Xbox 360 Slim Portable

You knew this was coming – the Xbox 360 Slim Portable. Big differences compared to my older models:

  • About 1.5″ inches narrower left and right, 1″ narrower front to back.
  • Internal power supply.
  • Uses stock Xbox 360 Slim fan so it’s much quieter than my older 3 fan models.
  • Touch sensitive power and eject buttons of the Slim have been preserved.

Not so big differences:

  • Pushbutton control audio amplification.
  • Gateway 1775W 17″ widescreen LCD display @ 1280×720.
  • Fan grate design copied from PS3 Laptop design.
  • PVC plastic routed case.

The construction of this unit is being covered over the first 6 episodes of The Ben Heck Show so be sure and check it out to learn how I put this thing together. This is the actual unit that is up for grabs as part of their contest, so one lucky winner will take this puppy home!

I’m actually building 3 of these so besides the giveaway unit the 2 others are available to buy – if interested please email me.

For more photos, check the rest of this entry. Enjoy, and we’ll see you on the show!

More photos…

Side view. The unit is gray and metallic throughout. I find colors overrated. Shape is king, and contrast the queen.

Unit has Ben Heck Show and element-14 branding as part of the promotion. A one-of-a-kind item!

The two-tone inner design is meant to be as symmetrical as possible and also resemble the old Xbox 360 shape. Button controls include eject & power (touch sense), volume and sync (tact switch).

Along with a ton of vent holes (hey, they look cool and KEEP it cool) you can see the smaller additional holes for the stereo speakers. The audio quality on this unit is much better than in the past, same circuitry, just a lot less noisy (physically and electrically) fans.

The show graphic looks really weird at this angle – maybe MC Escher took this photo?

On the side – more air holes and a removable panel to pull out the hard drive. I’m sure it wasn’t Microsoft’s intention to make the Slim easier to mod, but it sure was a result of it. There’s more SATA and less proprietary connectors on this thing, plus an internal Wi-Fi.

A personal best – once routed, the case required almost no “knife tweaking” to make things fit. Just had to carve one small bit for the Ring of Light ribbon cable. BTW the rings can’t turn red now, but the center “on” light can. This can be caused by lots of things such as swapping the SATA cables or booting with no DVD drive. The internal speaker also makes error sounds though I didn’t bother looking up what they meant.

For more information, designs and the complete How-To, be sure to watch The Ben Heck Show now on Revision3 and Element14!

127 thoughts on “Xbox 360 Slim Portable”

  1. Pingback: Technabob
  2. I wanna win this monster! Looks like gaming heaven topped with whipped cream and a cherry! 🙂

  3. Really?

    “BTW the rings can’t turn red now, but the center “on” light can. This can be caused by lots of things such as swapping the SATA cables or booting with no DVD drive. The internal speaker also makes error sounds though I didn’t bother looking up what they meant.”

  4. Love the look of it Ben, but one question: it is shorter length and width wise, but is it smaller depth wise as well? It looks quite a bit thicker than previous editions of the laptop…

  5. Ben,
    Laptop looks badass, man. But I just can’t help but think this week’s episode was a bit of a let-down… The past 2 just feel that they had a load more effort in them and this one was just… I dunno, weak somehow. I guess cause the project wasn’t finished… I am disappointed 🙁 Was excited yesterday, dancing around telling the Mrs that your show was on today and now I feel let down 🙁

  6. At least a 360 laptop whith the power suply inside 😉

    Compare to the original xbox slim, ist this project (without tv screen) thicker ?
    Do the power suply increase the temperature inside?, have you consider it?

    Thanks and congratulations for suck a nice work.

  7. I really don’t get why its so thick, and when I saw on TBHS, when you said you’d leave the fan as-is, and I thought “gee, thats gonna be a bit thick.” And now it turned out I was right. I could think of a million ways based on you previous models to make it slimmer and just as quiet. It’s great looking though.

  8. Well just think about a regular xbox slim with a monitor on top of it and there’s your thickness. There’s no simple, easy way to cut it down. If MS could easily make the thing slimmer than they would, there are reasons for it being as thick as it needs to be.

  9. This Laptop Gaming Console looks so professional…
    I love it….I like the sleek design and the general optics of it 🙂
    Great work Ben Heck!

  10. Wouldn’t it make sense to put the screen forward of the whole assembly? This would keep the fan noise behind the screen… I know that takes away the protection of the lcd but then again, this is Ben… he can figure something out.

    shawn

  11. Looks fantastic…amazing piece of work. Do these ‘laptop’ mods have HDMI-out for hooking up to a TV?

  12. Ben – that thing is a masterpiece! You need to seriously consider selling the components (minus the 360) as a DIY kit – You’d make a fortune! seriously, consider it in conjunction with Element14…

  13. Microsoft should seriously just hire you as part of the Xbox design team. This mod is absolutely stunning.

  14. @Ryan
    He’s made previous models thinner, and we really wont know about this one until we get to see it assembled on TBHS, or a few pics.

  15. hi ben, ben a fan of yours since the first laptop you made. I do a lot of traveling for my dance career, would love to get my gaming im while im gone.this its the best way for me to do so.please price me on your laptop.
    thanks
    a fan
    ksquare
    http://www.facebook.com/kronickidd617

  16. I’d adore getting my hands on one of these. If you’re selling them I’d love to know the price.

  17. @Ryan – in re: “there’s no simple, easy way to slim it down”

    Two words — Liquid Cooling. This thing had enough spare room to put in a decent reservoir and liquid cooling kit. It only needs (to my knowledge) the one heatsink, so the complexity of it has been reduced quite a bit. Drop it down an inch or so in height, take the power supply out of the laptop, use the area to facilitate the liquid cooling.

    IMO Ben made it this way to contrast against his PS3 laptop, as they are both really similar in appearance with the fan now..

  18. ben,
    i know u can make better lokin than that so keep up ur dooing great job.
    i also making portable xbox 360 like 4.revision.

  19. Ben, if willing, how much would you sell just the hard shell laptop case for? (doesn’t have to be assembled)

    You do great work
    -Tyler

  20. Okay…now THAT is a great idea. And you pulled it off beautifully, as usual.

    How much. and when can I get one?

    Ed (I just gotta have one) Finn

  21. i been trying to find the right gaming system for my kids and i dont like anything but the xbox 360. i wanted to get them the nintendo ds but they will grow out of that to fast i think. but i came up with an idea to make something rugged for kids and then i seen the briefcases and portable things u come up with. could u email me to talk about my own custom spill proof/ screen protected briefcase? i want something special for them for christmas.. something they can play with inside and out and on the road around dogs, cats ice cream lol.. luv ur stuff

  22. Just was watching your site and am very,very impress on how you are blew to modifythe common computer equipment tomakea whloe different product. I am trying to encouraged my son to expand his world in terms of his educational goals.can send me some info toenforcethe mind of my son’s world. I would like to know where did you attend school and how long it took you to graduate? You designed the laptop 360, I was wanting to know, How much is your product ( Laptop 360 )? Thank you and keep up the intervative explorations.

  23. Just was watching your site and am very,very impress on how you are able to modify the common computer equipment to make a whole different product. I am trying to encouraged my son to expand his world, in terms of his educational goals. Can you send me some info to enforce the mind of my son’s world. I would like to know where did you attend school and how long it took you to graduate? You designed the laptop 360, I was wanting to know, How much is your product ( Laptop 360 )? Thank you and keep up the intervative explorations.

  24. CAN U SELL ME 1 PLZ IF U SEND ME A MESSAGE I WILL TELL U HOW MUCH I WUD B WILLING T0 PAY BUT CAN ONLY GET 1 FOR CHRISTMAS IM 13 U C AN I LIV IN UK

  25. dude ive seen all of your laptops i have to get one as soon as possible …..i need a price i dont care witch one u make i just want one so email me as soon as u can because that would be so awsome if i could get a xbox 360 laptop heres my email (hollingsworthkareem@yahoo.com) thanks get to me as soon as possible

  26. I want one soooo bad!!!!! Did you sell the last two….. if not how much??? can you make fans dream come true?…. U need to make these available for consumers??!!

  27. Hey ben,
    I am currently trying to make the xbox laptop and I was wondering what material did you use for the casing and walls. I’ve always liked taking things apart and then rebuilding it but this xbox laptop seems to give me a challenge.

  28. dear ben,
    i am also inquiring about the contest. when was it and is it still going. if not i would also like to ask about perhaps purchasing one if still possible. i am currently deployed in afghanistan and upon my return would like to get as much gaming done as possible. without upsetting the wife of course. if i had the laptop i could just headphone up and say im not on. id like to know the situation of being able to purchase either a ps3 or sbox 360. i now currently have an xbox but would like a ps3 as well.
    email is intervalle89@yahoo.com

  29. I love the looks of the product and there for I have 2 questions how much is the product and where can I buy it from if these are to be sold?

  30. so this works like a laptop, you only need it plugged in to charge (so you can take it any where). If so that is awesome, I would be willing to pay a lot for that (£250 and over) if you would be willing to make me one. How much does it weigh, you may be able to take it on a plane as hand luggage? Does it have a headphone port? Imagine having one of those hands free laptop straps with one of these, walking around on the xbox.

    Anyway, if you would be willing to sell me one, name your price and we discuss it. Email me at –
    tom.spring51@yahoo.co.uk

    Thanks a lot
    Tom

  31. I wanna know if you would seriously build me one of your famous Xbox 360 laptops I have spent my last dollar on buying upgrades for my pc .

    I seen a post where you were selling one for 5,000 so I wanna know will you build me if you can email me @ john_wayne_mixon@yahoo.com

    And tell me more details thank you for your time

  32. A lot of people have been asking but i have not seen a reply. Can i pay to have one built or is there anyway to get one this is amazing if you can reply… Thanks (sam_ando@hotmail.co.uk)

  33. For those wanting to but one of these beauties, i sympathise but I am sure Ben is a busy man and it would not be practical for him timewise to buikd a xbox360 laptop for everyone who wants it, myself included.

    The hard part in this project in my opinion is fabricating the case material. The electronics should be able to be done by anyone with decent electrical skills. If someone wanted one of these, maybe could ask Ben how much he would ask to make the case or give schematics for how to make it.

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