Xbox 360 Jasper units with 512MB internal memory spotted in the wild

by Richard Mitchell { Jun 17th 2009 at 5:00PM }

We're not sure how this one sneaked by, but it looks like Microsoft slipped a new Xbox 360 Jasper motherboard past us earlier this year, according to a poster in the XboxHacker forums. Found in a Japanese Xbox 360 Arcade this past April, the new motherboard is essentially the same as the previous (read: probably the most reliable 360 model so far) with one small difference. Rather than 256MB of internal storage, this one appears to be packing 512MB.

While the unit pictured above is Japanese, some members of the Xbox-Scene forums claim to have the board as well, meaning the new hardware may already be available in North America. We're not aware of any surefire way to spot one of these new units without taking them out of the box, though the ones we've seen mentioned were manufactured in April 2009. Outside the box, you'd just need to see how much memory was listed in the settings menu.

Anyone out there have one of these new Jaspers? Let us know in the comments.

[Via Xbox-Scene]

Tags: jasper, xbox-360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

MetalBLACKFOX @ Jun 17th 2009 5:15PM

should have just made it one gig
can you play games on xbox live, with these consoles with built in memory without a hardrive?-just curious

xbox420king @ Jun 18th 2009 1:03AM

Yes you can i bought an arcade jasper unit a couple months ago when my falcon stopped feeding video to my tv set. I was able to log in live and play just using the internal memory.

Dowse @ Jun 17th 2009 6:36PM

K1LLER HORNET @ Jun 17th 2009 6:48PM

@ Dowse

YES YOU CAN!

don't give out false information like that.

you CAN go online with these consoles,
the only difference between these & older Arcades is that these have a larger internal memory - basically the memory unit is stored internally.

Scott @ Jun 17th 2009 8:01PM

I know for a fact that you can't play some games online without a hard drive.
For example you can't play Crackdown online without a hard drive.

hector88 @ Jun 17th 2009 5:18PM

I imported a JP arcade system 2 weeks ago to replace my RRoD JP launch system and the mfr date on the back is April 2009. Not sure about the inside though and honestly I don't really want to open it up :/

Swagman @ Jun 17th 2009 6:12PM

You do not have to open it, you can just check you MEMORY under SYSTEM SETTINGS. It should show up as a memory card. Anything over 256MB should be the newest version of the Jasper.

penrosereeder @ Jun 17th 2009 5:20PM

I just bought an xbox two nights ago at best buy, with a manufacture date of 4/09 when i look at my memory it says 348mb free, not saying i have one but it's more then 250mb.

Eelcire @ Jun 17th 2009 5:58PM

Same here. Just bought a new system and it certainly has more than 256MB onboard memory.

Mr.U2 @ Jun 17th 2009 6:04PM

Hey guys - How were you able to see how much internal storage you had? I unplugged my 20GB hard drive and thought maybe the Memory section of the Xbox Guide would tell me how much I had. I just got a replacement console shipped to me from Microsoft and it says the manufacture date was 04/29/09, so I'm hoping it's a Jasper unit. Thanks in advance.

Swagman @ Jun 17th 2009 6:18PM

348MB sounds about right. The NXE takes up around 150MB, so if you do the match, it all lines up.

@Mr.U2
My understanding is that currently the Jasper boards are only in Arcade SKUs (I could be wrong). So if Microsoft sent you a replacement unit for a Pro or Elite SKU, then it was likely not a Jasper, which is why you cannot see the extra memory show up.

Again, I could be wrong about that. Hopefully, someone with a bit more knowledge, can enlighten us, if I am incorrect.

K1LLER HORNET @ Jun 17th 2009 7:48PM

@ Mr.U2

Swagman is correct - Jasper motherboards are currently only found in Arcades, but that will probably change soon enough.

also, its highly unlikely at the moment that Microsoft will not give u a refurb 360 with a Jasper (or even Falcon) motherboard.

maybe in the future, when Valhalla is released ; )

creid @ Jun 17th 2009 9:17PM

I bought mine 2 weeks ago, I have 323MB of onboard memory free.

metallicafan @ Jun 17th 2009 5:40PM

Now it's at the same level as the Wii, in internal memory.

megapenguinx @ Jun 17th 2009 11:11PM

Now both need to be able to use non-proprietary hard drives and I'd be happy.

Draco @ Jun 17th 2009 6:14PM

Why wouldn't they advertise this on the box? it seems to be a selling point. mind you they didn't advertise the HDMI port either, which is pretty important.

Swagman @ Jun 17th 2009 6:26PM

While 512MB is certainly a step in the right direction, I still think that it is bollocks that Microsoft has not upped the internal memory in the Arcade SKU to somewhere between 8GB and 16GB.

Flash memory is cheap as all get out, and just about every sub-$200 entertainment device on the marketplace these days has between 8GB and 16GB of built-in memory.

This holiday, Microsoft needs to stopped mucking about and get with the program. Arcade units need to ship with no less than 8GB of flash memory on the mobo. And if Microsoft wishes to help drive down the cost they pay for their flash memory, then every 360 SKU needs to ship with it.

Being greedy about storage space, is not going to enamor new 360 users to take full advantage of LIVE/ZUNE Marketplace, which in the long run, is where they big money is anyway.

Caleb @ Jun 17th 2009 6:39PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_memory

SV @ Jun 17th 2009 7:40PM

@ Caleb
try NAND memory which is found in the 360's, which is a form of _NON_ volatile computer memory...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory#NAND_memories

JH @ Jun 17th 2009 6:29PM

My current 360 has the new "Casper" chip, which is my special ghost friend that flies out from behind my 360 and tells me stories and tickles me, and tucks me in bed at night. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Blueberriouschickie @ Jun 17th 2009 6:30PM

Ya, we have been selling those at gamestops for a year. Just check the sku on the package. Ask a Game Advisor at your local if they have any arcades with the jasper chip. Nothing to new

K1LLER HORNET @ Jun 17th 2009 6:47PM

WiredKnight @ Jun 17th 2009 7:00PM

Hm. 512 Mb. How extravagant.

me @ Jun 17th 2009 8:32PM

I feel the name to reiterate some previous posts.

Yes you can go online with a arcade (jasper 256) I have and did. You can not download maps though(CoD: WaW). I was even netflixing with a pidly like 60 megs free.(For about a week until my 60 gb arrived)

The new fall 08 update though brings the available free memory to around 80megs.

I got one of these about a month ago. Only had to 250mb.

Oh and PS internal memory blows...Everytime I boot up CoD it asks me which hd/memory unit to save to. EVERY dam time.

Johnny Neat @ Jun 17th 2009 8:33PM

I've had my extra 360 Arcade (Jasper) since Black Friday 08. Thing runs light years better than my three times RROD Elite. Granted the NXE lags my system when sending messages or what not for close two 2-3 minutes at the worst which blows my mind on both systems, Arcade or Elite, Jasper or none Jasper.

But back to the jasper, they are a god sent. The internal memory card is basically inside now is all, 512mb or rather 348mb more or less.

Anyhow they need to have these internals in all 360s. Sooner or later they will get even smaller chip sets and maybe in the future MS won't go down the same road as in the 360's case.

Johnny Neat @ Jun 17th 2009 8:37PM

Oh and there is a way to find out by slightly tearing away the box to expose voltage amount. On the net that info can be found as I used it to find one at Circuit City before they went under and mine at Best Buy. Target or anywhere they keep them away from customers will be an issue till MS let's the world know what is what, which I doubt they will do anytime soon.

jonny5zaliv @ Jun 17th 2009 10:32PM

I bought the RE5 360 earlier this year. It sports a Jasper with 512. nothing new, but still great :)

Poddie @ Jun 18th 2009 3:22AM

Hmmmmm... you must have gotten lucky then, because my RE bundle included the 120GB drive and NO internal memory. Anybody else get internal memory in their RE Elite bundle?

Not that I care much... I already have two memory cards.

prime @ Jul 27th 2009 1:18PM

never heard of re5 systems coming with internal memory they came with 120gb hdd if you system is a true jasper than the cover for your xbox is fake are you sure it's not a memory card almost 100% sure your system is not could not be a true jasper because jasper 512 only come in none bundle arcade systems made 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 mines was made on 5/09 none bundle the bundle one come with 256 internal............

TheMechanica @ Jun 18th 2009 10:40AM

I have one and got it about a month ago. It was one of the "non-bundle" arcades, meaning: it did not contain the 5 XBLA games. I checked to make sure it was a Jasper but didn't think it could have had any more memory. It comes out to about 384 usable megs in the end. The oddest part? I actually noticed that it said that it contained 256 megs of memory on the damn box! MS never changed the box!

penrosereeder @ Jun 18th 2009 1:29PM

Creid was correct, i went home and checked last night, the left over on board memory comes out to 323mb after 40kb for the avatar crap and whatever else Microsoft is using the other 149mb's for. That's probably the NXE that swagman mentioned.

paulofjustice @ Jun 18th 2009 2:38PM

I just bought a new Arcade console yesterday, and I can confirm the increased onboard memory.

Proof:

paulofjustice @ Jun 18th 2009 2:40PM

sorry. Here is proof. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i195/paulofjustice/moremem.jpg

prime @ Jul 27th 2009 12:49PM

i have a jasper system the store i got it from wanted it back because they didnt know i got there only jasper 512 system but i dont think so it all mines add a hard drive and i have all the memory i purchased 60gb's the system is using the 512 internal memory for system updates avatar updates pretty sweet oneday i will have to start saving to my hdd but not now

prime @ Jul 27th 2009 1:03PM

when i first pluged in my jasper 512 i read before system update 512mb after updates i had 347 played every game i have the only thing i didnt do was save all the games updates i had to update every time i played a game but i was able to go online purchased a game still had memory to spare system works better than old systems seems to run better to anyone that got a jasper 512mb xbox your lucky most jasper systems only have 256 you cant tell by the box because my box said 256 memory card inclued which is wrong really had 512 and it was internal my console was made 5/09 the jaspers i have seen where made around 3/09 4/09 and 5/09 6/09 havent seen any 7/09 or 8/09 so i cant say if there jasper 512 or 256 there worth there 200 price tag note: i only seen jasper system with none bundle one with 5game combo dont have 512 there only 256 guess the trade off is more memory