Cooling Consoles Down Or Heating Gamers Up? - Page 1 of 3

Cooling Consoles Down Or Heating Gamers Up?

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Questions concerning Nyko's Intercooler for the Xbox 360.

Not long after the release of Microsoft’s Xbox 360, reports began to pour in about how hot the system gets during operation. While some gamers like myself never really had a heat issue, others reported overheating problems from day one. While claims that the system burst into flames or exploded were obviously exaggerated, many people had freezing or even shut down issues that are often attributed to how hot the 360 gets during operation.

Enter the Intercooler. Released this past summer, the device is put out by third-party manufacturer Nyko, and it claims to have the answer. According to the packaging, the accessory will “increase performance” by cooling down the system. Reviews of the Intercooler across the board have been favorable, receiving accolades from magazines and gaming sites and selling out in stores. Is it all too good to be true, though? Can this relatively simple invention be the answer to all the heat-related problems the 360 can have?

The Intercooler is essentially a series of three fans in a vented housing that attaches directly onto the back of the Xbox 360. Small hooks hold it in place, catching onto the system’s own rear vent and securing the device without the need for screws or elaborate attachments (the unit also comes out easily by squeezing the sides to get the hooks out). The most unique feature, though, is how it is powered. The AC cord is pulled from the 360 prior to attaching the Intercooler, which has a jack that goes into the console’s power input. The AC adapter is then put into the Intercooler itself. When electricity is running into the system, the Intercooler pulls enough to run the three fans and the rest of the power goes through it and into the console.

Microsoft Customer Care representatives, though, have some less than kind things to say about the Nyko Intercooler. In fact, when calling about a broken 360, one of the first questions they often ask is whether or not the device is attached. Upon further investigation on why they would ask about that peripheral specifically, a couple of chatty representatives elaborated on the matter.

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