Apparently, Microsoft has already begun shipping the newly configured Xbox 360s for retail with a quieter DVD drive, called the “BenQ VAD6038 drive.” And allegedly, this new drive means that 360 owners now don’t have to hear an airplane take off each time they start up a game of Gears of War or whatever else it is people play on their 360. From Xbox-Scene:
GaryOPA mailed in to let us know Microsoft has finally started using the new BenQ VAD6038 drive for the Xmas’06 production run (MFR date November 06 and up) to replace the Toshiba-Samsung and Hitachi-LG drives Microsoft dropped. Of course they didn’t change all production lines to this new drive at the same time … but starting November 2006 (Xbox360 MFR date) it’s possible you’ll get this new drive.
According to XBOXIZGOOD, who already got an Xbox360 with this new drive, the BenQ VAD6038 runs super-quiet compared to the TS and HLG drives and even loads stuff a bit faster and smoother.The new drive is based on Philips design (remember the Philips VAD6037 drive was already found before in some Xbox360 dev kits (no AES key), never in retail 360s though).
Can any of you say that you have a quiet Xbox 360 or are these guys full of it?
