Microsoft’s next-gen games box is about to get more reliable, thanks to a cooler processor coming next year.

Murmurs from the more technical corners of the internet suggest Microsoft’s about to switch to new processors for the Xbox 360, running cooler to make the machine much more reliable.

The new chips will use a 65nm process to run more efficiently than the console’s current 90nm chips.

According to the tech-heads at VNUnet, Microsoft will make the change in the first few months of next year, instantly reducing the temperature inside the Xbox and cutting down the amount of overheating issues experienced by gamers.

It's not the first update we've heard mentioned for the console, Microsoft's hinted at multimedia upgrades, and then there's the impending HD-DVD add on.

Chartered Semiconductor will be responsible for the new chips, and although they’re not as advanced as 40nm models in the pipeline from Intel and AMD, they’ll still make a big difference.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the new chips will give much of a speed boost to our beloved 'box, but in the wake of delays for the uber-powerful PS3, we’ll take reliability over speed and be thankful we’re playing at all!

News-Source: www.t3.co.uk/