Materials Inside the Original Xbox 360 (Xenon/Launch Model): Complete Bill of Materials Breakdown

Microsoft never published a full bill of materials. Based on teardowns (iFixit, EE Times, console hacking docs) and era-typical electronics manufacturing, here's what's inside a launch Xbox 360 (Xenon, 2005).

Enclosure & Mechanical

• ABS/PC Blend Plastic: Outer shell (white), front panel, drive tray. Flame-retardant (UL94 V-0).
• Steel (SECC): Internal chassis, EMI shield cage, drive bracket, heatsink mounting frame.
• Aluminum Extrusion: CPU/GPU heatsinks (finned), heatpipe bases (later models).
• Zinc Alloy (Zamak): Disc drive bezel, latch mechanisms.
• Rubber (Santoprene/TPV): Feet, drive dampers, button actuators.

Printed Circuit Boards

• FR-4 (Fiberglass/Epoxy): Motherboard (12–14 layer), daughterboards (power, front panel, memory).
• Copper Traces: 1–2 oz/ft², ENIG (gold flash) on contact pads.
• Solder Mask: Green (standard) or Black (some revisions).
• Silkscreen: White epoxy ink.

Semiconductors & Passives

• Silicon (Czochralski): CPU (Xenon, 90nm), GPU (Xenos, 90nm), eDRAM (10 MB, NEC), Southbridge, RAM chips (GDDR3 Samsung/Hynix/Qimonda), NAND (Samsung/Toshiba), MOSFETs, PWM controllers.
• Solder (SAC305 - Sn96.5/Ag3.0/Cu0.5): Lead-free (RoHS). Primary cause of RRoD (brittle, thermal fatigue).
• Gold Wire Bonds: 18–25 µm Au wire (die-to-substrate).
• Ceramic (X7R/C0G): MLCC capacitors (decoupling, filtering).
• Tantalum / Aluminum Electrolytic: Bulk capacitance (VRM, 12V/5V/3.3V rails).

Connectivity & Media

• Gold-Plated Contacts: Cartridge slots (memory units), AV port, USB, Ethernet (RJ45), Wi-Fi module (optional).
• Optical Pickup (DVD-ROM): Glass lens, GaAlAs laser (650 nm), photodiodes.
• Cables: PVC-insulated copper (power, AV, Ethernet, USB).

Thermal Interface

• Thermal Paste: White silicone-based (OEM). Degrades to powder in 3–5 years.
• Phase-Change Pad (GPU-RAM): Honeywell PTM7000 or similar.

Packaging

• Corrugated Cardboard (E-flute): Retail box.
• EPS Foam (Expanded Polystyrene): Corner inserts.
• LDPE Bags: Console, cables, controller wrap.
• Paper: Manuals, warranty, ads (soy ink).

Revision Changes

• Falcon (65nm CPU) / Jasper (65nm CPU + 65nm GPU): Smaller dies, less power, revised heatsinks, fewer MLCCs.
• Valhalla (45nm CPU+GPU unified): Single heatsink, integrated eDRAM, Slim/Super Slim.
• Lead-Free → Lead-Free (always) — RoHS compliance from launch.

For exact BOM with photos: iFixit Teardown, EE Times Teardown.