GR Asks: Why does the Xbox 360 run so loud?

Our weekly segment that answers YOUR questions

Words: on April 22, 2009
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Welcome to GR Asks, our weekly Q&A with the games industry that answers questions submitted by YOU. Is there something game-related you’ve never seen addressed? Message GRAsks and we may just get it answered!

GR Asks: Why does the Xbox 360 run so loud?

Answered by: Benjamin Heckendorn, creator of some amazing laptop Xbox units and featured in Official Xbox Magazine.


Above: An exaggeration

“Almost all of the noise on the Xbox 360 comes from the DVD drive, which spins at a very high rate. I'm not really sure what the RPM is, but I've run the DVD drives ‘open’ before and it's scary fast. I have no problems sticking my hands around running machinery, band saws, CNC machines, etc, but the 360's DVD drive scares me.

“If a person installs a game to the hard drive and runs it from there, the system is much quieter, which only goes to show how loud the DVD is.”


Above: Ben knows his stuff

“The PS3 has a more custom Blu-ray drive and thus is probably more efficient. As you may or may not be aware, the 360's DVD drive has a higher data transfer rate than the Blu-ray... because it spins so fast!”

Thanks, Ben!

GR Asks: “Why was Halo 3: Recon changed to Halo 3: ODST?”

Answered by: “Microsoft.”


Above: Before the change

“We've changed the name because we feel that it is a more accurate reflection of the game experience. The ODSTs (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) play a pivotal role in the human-Covenant struggle, and we want to make sure that everyone understands that you play as a member of this elite unit.

“While Halo 3: ODST is tied to Halo 3, playing as an ODST makes this experience quite different from others within the Halo universe.”

Hm. Guess they can’t all have interesting behind-the-scenes stories, can they? Thanks anyway, guys!

Want to ask GamesRadar a question? Simply send a message to GRAsks via our community features and we’ll try our best to find a definitive answer.

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Platforms:

Xbox 360

47 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
  • D3TH5150

    D3TH5150  - 2 years, 9 months ago  - Report

    holy crap the ps3 has speakers built into it?!?!?!
    Reply
  • Rossmeister13

    Rossmeister13  - 2 years, 9 months ago  - Report

    it sounds like a jet taking off lol.
    Reply
  • Conmana

    Conmana  - 2 years, 9 months ago  - Report

    I don't notice the noise considering I have a 5.1 system in my house...Secondly I have a Falcon console :S They didnt Have jaspers on teh pro :( when I bought em...

    And for Halo ODST I sorta like it Better.... When i think of Recon I think of the Recon Armour on Halo (im sure other people have thought of this)
    Reply
  • TreyTable

    TreyTable  - 2 years, 9 months ago  - Report

    The ODST name change was probably either: 1. Halo 3 Recon was a development name, never intended to be the name of the final game, or 2. Bungie and/or Microsoft didn't want to have people get the name confused with Ghost Recon.
    Reply
  • blademage20

    blademage20  - 2 years, 9 months ago  - Report

    Also, lol @ GamesRadarJoeMcNeilly
    Reply
  • blademage20

    blademage20  - 2 years, 9 months ago  - Report

    This doesnt really matter that much. I can't really hear the noise when I'm playing a game, the game volume mutes it somewhat and I get too involved to even notice. Plus installing it on the hard drive takes up too much memory, so I don't think it's even worth trying.
    Reply
  • oreomonkey

    oreomonkey  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    Or we could just name it Halo 4 and get over with it instead of arguing in forums about it for the next 6 months! Or we could just say "Hey its called Halo:ODST who gives a %*?@!!!"
    Reply
  • Spybreak8

    Spybreak8  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    Its funny my drive is getting a bit older now and it always throws the cats off. They'll be in the room sleeping on the chairs and all of a sudden the 360 starts up whirling the DVD scaring the crap out of them lol. These are the same cats, with one, that are annoyed or fascinated, don't know which, with the printer. I heard that Halo Recon (ODST) had the name change because they wanted to emphasize that you weren't playing as Master Chief this go around.
    Reply
  • dorrick

    dorrick  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    @samsterman2, it would also give to much control for one company creating like a monolopy on the consoles and games. So ya it would be a leet system but the cost would be more then some of the best computer gaming rigs. Also the price of games would sky rocket
    Reply
  • dorrick

    dorrick  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    @jar-head, I hope those both weren't serious questions or is our public schools really failing this much?

    @jedipimp0712, The point system is a tool used by the jewish accoutants who run microsoft and figured out a very clever way to make you pay a lot more for things you don't want.
    Reply
  • samsterman2

    samsterman2  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    i was reading this when a thought just occured to me,
    what would happen if microsoft merged with sony!
    it would never happen but if it did they would create the best darn console in the universe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!mmmwwwwwwwaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahammmwwwwwaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaha
    Reply
  • pidokenny

    pidokenny  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    The 360's inside looks similar to an ordinary CPU. =P
    Reply
  • GamesRadarJoeMcNeilly

    GamesRadarJoeMcNeilly  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    "...we want to make sure that everyone understands that you play as a member of this elite unit."

    Why not just call it Halo: The One Where You Don't Play as Master Chief That Isn't Halo Wars? Or instead you could call it Halo: TOWYDPMCTIHW and then when people figure out what the fuck the acronym means they will understand that you don't actually play as Master Chief in this game.
    Reply
  • Luigi49

    Luigi49  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    I really dont have to worry able that because im more of a PS3 person but i dont Xbox 360
    Reply
  • ricono

    ricono  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    i really wish microsoft had solved that noise problem before launch cause my computers also really loud so sometimes it sounds like world war 3 is happening in my basement:(
    Reply
  • hxcmonster

    hxcmonster  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    because the xbox suckssssss
    Reply
  • jorhorror

    jorhorror  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    Im glad that its only something like the dvd drive. cause sometimes I get really scared and think that my 360 is gonna explode and put the disk tray through my dome or somthing.
    Reply
  • BoondockSaint54

    BoondockSaint54  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    I don't know why but my 360 actually got quieter when I got it back from my last Red Ring experience a month or two ago.
    Reply
  • Ravenbom

    Ravenbom  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    Every time I see ODST I read it as "Oh, STD!"
    They really shouldn't be using letters that can form the acronym for Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
    It sounds like something Niko might get from hookers in GTAIV.
    Reply
  • jar-head

    jar-head  - 2 years, 10 months ago  - Report

    how about a 360 that does not need a coolent fan, and wont 110% of the time melt the 360? and HELP: How can you download a game to the hard drive to make it "quieter"?
    Reply
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