As a fairly regular player of XBox 360 media (called “video games” by those in the know) I have found that the console often becomes hot enough to melt a DVD placed on top of it resulting in, say, a copy of Mario Kart Wii (another “video game” for a game console called the Wii) that is rendered unusable by said heat. This causes, in turn, our toddlers to melt-down and the end result is something called “Dad has to go to Gamestop again.” In all, it is a sub-par situation all around.
What if there were a way to channel all that hot air from the top of the console into the atmosphere? You could, for example, use a piece of cardboard and toilet paper tube to vent the hot gasses away from the device or you could dip the entire console in an oil bath. Or you could buy a $20 fan that snaps to the side of your 360’s case and vents the hot air away from the surface of the console. It is USB powered so it takes up one of your XBox’s USB ports (not that you were using them) and almost silent when active.
I was originally dubious about this add-on as it seemed to completely cover the XBox fan and was too quiet to make me feel secure in the knowledge that it was, in fact, cooling my console. However, after using it for a few weeks and experiencing no ill effects, I feel that the fan is doing its job and is improving my XBox experience immensely.
The fan fits on the current XBox 360 and can be used both vertically and horizontally. I’d recommend using it if your XBox is kept inside a cabinet or closed shelf. While it’s not a must-have accessory, folks who are familiar with the sadness of the RROD will want the peace of mind offered by this simple device.