Xbox 360 Shortages Linked to Memory Chips

[rjcc]

The GDDR3 memory chips in the Xbox 360 have been cited as the reason Microsoft didn't get as many units on shelves as planned.

Some Infineon chips ran slower than 700-megahertz speed that was required, according to the sources. This was a big problem because the Xbox 360 has only a single highway (dubbed unified memory architecture) connecting memory with two processors, the graphics chip and microprocessor. When either of those chips can't access memory as needed because of the slow memory chips, then the processing within the entire system bogs down.
Source: Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/13864415.htm)

[Liquidize105]

Speaking personally, who give a sh!ter why? It's not my business to understand someone else's screw up. They knew they couldn't triple their production, so this "worldwide concurrent launch" was just regional split 3 ways?

And to sprinkle salt on open wound, the Japanese folks don't even want one.

[sTubbs]

Speaking personally, who give a sh!ter why? It's not my business to understand someone else's screw up. They knew they couldn't triple their production, so this "worldwide concurrent launch" was just regional split 3 ways?

And to sprinkle salt on open wound, the Japanese folks don't even want one.

The Japan thing pisses me off too. I do not understand why Microsoft thought flooding the Japanese market with 360s would equal success. I guess I am speaking with the benefit of hindsight here, but it would have mad for more sense for them to fill the North American shelves. They could have had a massive install base here where they could have actually done some damage to Sony.

[KidCactus]

Speaking personally, who give a sh!ter why? It's not my business to understand someone else's screw up. They knew they couldn't triple their production, so this "worldwide concurrent launch" was just regional split 3 ways?

And to sprinkle salt on open wound, the Japanese folks don't even want one.
And correct me if I'm wrong; it's not even released yet in Australia.

[Rakael]

I'm in full agreement with Liquidize here. I could not give a shit less as to why there aren't enough 360s; I'm just pissed off that there aren't enough period. Also, the situation does not seem to be getting any better after all this time. MS is pulling a god damned Sony on this one. They just keep promising that more will be here soon, and throwing out excuses as to why there weren't enough. Shut the fuck up and get them on the shelves, thats all I care about.

MS, you fucked up, period. Now just do your best to fix that problem and make people happy, and you may still "beat" Sony this gen. If you don't do something quickly to make amends, you will have pissed off way too many people for your own good. I still hear grumblings about all of the 360s rotting in Japan while we here in America can't get one for shit. These grumblings are coming from non-hardcore gamers too, mind you. Those that do not read EvAv or any other gaming website. Word has spread to the general populace, and from what I've seen, they are a little pissed off. For those that aren't outright pissed, the others have just decided to wait for the PS3. Now, there are a ton of people waiting for the PS3 just because, but a lot more are taking that attitude now after this seriously fucked up launch.

Besides all that, I want a 360. I would love to give MS my hard-earned $400, plus whatever else on accessories and games. Problem is I fucking can't even now, months later. I'm almost to the point of giving MS the finger myself. Sony has already gotten the finger unless they pull off a great system and have great third party support. Looks like it may just be a PC and a Rev this gen. I'm just getting tired of this game MS and Sony are playing.

/rant

[Citizen Philip]

I think it's interesting to see how things get fouled up. If YOU want to stick your head in the sand and just be upset knowing you can't get it, I am absolutely thrilled for you. I like more information, regardless if I plan on getting a 360 or not.

The question you want to ask yourself is: the articles suggests memory below 700 mhz isn't good enough. What is good enough? And how often did they skirt the 700 mhz buffer speed to get more product out? Do you have a 360 with memory speed problems beause your system is clocked at 710 mhz while your friends' system is 850 mhz?

[crashedout]

I doubt the memory speed is variable like that. 700 is probably the spec, if your memory can run at 850 great but the system will still run it at 700. If you could hack the 360's bios you may be able to change the memory speed...maybe. This does make sense as DDR3 is very new and getting good yields is very hard.

[Rakael]

Eh, it was more of a rant really. In some ways I do care why, but mainly I just wish they would get their shit together and get more systems out in the market so people like me can buy one. Even the most die hard MS fan would have to admit that the 360 launch is pretty much FUBAR up to this point. Oh, they can still save it and I hope to God they do, because I want one really bad. I am just more than a little pissed off about how it was all handled. I would think that MS, having all that money to do R&D, would have known better. Shit, should have known better. Memory chips, too many units in Japan, etc, etc. There have been a ton of problems with this launch, and I just hope that MS can pull it all back together before their name gets too tarnished.

[Citizen Philip]

I doubt the memory speed is variable like that. 700 is probably the spec, if your memory can run at 850 great but the system will still run it at 700. If you could hack the 360's bios you may be able to change the memory speed...maybe. This does make sense as DDR3 is very new and getting good yields is very hard.

I doubt there is a difference of of 700-850 mhz in memory speed, but I wouldn't be surprised if 'cherry-picked' units exsist with abnormally high clocks and speeds. Faster memory isn't really going to burden your system, it is possible that the bios is locked to downclocking memory, I suppose it's also feasible to have a range of 700-7xx as well.

I'm not saying cherry-picked units are bad, most hardware companies will cherrypick units that are used for promotions. I'm just saying: the system they use at a tradeshow, probably isn't the same system you buy in a store.

[killer_dk]

it is GDDR3 not DDR3 ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360#Hardware_specifications

[rjcc]

Did you read the article killer?

Then STFU, thanks.

Additionally, if you don't want to know why the 360 had shortages, why click the post at all? It's interesting for me at least to see what can go wrong. There was an article recently about IBM's confidence that they could supply enough Cell chips for the PS3 launch, but as we can see, theres a lot more to it than that.

[torrefaction]

Did you read the article killer?

Then STFU, thanks..

Uh. Obviously he did. Because...get this. He's right.

Tool.

"Specifically, the sources say Infineon wasn't able to make enough GDDR3 (graphics double data rate) memory chips for the Xbox 360."

[Sl1pstream]

I blame core systems for this. They just don't sell, yet, for whatever reason they keep producing them. At the store I work we have about 5 core systems in stock. Nobody buys them, at all. They keep asking for the premium edition. We got 4 premiums since the EU launch and we sold most of them in under an hour.