Evercool TG-XB1 Xfan 360 Review

Nyko’s Intercooler fan solution automatically powers off when the console does, because it taps directly into the console’s main power supply. The Intercooler also works on negative case pressure, but also sounds like a jet engine, and is much more invasive and difficult to uninstall. Another (and better IMO) solution are the external fans that force fresh air into the console, which better equalizes the case pressure, and ensures that air intake is always open. Air intake can be severely limited depening on several factors, such as horizontal or vertial position, if the console is on carpet, and nearby equipment.

The Intercooler uses three deep 40mm fans, resulting in a much louder solution, but Evercool’s Xfan uses two shallow (10mm thick) 60mm fans (with more fan blades) so it produces good airflow without all the noise.

Microsoft’s manipulaton of the USB standard is the cause of this design decision. USB ports remain powered when the console is off (which is what allows the Play and Charge kits to continue charging after shutdown). The Xbox 360 turns off “official” peripherals (like the Xbox 360 Vision web camera) as part of the shutdown sequence, even though the USB ports are constantly powered.

Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 only recognizes certain devices, so Microsoft has complete control over what peripherals are allowed to connect to its console. Evercool’s fan has no intelligence circuitry at all, and even if it did, could it communicate with the Xbox 360? The Xfan 360 merely draws power from the USB port, and has no way of knowing if the Xbox 360 is turned off or not. It would have been very helpful if the Xfan had a power switch, which is a better alternative to replugging the small hard-to-grip USB port.

It’s also important to note that the Xfan cannot be used with the Xbox 360 Wireless Network adapter, since there is only one USB port available between the two of them.

Testing
The Xfan 360 was compared against the Nyko Intercooler and the bare Xbox 360 without any additional cooling. The Xbox 360 was running a demo loop for five minutes before measurements began. Temperatures were measured using an external IR thermometer, and the highest stable reading was recorded.

	Xbox 360 external cooler performance product No fan Evercool Xfan 360 Nyko Intercooler Ambient 76 76 76 Rear Exhaust 118 116 116 Top 92 89 89 Bottom 94 92 92 Intake 80 80 80