This Fall Processor Forum paper explores the customized IBM PowerPC® processor designed for the Microsoft® XBox 360®, designed and optimized for high-volume production, low cost, and quality -- with an array of testing and debug features to reduce system time-to-market. It boasts three 3.2GHz high-frequency PowerPC processor cores, and it's like no chip you've ever met before. Read why. Just two years ago, in November of 2003, Microsoft and IBM announced the licensing of IBM semiconductor technology for use in "future Xbox products." On Tuesday, October 25, 2005, at the Microprocessor Reports Fall Processor Forum on behalf of IBM and Microsoft, I disclosed technical details about the CPU chip we developed. This chip is being manufactured in the IBM East Fishkill 300mm foundry as well as in Chartered Semiconductor's 300mm foundry in Singapore. Microsoft has announced plans to officially launch sales of the Xbox 360 on November 22 in time for the 2005 holiday season. This paper reviews the new processor and its development process.

The Microsoft Xbox 360 CPU story