[Roachman]

I've been looking at buying a Premium console online but want one with the Falcon chipset.

I've asked both Amazon and ShopTo if the consoles they sell come with a 175W power brick (which I believe guarantees a Falcon ?) but neither of them can give me definite yes or no (which I think is very poor)
I would also ask Play.com the same question but I couldn't for the life of me find a "Contact Us" link

Anyway, can anyone help me in my quest to find an online supplier of these newer consoles ?

[BenchyUK]

Does it have to be online as there's never going to be any way of finding out for definate unless you buy instore

[Munkey Boy]

The problem with online retailers is they can't guarantee an order will get a certain box, it will just be the next one on the pile as they use automated systems for their orders. Like Lee says, the only way to be 100% is to physically see it yourself in a shop, I'd advise you to try that.

[Mr THX]

Ok I have to ask......... how can you tell its a Falcon

[Munkey Boy]

Originally Posted by Mr THX

Ok I have to ask......... how can you tell its a Falcon

175W power supply is a 65nm Falcon unit (as opposed to 203W which isn't).

[Roachman]

Originally Posted by lee_c00per

Does it have to be online as there's never going to be any way of finding out for definate unless you buy instore

It doesn't have to be online but I was looking for the cheapest package available.

Originally Posted by Munkey Boy

The problem with online retailers is they can't guarantee an order will get a certain box, it will just be the next one on the pile as they use automated systems for their orders. Like Lee says, the only way to be 100% is to physically see it yourself in a shop, I'd advise you to try that.

So are retailers/etailers still getting the older versions into their warehouses as well as newer versions ??
I'd have thought that a company as huge as Amazon would clear out all of one batch and then get a new batch, and I would have thought that all newer batches would be the new chipset ?

[Dirtschmooz]

I got a replacement sent from Amazon about 3 weeks ago, and that was a 175w power brick and an October 07 build.

hope that helps out

[Munkey Boy]

Originally Posted by Roachman

So are retailers/etailers still getting the older versions into their warehouses as well as newer versions ??
I'd have thought that a company as huge as Amazon would clear out all of one batch and then get a new batch, and I would have thought that all newer batches would be the new chipset ?

I couldn't pretend to know enough about how Amzon source their consoles, but it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that they may still get hold of a shipment of non-HDMI/Falcon ones. As time goes on, this chance gets less and less, but I wouldn't take it for granted that because someone has received a Falcon from Amazon, every single console sent after that date will be.

If you absolutely have to get a Falcon, go to a shop, you'll get it quicker and it's easier to return if faulty too. It's not like online stores are even any cheaper for hardware really when you take into account the bundles available.

[lapino]

To be honest, I today bought a Falcon thinking I would get a 'better 'console than my current HDMI Premium. Wish I didn't. It's as noisy as my HDMI Premium I had since Halo3, the drive is as loud (if not louder) and even the power supply seems to put out a decent amount of fan noise. Great! No really, were it not for a LOT of games I have for the 360, I would get rid of it asap. Really fed up with this subpar hardware.

[Munkey Boy]

Originally Posted by lapino

Really fed up with this subpar hardware.

How is it sub-par? Purely because of the noise of the DVD drive? If that's the case its just the fact MS are using DVD tech, as all 16x DVD drives are that noisy unfortunately. Aside from that it's pretty incredible tech if you think about it...

[lapino]

Subpar: crappy (loud) fans, DVD drive that's far from silent (it sits on plastic instead of rubber gromets for example), and the falcon psu makes a whining noise too now!

AFAIK all "Value Bundle" with HDMI are Falcon edition, at least here in Italy, hope this help

[RottenFox]

the falcon's are also shipping with 203w power supplies.
no heatpipes inside my son's,lot 742,benq drive,203w power supply.

[lapino]

And I suppose as noisy as before? My falcon is a damn loud 360, and I hate that. Really hoped for Ms to have gotten the noise problem under control by now (as well as on dash as while playing games).

[RottenFox]

there is no difference in noise,at all,really.
the only improvement is energy efficiency(lower power consumption).

[Roachman]

Originally Posted by RottenFox

the falcon's are also shipping with 203w power supplies.
no heatpipes inside my son's,lot 742,benq drive,203w power supply.

Does it actually say 203W on the power brick ?
I've seen it mentioned that it says 203W on some of the boxes but on the actual power brick it's 175W.

[sdb123]

Originally Posted by RottenFox

the falcon's are also shipping with 203w power supplies.
no heatpipes inside my son's,lot 742,benq drive,203w power supply.

Originally Posted by Roachman

Does it actually say 203W on the power brick ?
I've seen it mentioned that it says 203W on some of the boxes but on the actual power brick it's 175W.

My Elite has the new 'internals' and a 203w power brick.

[lapino]

Mine had 203w on the box, but 175w inside. Any else noticed that the 175w is louder than the 203w power supply? The fan in the psu makes a high pitched noise now I'll keep saying it... if Microsoft would make a 360 with a silent drive and silent fans, it would blow the PS3 right out as a GAMING console.

[Munkey Boy]

Originally Posted by lapino

I'll keep saying it... if Microsoft would make a 360 with a silent drive and silent fans, it would blow the PS3 right out as a GAMING console.

Is that physically possible though? My PS3 fans are just as loud as my 360s (in fact they can be way louder if the PS3 has been on for a while), they are about identical in noise produced when idle on the dash. The 360 drive is what makes the noise though, and to spin a disc at 16x just will always create that amount of noise, it's just inherent to the technology (my PC does the same). The reason the PS3 is quieter is due to the BD drive spinning at just 2x, that's all it is plain and simple, and it's not going to change this generation. It's slightly annoying but no more really... Can you not buy a cabinet to put it in?

[lapino]

Maybe that'll be the only solution, a cabinet that can be closed. I have to admit I'm very focussed on background sounds my devices make. Guess I'll have to live with the 360 noise, but my PS3 is going back too (a 40gb). It's very silent but there's a strange problem with my fan, causing it to make an annoying "ppprrrrrrrrrrrrrr" sound, very faint but very audible. Some other people here noticed the same.

So I guess the best way is putting the whole thing in a ventilated cabinet. We bought a whole set of new furniture a few months ago, and plan was to put all the devices on top of the drawers (it's a very low cabinet), unfortunately no place to put things inside.

[corh5]

Originally Posted by Munkey Boy

How is it sub-par? Purely because of the noise of the DVD drive? If that's the case its just the fact MS are using DVD tech, as all 16x DVD drives are that noisy unfortunately. Aside from that it's pretty incredible tech if you think about it...

Cheap components though and extremely poor build quality...

1st Xbox: 3 red rings of death (15 months)
2nd Xbox: Disk read errors (1 week)
3rd Xbox: Disk read errors yet again (6 months) Can guarantee at least 2 disk errors per gaming session. Very frustrating and thats on all games i own.

Thing that really annoys me is i love my xbox, never had one disk error with first one and 2 replacements have been nothing but crap. Really annoyed but might buy an elite in new yr meaning i'll be on my 4th xbox. That's shocking for a prodcut that has only been out 2 yrs.

Build quality wise it is the worst ever made console in history. And i've pretty much owned everything since the NES.

[Munkey Boy]

Originally Posted by corh5

Cheap components though and extremely poor build quality...

1st Xbox: 3 red rings of death (15 months)
2nd Xbox: Disk read errors (1 week)
3rd Xbox: Disk read errors yet again (6 months) Can guarantee at least 2 disk errors per gaming session. Very frustrating and thats on all games i own.

Thing that really annoys me is i love my xbox, never had one disk error with first one and 2 replacements have been nothing but crap. Really annoyed but might buy an elite in new yr meaning i'll be on my 4th xbox. That's shocking for a prodcut that has only been out 2 yrs.

Build quality wise it is the worst ever made console in history. And i've pretty much owned everything since the NES.

My Xbox 360 has been fine to date (since launch = 2 years plus), but I went through 3 PS2s in five years. My experience points to the 360 not having the worst build quality. Goes to show unless you have evidence, it's all anecdotal.

[corh5]

Originally Posted by Munkey Boy

My Xbox 360 has been fine to date (since launch = 2 years plus), but I went through 3 PS2s in five years. My experience points to the 360 not having the worst build quality. Goes to show unless you have evidence, it's all anecdotal.

Well i can only go by my experiences and 2 colleages at work are on their 3rd and 2nd Xbox 360 respectively and they've only had them less than a year. All of them failing with 3 red rings of death. Microsoft have extended warranties for 3 rings of death from 1 year to 3 years. If that isn't an omission of guilt i don't know what is.

Forums are littered with people complaining of disk read errors, console failures etc, far greater in my opinion than any other console.

Don't get me wrong i'm not Xbox bashing, i love my 360 but i still go by my comments that personally i feel it is the worst built console ever made. I should not be facing the prospect of being on my 4th console in 2 years.

[funcky]

Lol, there is plenty of evidence to show the 360 has some serious reliability issues. The overwhelming amounts of complaints suggest it has the worse reliabilty in console history, I can't remember any other console that had this many issues. Have u seen the lengths some people go to in the hope that they may get a more reliable console. Anyone looking to buy a 360, look for the newest model u can find, anyone with an older 360, look for the newest model u can find.

[lapino]

And even then there's no guarantee. I've had (seriously) SIX 360's. Two of them broke, others were everytime sold so I could get a new one, hoping this time it would be a silent one. Never had one that was ok, not at the dashboard, not when spinning the drive. I now own a 360 built nov 7th 2007, and fans are again the noisy DC Brushless, drive is a Benq but I wonder where people get the idea it's silent. I love the 360 for the software it brings, but absolutely HATE the hardware (except the controller, which is great).

[Munkey Boy]

OK, we're getting off topic here, and like I say it's all anecdotal. I'm not claiming (and neither is MS to be fair, hence they upped the warranty eventually) that the 360 doesn't have reliability issues. I'm just saying it is bad science to compare rates without evidence.

[stu.artd]

Originally Posted by Munkey Boy

OK, we're getting off topic here, and like I say it's all anecdotal. I'm not claiming (and neither is MS to be fair, hence they upped the warranty eventually) that the 360 doesn't have reliability issues. I'm just saying it is bad science to compare rates without evidence.

That'll be anecdotal evidence then.

Seriously though, the X360 does seem far more prone to hardware failure than any other console in this generation. You just have to browse the forums for evidence of that. Whether it is scientifically conclusive evidence is another matter, but there is evidence there none the less.
Am I right in thinking that MS increased the warranty for 3 red lights just as class action lawsuits were being formed in the US ?

The only reason MS need such a fast spinning DVD drive is to spool data across, if they want to reduce noise then patch games for those owning HD's - that way data can be written to the HD at the start and slowly stored there temporarily throughout the game and the DVD spin speed can be decreased. Would require a little more effort on the part of developers but it's certainly possible.

[corh5]

Originally Posted by stu.artd

That'll be anecdotal evidence then.

Seriously though, the X360 does seem far more prone to hardware failure than any other console in this generation. You just have to browse the forums for evidence of that. Whether it is scientifically conclusive evidence is another matter, but there is evidence there none the less.
Am I right in thinking that MS increased the warranty for 3 red lights just as class action lawsuits were being formed in the US ?

The only reason MS need such a fast spinning DVD drive is to spool data across, if they want to reduce noise then patch games for those owning HD's - that way data can be written to the HD at the start and slowly stored there temporarily throughout the game and the DVD spin speed can be decreased. Would require a little more effort on the part of developers but it's certainly possible.

Yeah totally agree really wish you could install most the game to the hard drive like you do with PC games. Would not get all these dvd drive disk read errors then.

[sdb123]

Can we get back on topic please?

[stu.artd]

Originally Posted by sdb123

Can we get back on topic please?

Seeing as your post is a positive contribution and is so perfectly on topic itself then of course we can

Looks like there's no way to guarantee a Falcon 360 from an online store unless they're willing to open the box and check the PSU for you, but I doubt that many places would be willing to do this. Even then they don't all come with a 175W PSU so it's not going to be 100% accurate. When you consider that the only real improvement is improved energy efficiency and that this can be offset by a louder PSU I wonder if it's worthwhile trying to ensure the OP gets one ?