Cooling Consoles Down Or Heating Gamers Up?

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The first Microsoft rep stated that the device simply drains too much power from the 360. He explained that the console requires a specific amount of power, especially during startup, and that everything was built to supply the machine with the power it needs. The Intercooler drains a bit of that power right from the start, so the console is now getting less juice. Especially during the startup of the system, explained the rep, this can cause problems as the 360 is trying to supply electricity to all its parts and somewhere along the line won’t have enough to get everything running. This can allegedly lead to all sorts of technical problems up to and including the complete death of the system.

A second representative didn’t go into any of that, but did say that they have seen cases where the Intercooler caused “scorch marks” on both the console and the peripheral. Where the Intercooler meets the AC input of the 360, he said, there has been multiple cases of brown discoloration, the result of too much heat where the two parts connect. In fact, if a console is sent to tech support and any evidence of that specific discoloration exists, Microsoft will promptly send the 360 back to the owner untouched.

In both cases, each rep went on to explain that Nyko’s Intercooler is an unlicensed device, and therefore Microsoft does not recommend its usage. They advised using only peripherals that have the official Microsoft seal of approval (a small green square on the packaging that states that it is approved for use on the Xbox 360). Interestingly, one of the reps mentioned the Pelican Fan Stand as an acceptable cooling option. While also unlicensed, the Fan Stand is plugged into the USB port, so the console is specifically powering it as a USB device rather than the peripheral just stealing electricity.

Of course, the true test of any peripheral is how well it does what it claims. I purchased an Intercooler, and at first was having no problems at all. The device did seem to be keeping the console cooler during operation, which is exactly what it is meant to do. Several of my friends also bought the device, and we did at first notice a definite drop in the heat that comes off of the system during operation. For all intents and purposes the Nyko Intercooler did exactly as promised.

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