Although the 360 has pretty much looked the same since its launch, Microsoft has actually changed the core a few times and the latest chipset is code named Jasper. To you and me what this really means is that it works just like the older 360 but with less power, noise and fewer incidents of RRoD — in theory.
Since the Jasper model looks identical to the older 360 you have to know what to look for to tell you have/are buying one. There are a few ways to identify it, but the most dependable is to look at the power requirements, which are printed on the serial number sticker on the back. While the older models required 14.2 amps, the Jasper only draws 12.1 amps. Now the great news is that you can actually see this sticker without opening the box by looking through the hole for the barcode sticker.
First look through this hole.
This is a falcon, notice it is labeled 14.2 amps.
This is the Jasper, it is labeled 12.1 amps.
These pictures were from an older Engadget post.
According to my kill-a-watt, the Jasper 360 only uses 90 watts while in Media Center mode, while the Falcon uses about 108. It is noticeably quieter than the Falcon as well, but still not silent enough to be in my home theater. The PSU makes some of the noise and the Jasper will work with the older PSU or a newer one (the newer one won’t work on the Falcon). Not sure if there is any way to tell which PSU is included when you buy it, but the one I bought had the older style PSU.
I’ll be honest. Part of the reason I wrote this was because I went looking for this information today and couldn’t easily find it via Google. So I figured I’d Google juice the title and drive traffic while at the same time help those in need find this information. And besides, it’s been way to long since I wrote anything here.
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Ben, the trouble is…you generally cannot see the numbers through the small window. I know…I’ve tried.
That’s odd, when I bought my latest one I was able to verify it was a Jasper before I took it to the counter.
I bought one about a month ago and I was looking through the little hole just like the picture showed. Only, I didn’t know about the Amp rating difference.. I was told the clue was the manufactured date. I don’t have the link anymore. I think your way is definately more accurate. I’m not sure how many facilities they have producing them and which ones are up-to-date blah blah blah. I got lucky. Did yours have 256MB internal storage or 512MB. More internal storage is included in the newest additions.
I had to go through 3 or 4 units on the shelf before I could find one that was readable, and then I had to shake the box a little to shuffle the unit in the box over enough to get it to where I could read the rating. Definitely quieter but like Ben said, not enough to be quiet enough for home theater use. Since I bought this one as an extender, I stashed it into a dresser on which sits my bedroom TV, vented the back with a saw and drill.
I monitored the temp in the dresser with the doors closed and I’m well below 80 degrees in there … you just have to make sure all the hot air pumping out the back of the unit leave the enclosure. This means that you’re still going to hear the fans, but it’s now an acceptable level.
I found a jasper easily by looking at the power rating as shown in the picture above.
(Obtained Jasper July 26, 2009)
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