New Xbox 360 Portable

My latest project is the Xbox 360 Portable. Figured that was a more appropriate name than laptop, because seriously, who’d put this in their lap? It weighs almost as much as my sister’s cat.

New Xbox 360 Portable Experience

It differs from my past Xbox 360 laptops in several ways:

• Removable standard Xbox 360 hard drive for easy profile/data swapping
• Both memory card slots accessible, same reason.
• No keyboard! Really, they have those chat pads, what’s the point? (Besides looking cool)
• Simplified layout of ports and buttons.
• Internal wi-fi module, no external antenna. Antenna is strung out inside unit like other consoles/laptops.
• Beveled edges! Countersunk screws!

Containing the full-sized 360 hard drive caused this unit to be about 1/2″ thicker than past models.

For a bunch more photos and info please read the rest of the story below. The THQ Darksiders prize laptop is the same model as this one but covered with artwork of course.

This black unit was a commissioned model, as for new large-project orders I probably can’t take more until the spring. If you do wish to suggest a project to me remember weirder is always better!

Demonstration Video:

More finished product photos:

The unit when opened. There is a brushed aluminum plate on the back with the same Xbox 360 logo as some of my past projects. Originally this was going to be a blank black top (with logo) but I added the plate to cover up some pre-existing material scratches and to allow some “case gaps” behind the screen circuitry.

Inside of the unit. Again we have brushed aluminum, though this is the faux plastic kind. Still looks good. The keyboard has been replaced with something more important - lots of air holes. No keyboard also allows for the hard drive compartment…

Lift the Velcro-secured upper left panel to reveal the full-sized hard drive. Looking back now a non-removable hard drive and no memory card access was a pretty stupid thing to omit on my past projects. I guess you live and learn.

Once again we have an Xbox Live Vision camera. Truthfully I don’t know what the purpose of this thing is, other than to see grainy video of people contemplating UNO moves, but people seem to like it so it’s back again. The controls from the LCD are also present, so adjustments can be made if need be.

Installing Gears of War 2: Attack of the Giant Worm on the Xbox 360 Portable. Game installs are a great feature on NXE since they alleviate the need for the super-noisy DVD drive, which is even handier on a unit such as this. Reduces power consumption as well.

Noisy DVD tray ejected. You can see the eject button just above. This unit does not have an exposed IR sensor as with previous models. It’s a lot easier to have everything on one surface (such as the ring of light, buttons, USB port) than sticking out all over in random spots.

Memory card ports. Another way to easily transfer your data. You can really see the reflectivity of the fake brushed aluminum in this shot.

Side view of unit. There is silver trim as with the Playstation 3 portable. The basic theme of this unit is black and silver. A box of crap with “controller” misspelled is clearly visible in the background.

DVD door closed.

Main view of inside panel. It was very important to me that every vent hole was symmetrical to the ones on the other side.

Ring of light, eject and sync buttons. Simple & symmetrical, the way I like it!

Volume control knob on side of unit drives built-in stereo speakers. The knob was very late in the design, so yes, it looks like an afterthought.

Main view of console that was a little too washed out to be used for the hero pic.

More “inside guts making-of” photos coming soon!