'Jasper' is the next Xbox 360 chipset

by Kevin Kelly { Oct 10th 2007 at 4:56PM }

Jasper is both the name of the of the next Xbox 360 chipset, and an old prospector heading to the rocky hills of Utah, planning to strike it rich on "The durned richest haul you've jest about evar seen! Yeehaw!" Which one comes to mind first when you hear that name?

Basically the hurricane-like string of Xbox 360 chipset names continues. First we had Zephyr, then Falcon, and now sometime next August, Jasper. What does Jasper bring? We're glad you asked. According to Dean Takahashi at the Mercury News, it brings exciting things like ... a 65nm graphics chip from ATI, and smaller memory chips.

This isn't all that exciting, since the current Falcon chipset uses a 65nm processor already, but it means that Microsoft is still working on bringing production costs down. Which could also translate to even cheaper Xbox 360s next holiday season ... meaning 2008, three years after the introduction of the system. We're all for cheaper prices, but we like added value too. Zephyr brought us HDMI, why can't Jasper bring us something. At least milk and cookies.

Tags: Falcon, Jasper, Xbox 360, Xbox360, Zephyr

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

oncnawan @ Oct 10th 2007 5:02PM

@Kevin Kelly
Did you really just lump the Falcon's 65nm CPU in with the Jasper's 65nm GPU? There is a huge difference, especially given that the GPU is considered the main cause of RRoD. This IS "all that exciting."

Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 5:21PM

@Kevin Kelly

And also, why dont you use Jasper from the Simpsons? Its the obvious choice.

Phranctoast @ Oct 10th 2007 5:43PM

I thought jasper was on family guy. Who is jasper on the simpsons?

BPM (FDF - Hypno-Toad) @ Oct 10th 2007 7:09PM

Jasper's the old man with the long beard. Lives in the same retirement home as Abe Simpson.

mr nimblewick (SegaDF - Jogurt Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 5:03PM

A smaller form factor would be appreciated.

Evan @ Oct 10th 2007 8:16PM

Then all those cheesy faceplates wouldn't work.

But, yeah, a smaller form factor would be very nice.

MooseMuffin @ Oct 10th 2007 5:03PM

"Zephyr brought us HDMI, why can't Jasper bring us something. At least milk and cookies."

Because it makes current owners cry about it on website message boards.

OrganicShadow @ Oct 10th 2007 5:03PM

Will Jasper finally bring sufficient cooling? I hear the Falcon 360's are still RRoD-ing out of the box on some occasion.

I'm not buying a 360 till I have better assurance that it won't RRoD than a fancy new chipset code name.

HineyWipe @ Oct 10th 2007 6:34PM

Why are you even here? You don't own a 360 yet you complain of it? I've owned 2 of them (one RRoD, the other is the replacement after I sold the repaired one).
I atleast qualify to rant on the inferior hardware design..which leaves room for improvements...to come...hopefully.

Mark @ Oct 10th 2007 7:33PM

I bought my 360 on launch day many moons ago. Not a single problem with it yet. You're missing out.

Hirsbrunner @ Oct 10th 2007 5:10PM

"The sheriff is a ni-*GONG*!!

"What'd he say?"

"He said the sheriff's near."

"No dag-blast it, consarn it! I said, the sheriff is a ni-*GONG*!!

Patrick @ Oct 10th 2007 7:38PM

"they call em boss, boss nig***"

Awesome Stuff @ Oct 13th 2007 8:19PM

LMFAO

DarthDavid @ Oct 10th 2007 5:12PM

Too little too late for me....I'M NEVER BUYING A 360...I guess its my Wii and PS3 this gen. Don't get me wrong folks, I think the 360 has the best software/online right now...but that hardware is a piece of crapola. As a collector I would like my systems to last more than a year.

Vol @ Oct 10th 2007 6:06PM

Go ahead and keep whining about the reliabilty of the console. I own all three and it's the best one without a doubt. I spend 90% of my playing time on it. Since it has a 3-year warranty and you have other consoles to play if it RRoDs, what is your problem? You're really missing out and missing the boat. For instance, a Ferrari isn't totally reliable, but it's a fun car to drive and you still want it. :-)

FYI.. I have owned the console since 12/05. I have sent it in for repair once with a 2-week turnaround.

labrynthos @ Oct 10th 2007 7:48PM

sucks for you!

Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 5:12PM

I want integrated Wi-Fi

Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 5:22PM

And a quiet drive.

tcc3 @ Oct 10th 2007 5:27PM

I want a fine Italian sports car.

And a puppy.

And free ice cream.

Sircolby45 @ Oct 10th 2007 9:31PM

Why? Wi-Fi sucks for gaming. Use wired it will save you a lot of headaches.

TJ0331 @ Oct 10th 2007 5:22PM

Lol, Jasper. Worst name ever.

jimy @ Oct 10th 2007 8:57PM

Quite the character from the simpsons though.

someone on 360 fanboy put "That's a paddlin'" as a comment and i'm still laughing from it.

Cloaker @ Oct 10th 2007 5:22PM

Bought my 360 launch day. Why have I never had a problem? Want to upgrade to HDMI though soon... when we find out Falcons are being put out there. Guess I want to be sure, given all that I have heard.

Jeff @ Oct 10th 2007 5:23PM

Blah. Keep giving me reasons not to buy one.

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 6:07PM

?? it will perform the exact same as current 360's, unlike what sony is doing to ps3's

K @ Oct 11th 2007 4:12PM

It never ceases to amaze me how some people just wanna find a reason to bitch, even in the face of conventional logic.

Case in point:
People still cite the RROD as the reason they're not buying the system, even though it's covered by MS now so it's not as if they have to do anything more than put the system in the mail in a worst-case scenario. Still, some people would rather miss out on genuinely amazing games because of a problem that may or may not affect them and wouldn't cost anything to fix. At least folks like DarthDavid admit they're collectors more than gamers, so playing games isn't as important.

Brando @ Oct 10th 2007 6:32PM

It is also the mascot for the Manhattan College Jaspers... my college. Nice...

OrganicShadow @ Oct 10th 2007 6:54PM

JESUS FUCKING CHRISTICON im not fucking complaing. Wow.

All I asked is weather or not Jasper will be fixing the issue with RRoD because I read on a blog somewhere that Falcon didn't completely fix the issue. Get the fuck over yourselves. Someone that doesn't own a 360 is saying that he wants to get one but doesn't want to go through RRoD is automatically ranting or complaining? What does that say about everyone who doesn't own a PS3 or a Wii when they talk about buying one?

OH NOES look at Cloaker. Just said he wants to make sure they aren't going to have problems before he buys one. Oh but wait, he already owns one, so it's okay for him to say that right?

I'm just sick and tired of hearing "ZEPHYR WILL FIX RROD!!" and it didn't, then same with Falcon, and now I want to be absolutely sure before I save the cash up. I'm trying to get a fucking car right now so I need to make absolute sure im not about to throw down on an "arcade" 360 that's going to be out of pocket for a month or so while it's in the shop.

Is that so much to ask without getting flamed by the "i've never had any problems with my 360 ever in the world ever you're just a sony fanboy" squad?

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 7:14PM

dude, cars break down too. only with a 360, if it happens (which is pretty rare these days, and getting rarer) then MS will fix it for free within 3 years of purchase. If you can't afford one because you're buying a car, then you gotta decide your priorities

I mean, if you can barely afford a 360 as is, how are you gonna buy the games? or will you just rent them?

CaptainAmericaX @ Oct 10th 2007 7:55PM

QUIT YAH BITCHING

We get it. You don't like the 360. You're a sony fanboy. Stop all this bullshit pretending about "I'd get it if it were such and such" crap.

You don't want a 360...otherwise you would have bought one already. Theres a 1 Year normal warranty a freaking THREE YEAR warranty on RRoD and yet you still find idiotic reasons to bitch.

Please do us all a favor and just SHUT UP, go back to your ps3, and do NOT buy a 360 cuz we frankly don't need your kind.

CaptainAmericaX @ Oct 10th 2007 8:19PM

And as was mentioned before...

YOU are the one who will be missing out this generation.

ulovemikeroch @ Oct 10th 2007 8:25PM

Hey dumbfuck, he's not a sony fanboy. He's just trying to make sure that the item he buys will not go through Rrod within a short period of time after he bought. He's just trying to be safe about his fucking investment you dumbshit.

"You don't want a 360...otherwise you would have bought one already. Theres a 1 Year normal warranty a freaking THREE YEAR warranty on RRoD and yet you still find idiotic reasons to bitch."
A. Not all of us can just go and buy a 360, some of us actually have to work and save up. If you read his earlier post and didn't rush in like some incompetent dumbfuck you'd realize he said he's trying to buy a car.
B. What are your magic reasons for knowing that he would have bought a 360 by now if he really wanted it? Maybe he saw some XBLA game that he really likes and all of a sudden wanted to get it for that one game. Also I agree, the 360 gets alot of these Chip and internal upgrades. If I heard that they are gonna release a new version of anything, I would wait and see what/how that product fairs against the previous one.

"Please do us all a favor and just SHUT UP, go back to your ps3, and do NOT buy a 360 cuz we frankly don't need your kind."
What all of a sudden now that he wants to make a smart choice he's a PS3 Fanboy? For all you know he could be a nintendo fanboy, you presumptuous fucktard. Then you say that you don't need, "his kind"? You don't even know if he has a fucking PS3 in the first place. Out of all the years I've read stupid things, that has to be one of the stupidest. First of all, is owning a 360 some sort of exclusive club that can only be joined by going to any of the million electronic stores around the world? You're probably not gonna deny the fact that you're a 360 fanboy, so if I get a ps3, and then all of a sudden buy another 360 and join your exclusive club, would you go fucking kill yourself? Because frankly it's worth getting a system that has a record of system failures so I can help rid this world of dumbshits like you. Second of all, have you even gone through puberty yet? Because right now thats the only reason I can think of, of why anyone in the world would post such stupid shit. You take the icing on the dumbshit cake.

Lord Chako @ Oct 10th 2007 8:41PM

"All I asked is weather or not Jasper will be fixing the issue with RRoD"

Yeah, because us joystiq commentators are well informed on stuff that doesn't exist yet.

Martin @ Oct 10th 2007 10:50PM

You do understand what "Out Of Pocket" means right?

OrganicShadow @ Oct 11th 2007 10:18AM

Hmm, let's see:

-Magically my answer's already been answered: by good ole' engadget.com. 65nm GPU, meaning less heat, ie: easier to cool. So it's LIKELY that this will help the overall cooling situation.

-Secondly, love how anytime there's someone that get you 360 fannies panties in a knot you automatically ASSume they're a PS3 owner/fanboy. It's like a knee jerk reaction nowadays, I love it. Especially when nothing has even been said that could indicate what systems I own, which ones I even play, and not to mention that I haven't even said why I even want a 360 in the first place. I could have a huge Luigi post in my room I touch myself to every night, but as long as im disturbing the dark force of the the green rings then im automatically thrown in with the PS3 fannie crowd.

-Thanks mister mikeroch: of course that automatically makes you a ps3 fannie too right? Because you were defending me right? And actually trying to keep things here civilized right? "god"(if there is one) forbid...

-Want a 360 why? Well, finally got to see what Mass Effect's battle system was like, and it was a lot different than it had been described to me. At that point I decided I could always get an Arcade once the cooling situation is under control and just stay offline for a while until I feel like paying for Live, if at all. I'm mainly a singleplayer person, and if im going to play something online it's pretty much only going to be BF2/TF2/Garry's Mod on my PC anyway. So might as well snag Mass Effect, Lost Planet(since my PC can't handle it) and Dead Rising.

-Trying to get a Toyota Yaris. Certified preowned(at least in my area) is a good deal cheaper than brand new, and it get's 40mpg- so that's the main reason im not getting a straight up used car. Too many problems and carfax etc. will only show you what the previous owner actually reported or had worked on. ;) I just decided the other day that gaming is such a big "hobby" of mine that I think it deserves to have it's own little place in my monthly budget, and if Arcade is going to be $250 or whatever then maybe after xmas or something I'll pick one up..... so my (dusty)Wii, PS3, PC, PSP, (dusty)DS, and fake atari don't get lonely.

ThornedVenom @ Oct 10th 2007 7:14PM

The Zephyr brought the Falcon to Jasper...

MAKE THE CONNECTION. WHO'S GOING TO BE NEXT?!

rod @ Oct 10th 2007 7:32PM

So the message is wait til august to buy a 360?
I was planning buying one in november!

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Oct 10th 2007 8:34PM

it's not like a ps3, where it will function different. it's just cheaper for MS to make, so they'll probably drop the price $20 or so at that time.

calm down folks

Joshua @ Oct 10th 2007 8:37PM

So, let me get this straight:

Zephyr: Added HDMI and heatsinks
Falcon: Shrunk CPU from 90 nm to 65 nm
Jasper: Will shrink GPU from 90 nm to 65 nm and shrink memory chips

And if the GPU is the main source of heat, it seems we'll only be safe once Jasper is out. I'm in no hurry to buy a 360, so if Jasper is what Falcon was hyped up to be, then I'm in for 08.

Burnt Meatloaf @ Oct 11th 2007 5:56AM

Next August?! Wow... screw that. I'm buying one now.

Well, I will, as soon as they're back in stock. In my area, they're sold out.

Burnt Meatloaf @ Oct 11th 2007 5:58AM

No, wait... I forgot... I'm waiting for the 2 free games bundle. When is that coming out, again?

Korova @ Oct 11th 2007 6:48AM

i am waiting for the bundle too. Should be end of October. 23rd?

Oh, jasper is a semi=precious stone:

"Jasper strengthens the stomach and is believed to cure gynecological problems. It is also thought to drive away evil spirits and protect against snake and spider bites."

So there are your additional features. Wifi-schmifi...

Uberzephyr @ Oct 15th 2007 4:55PM

I was in Game Crazy and Target today (in Phoenix), and both of them had the new 2-free-games-included package in stock.

oldest gamer @ Oct 11th 2007 7:34AM

The new 40gb PS3 has both 65nm CPU & GPU in under a year! You go Sony! Not even a headline on this fact, only updates on the old 360 make news I guess. lol.

art42 @ Oct 11th 2007 6:28PM

lol- this is the first time joystiq has made me laugh

ycabrera @ Oct 13th 2007 11:27AM

hey, not everyone lives in a country where this magical 3year warranty fixes anything. I live in china, sure, we get the 360's here and we might even get the falcon systems the same time as you guys do. does it change the fact that an RROD will waste our money. YES! because we don't have warranty here. even if we did, astronomical shipping rates are a bitch. I bought an xbox 360 and the guy told me that once it RRODs, that's it. It did, and i like the console, but i don't have enough money to buy a new one.