A reader on the Xbox-Scene forums found a new Xbox 360 motherboard configuration. Among other improvements, this new motherboard, code named "Jasper" contains the fabled 65nm GPU.

The Xbox 360 has been plagued by an unusually high hardware failure rate since its launch in November 2005. This has been contributed to the GPU chip warping away from the motherboard and causing the now infamous Red Ring of Death (RRoD). Between 16 percent to 33 percent have been the speculations to the actual failure rates; however, the official statements from Microsoft has been that repairs are at "a higher rate than we are satisfied with." Peter Moore, the Corporate VP for Microsoft’s Xbox division in July of 2007, confirmed the extension of the Xbox 360’s manufacturer’s warranty for the Red Ring errors to three years.

The Xbox 360 has had four different motherboard revisions since its launch. The addition of an HDMI port, or the shrink in CPU die size, this latest Jasper revision marks the first shrink in die size for the ATI GPU, while some motherboard revisions were limited to larger heatsinks. While an additional 256 MB of on-board flash memory has also been integrated, the GPU size has been decreased from 90nm to 65nm. 128 MB is needed for the installation of the New Xbox Experience according to Microsoft, which means the integrated flash memory will be able to handle its installation natively without the need for additional storage peripherals. From a previous 175W to a new 150W model, the power supply has also been reduced in power consumption and as a safety precaution, the new power supply is equipped with a different connector than the 175W model; backwards compatibility is not supported.

If the decreased GPU size will solve the heat problems that have plagued the system since launch, only time will tell. By the wattage identification on the power supply unit which should clearly state the new 150W specification is the easiest way to identify the new motherboard. ...