Building an Xbox 360 Laptop
It has come to my attention that my green Xbox 360 laptop is in the new Popular Science - I did an interview with them a while back, but I didn’t know exactly which issue it was for. I guess it’s the new June one!
For those of you wanting to try a project like this, the Engadget articles below can help supplement the Popular Science article:
Also, for the first time ever, I am making available the Adobe Illustrator (AI) files used to design all 3 Xbox laptop thus far! You’ll need AI 10 or newer to open them, so any reasonably recent version should be good.
Original white water-cooled 360 laptop, 2006
Green Halo-inspired 360 laptop, 2008
Also now would be a good time to talk a little more about the new chipset. From what I have seen the old chipset has been pretty much “washed from the shelves” though I did see a 203 watt Arcade unit when I bought my last Xbox for modding 2 weeks ago. The new chipset 360’s have a 65nm process CPU, use a lot less power and (the CPU at least) runs a lot cooler, so use them if you can. All Xbox 360’s now have the supplemental GPU heatsink, though the GPU is now by far the hottest part of the system, so it actually needs more cooling consideration now than the tri-core CPU.
What to look for:
- On the box below “Xbox 360″ text: “Go Play” (arcade) “Go Pro” (premium) “Go Big” (elite)
- On the side of the box, under specs, the word “Falcon” (name for this revision of motherboard)
- If it is listed on the side sticker (not always anymore) 175 watts for power. (203 watts is the old one)
- The lot number should be above 0740 but this isn’t always sure-fire, the other signs are better.
- After Opening: The power supply will be labeled 175 watts.
- Camera though bottom of unit trick: Check out that link, which shows what the new GPU heat sink looks like, as well as the old copper heat pipe CPU heat sink. On the new Xbox the CPU heat sink should be a simple, less shiny aluminum block WITHOUT the vertical copper heat pipe.
Have fun and happy modding! Also be sure to check out our forums for lots of great help and tips.
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May 12th, 2008 at 10:12 am
[...] GoneMicrosoft - It’s where you end up wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt It has come to my attention that my green Xbox 360 laptop is in the new Popular Science - I did an interview with them a while back, but I didn’t know exactly which issue it was for. I guess it’s the new June one! For those of you wanting to try a project like this, the Engadget articles below can help supplement the Popular Science article: Part 1 - Xbox Begins Part 2 - Return of the Xbox Part 3 - The Final Countdown Also, for the first time ever, I am making available the Adobe Illust [...]
May 12th, 2008 at 11:02 am
[...] benheck wrote an interesting post today on Building an Xbox 360 LaptopHere’s a quick excerptIt has come to my attention that my green Xbox 360 laptop is in the new Popular Science - I did an interview with them a while back, but I didn’t know exactly which issue it was for. I guess it’s the new June one! … [...]
May 12th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Wow Ben, Thats a quite bit of info there. Thank you Ben!
May 12th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I am an long time subcriber to popsci mag. I only wish the article would have come in time for me to place a bid on one of your PS3P mod, my son and I play alot of GH3. It seems that the DIY article has been removed from their website but the short article in the issue itself is enough to make me jump on your website 2 days ago and bookmark it. and before i go…..PS3 (Blu-Ray kills HDDVD altho I couldn’t live without COD Modern Warfare) / Chevy / Sony Electronics / Anheuser-Busch / Dr. Pepper / Wolf / What-A-Burger and last but not least newly found Ben Heckendorn mod fanboy, in case YOU were wondering. hahahaha Great Site!
May 12th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
The PopSci June issue came in today, and I saw your laptop, Ben, in the HowTo section. Sweetness.
May 12th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
bought a 360 for modding, eh?
May 13th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Just read about this in PopSci, absolutely awesome!
I want a PS3 Laptop! :)
May 13th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Wow very nice build !! your so good at modding consoles ! Keep up the nice work :)
May 13th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Hey dude i was wondering if you have more of those xbox 360 laps. An if theres the posibilite that I can get one of it.
Your proyect is amazing but i have a few questions about it:
Do your xbox 360 lap actually can connect to xbox live wireless?
Is it rechargable?, if it is how much time do the battery has?
And how much it will cost?
How much time you take to make one?
Mail: pablo_jgz@hotmail.com
Please respond guy.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Congrats on getting the cool article in Popular Science! One of my listeners was wondering if it would be possible to get a MacBook into a Pismo PowerBook. I suggested he challenge you with that — probably an easy mod for you, but it would be real cool to have modern Intel-based Mac power in the classic Pismo case.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:28 am
How funny - I have that issue sitting right next to me. I just hadn’t read far enough into it to see the article yet. I flipped through it just now and sure enough there it was :) It was a PopSci article that led me to your site a few years ago.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I am actually designing the next Xbox 360 laptop to be - hopefully - easily repeatable. With an unmodded 360 HDD (swappable), memory unit access and camera.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Whoa wait, Ben did you just say that your working on plans for a “4th” 360 Laptop? I though you said the “3rd” one was going to be the last one? What changed your mind?
May 18th, 2008 at 12:25 am
[...] [...]
May 20th, 2008 at 7:09 am
hey before i say what so cool about this laptop i just wanted to say visit this cool blog called http://www.yourreview.wordpress.com ok now this is the coolest laptop ever so wish i had
May 27th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Mr. Ben Heckendorn I have 4 questions
1) Do you sell?
2) If so How Much?
3) If not Do you where
4) do you need a Specific laptop
Thank you
May 27th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
for # 3
If not Where can i get one
May 31st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
[...] PICSStep by step guide with pictures and linked tutorials on how to create a sick xbox 360 laptophttp://benheck.com/05-12-2008/building-an-xbox-360-laptopCapcom producer talks Resident Evil 5 - Xbox 360 News at GameSpotApr 11, 2008 … Resident Evil 5 [...]
June 4th, 2008 at 6:32 am
how do u make the water cooler not get a leak
June 20th, 2008 at 7:33 am
i was wondering if you sell your laptops?
July 6th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
which is the price of this xbox 360 laptop?
July 21st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
dude i would love to buy a 360 laptop i have $600 saved up is that enough for 360 laptop plz email me if u sell them and pay anything for 360 laptop
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:05 am
That has got to be the most amazing piece of kit i have ever seen , totally awsome
November 24th, 2008 at 9:58 am
360 laptop….wow haha cool :)
December 6th, 2008 at 4:48 am
[...] crack del modding que ya nos habÃa dejado maravillas como otra Xbox 360 portatil,  una PS3 del mismo estilo y mods de mandos impresionantes, nos trae una nueva Xbox 360 con forma [...]
December 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
[...] crack del modding que ya nos habÃa dejado maravillas como otra Xbox 360 portátil, una PS3 del mismo estilo y mods de mandos impresionantes, nos trae una nueva Xbox [...]