.
So it would be safer to say that if you see 175W on the box, you’re sure it’s a Falcon, but it may be a Falcon even if you don’t.
this is good/helpful news to know.
Hi Guys,
Does anyone knows if there is any problem on using a 203 power supplies on a falcon? I got a falcon without power supplie so I’m using my old power supplie..so far so good.
thanks
The added heat sinks may help you out if they are inside plus the smaller chip size. All in all, it can’t hurt my friend.
@punkpt - We’ll look into that for you and see if there’s any issues. Might generate a bit more heat, but I’m not completely sure.
I can’t think of many more things that are more important than this, 360s break, I love them to death but they do, nothing is going to rid you of all risk of it breaking, so you know getting one of those “DREADED” replacement plans on them, you know those things that EVERYONE says not to buy, those are MUCH more important than falcon chips…..but no one wants to hear about a solution to a problem if it actually cost them a few more bucks, but let Microsoft add a new chip to Xboxs and let people think that it is going to fix the XBOX failure problems that I feel were fixed a couple months ago even with Zephyrs, but people are told it will help, by websites, and think it is a free solution so obviously it is going to be much more overhyped than the solution that is MUCH more sure than a new chip, but cost money……good luck with your falcons, I hope they really do work for you…..but STOP looking at the damn xboxs in the store, I thought I was going to have punch a guy in the face the other day while in Best Buy, he DAMN near had his entire head shoved in the box looking for evidence of a new Falcon chip….idiot
Gamestop/EB is no longer allowed to sell product replacement plans on the Xbox 360. Just FYI. Also, using a higher wattage power supply with a Falcon will do nothing harmful, basically the Falcon will draw only the power it needs but the bigger (older) power supply will have left over reserve power that is not utilized.
Later,
Alex
@ Josh:
If you can get a video of yourself punching someone at Best Buy while looking for a falcon chip, we will send you a free hat.
[Note: Loot Ninja LLC does not support random acts of violence or rewarding said acts.]
Gamestop stopped selling their replacement plans because it was only one year, which is the standard warranty period by the manufacturer now anyways. On top of that you have a total of three years free coverage from the RROD by microsoft so Gamestop wouldn’t be selling you anything, they would literaly just be taking your money (that’s more of a Circuit City practice than a Gamestop).
I’ve got an Elite. It says 175w and the Team is FDOU. I think it is Falcon, right?
@Diogo - it’s 100% a Falcon
Yeah nice! Thanks
so sad. I’m thinking of smashing my PS3 with a sledge hammer because it never bricks on me and doesn’t overheats.
Hey Joe Mama…..you would have to actually “use” your PS3 for it to overheat….too bad there are no games for it.
Yeah I have been using the 203w brick with my Falcon. The only thing that seems to happen is that the power brick heats a bit more than it did with my older console. I think I can hear little tiny fans inside working their little hearts out.
Other than that the new falcon is worth it, HDMI for the lovers out their, a new disc drive that treats its content with a little bit more respect and of course the new mother board. The console was manufactured 4 months ago, my old one 14 months ago.
Xbox 360 number 5 baby. 5 months homeless, 5 times a sucker.
Scump:
That sounds extrenly impossible… the power rating on a power supply indicates how mych power it can DELIVER… if you use a power supploy that can deliver MORE power than the device demands (which would be your case), it should run COOLER, NOT hotter… so maybe you got another problem…
I checked in with Microsoft and found that’s in not a good idea to use the old 203w power brick with the 175w Falcon. I’m going to take their word on this one.
Just to let everyone looking here… Some of the ELITE boxes have another sticker on top of the original one. Which do not contain the extra data information. (I guess M$ is trying to disguisse as much as possible). But there is a way to see the manufacturing date without opening the box. Look on the opening that has the serial number… Tilt the box and lift with your finger the white cardboard high enough so that you can see the date which is about three rows above the serial number. If you can see it, move the xbox to the opposite site with another finger at the same time. Mine is from team TMEM and the manufacturing date is 10/25/2007 (Which I am assuming is a falcon). The only bar scan data is for: 52V-00004. Hope this info can help someone else. Merry Christmas to all.
I forgot to add that my brick is 175w. (That’s why I assume is a falcon)
Just to let everyone looking here… Some of the ELITE boxes have another sticker on top of the original one. Which do not contain the extra data information. (I guess M$ is trying to disguisse as much as possible). But there is a way to see the manufacturing date without opening the box. Look on the opening that has the serial number… Tilt the box and lift with your finger the white cardboard high enough so that you can see the date which is about three rows above the serial number. If you can see it, move the xbox to the opposite site with another finger at the same time. Mine is from team TMEM and the manufacturing date is 10/25/2007 (Which I am assuming is a falcon). The only bar scan data is for: 52V-00004. Hope this info can help someone else. Merry Christmas to all.
I forgot to add that my brick is 175w. (That’s why I assume is a falcon)
thanks for telling us month old news asswipe
I agree with you Scump, I guess it exactly the same as the PC power supplies, You can have a 400w or more but it only deliver as much as the pc require. So far I didn’t notice any problem, if anyone has problems, please post!
if you want to confirm if its a falcon besides all these ways, you can also confirm by checking the inductors:
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/39309975/m/292009267831/p/5
cheers
I’m just glad my old (and first) 360 still works as good as new.
*knocks on wood and does voodoo “don’t die on me 360″ dance*
this is very helpful to me
thanks
I recently purchased a halo edition 360, And opened it up to install the xcm high speed fan. I seriously screwed up the eject button, So i went out and bought another one. I set it up as is, Played tomb raider for about 2 hrs, Then hit the old pc. It was then that i found out about the falcon chips, And dissapointedly learned my halo console did not have it. So I returned it and got a full refund. Now im going to buy an elite that has the falcon chip, Off of eBay, And then have the NME 2.0 modchip installed from Go Cyber Shop! This little purchase should run me near the $1000 mark, And doesnt include the sammy drive i need to make backups with. HA Ha!
i just brought mine two days ago
and it says 203
its manufactured 2007/11/05
will the place i got it give me a replacement or will microsoft
mine lot number is 0744
You can try to return it to where you bought it because MS is so backed up right now on their returns. Try your best to swap it in store and verify you got a falcon. Good luck man. Let us know how it goes.
My Xbox RRoD’d on my just before Thanksgiving. Checking out the refurb (not my original unit) they sent back to me, I dont see anything that looks like the image above let alone mentioning the wattage. The mfg date is 2007/06/11. I’m used to MM/DD/YYYY but this seems to be YYYY/MM/DD, I’m hoping it’s YYYY/DD/MM, though.
I did find a good article for verifying units like mine here;
http://forums.xbox.com/15804553/ShowPost.aspx
There are links to images showing what to look for peering through the ventilation holes on the bottom of the xbox. Unfortunately, mine is not a Falcon model.
Hopefully this helps the rest of you.
they won’t take it back
because it’s not faulty just because it doesn’t have a falcon chip they said doesent mean its going to Rrod.
but i did flashlight test and its a falcon
Team Cson
Lot 0744
203 wat on box 203 watt on power supply
falcon inside
ok, i am trying to buy my bf one of these and i’m a little confused. i bought one in a bundle with 2 games and the 20g hard drive and then i was reading online that this bundle is not the new console with the falcon chip, and i really wanted to get him the newer one. but then, i read about the 175w thing and the team FDOU thing and the sticker on the box has both of those things. does this somehow miraculously have the chip in it or am i being scammed?
@Abi - the console you bought does in fact have the newer Falcon chip
sweet!
hey i just bought my self a 360 elite for christmas and it has a lot # of 743 and a 203 watt power supply is there any chance i have a falcon chip inside?
oh and the team in it is CSON
@ Sickness:
The “203 watt” label means that your machine needs the 203 watt power brick in order to power it. It has been advised not to use the 203 watt brick with a machine that only needs 175 watts.
There is literally no chance that there is a falcon chip inside. You most likely have the Zephyr, which is not bad, just nowhere near as efficient as the Falcon. If there store you bought it has Falcon’s, I’d make the exchange.
yeah thats the thing i was going to do but i went and checked the power brick and it says 175 watts on it so now im confused. why would they print 203w on the box when i just found out that i really have a 175w.
Could be one of two things:
1. You have a falcon chip inside and they did not change the label.
2. You have the incorrect brick for your machine.
The machine can be taken apart and the chip can be visualized rather easily. Again, thats something beyond my recommendation. The machine can be taken apart without much effort. There are plenty of FAQs out there on how to do so.
Hope I helped.
talking shit i have a falcon
someone stated before you can run falcon off 203w power supply
now 4 of my friends have checked mine
team cson lot 0744
it has a falcon
Is the INTERCOOLER safe to use?
yes i would say it is my buddy has had his 360 for about 2 years now and has used the intercooler and it has never broke on him.
Haha! You are good people. Who deside to do it? Good idea.
Ok, I have been a long time Playstation fan, but I am not overly impressed with the PS3 and the lack of games and upcoming games. I have been thinking of jumping to XBOX 360, but I am scared to death to buy one due to the falure problems. I understand they have recently updated some of the 360’s with a new falcon chip which will solve this problem. I have tried to find out more info on this, but the more I read on the boards about how to detect a falcon chip 360, the more confused I get. I don’t understand all of the technical terms, where to look on the box etc. Can someone please explain this to a “former” Playstation fanboy so I can buy the right Xbox 360 and not have any problems. Thanks
mine has lot no. 0801. I’m in australia. Is it a falcon. Thanx
By now, does all XBox 360 consoles have the Falcon chip? Or just the Elites? I’m planning to buy a reliable XBox 360, and I would like the Falcon chip in it.
I’ve read a blog that was posted in Sept 2007 which basically mentioned that the newer (at that time) XBox 360 would have the Falcon chip, BUT not the ‘improved’ GPU. They basically concluded that the improvement was just ‘half-way’ since the GPU (ATI) was not improved yet at that time. My question is: By this time, does all XBox 360 consoles have the improved GPU? Or just some? Is there anyway to check if I have the improved GPU?
Thanks!
Do all the elite consoles come with the falcon chip??? My brick says 175watts but does mean anything???
Jay:
check the back of your machine like in the picture above. chances are the 175w brick means you have a falcon but the only way to know is on the ID badge on the back.
lemme know how it goes man. good luck.
mine says team cson…203 watts..lot 0728..manufactured…07/18/2007…but so far it hasnt froze or given me da rrod….i keep a little fan blowin air to it next to it….i can play for hours nonstop and itll just feel warm…so i think that microsofts has that whole rrod thing fixed maybe…i have a friend dat has his 360 since launch…and it hasnt give him the rrod…
I just bought an Elite yesterday (June 29, 2008).
Lot 0806 Team CSON
203W Label on box, 175W PS
Manufactured 2008-02-15
Mine shows the copper pipe
Cheers for the review on how to spot a Falcon chipset version. Although, I believe that buying a X-Box360 over here in the UK is cheaper online, I’ll at least enquire as to if it’s a Falcon based one.
Thanks again.
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