Xbox One Review: New Xbox Console from MSFT Has Game

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Microsoft (MSFT) and Sony (SNE) came out swinging this holiday season, battling for next-gen console superiority with the Xbox One and Playstation 4. With Nintendo’s (NTDOY) Wii U virtually out of the picture, all eyes have been on the Xbox One and PS4 to see which will prove to be the better video game console.

xbox-one-review-msftMicrosoft made some early marketing mistakes with its new Xbox console, muddying the waters around used games and the requirement to be online to play (both issues since rectified). But MSFT still sold over 3 million Xbox One consoles before 2013 was out.

Despite costing $100 more than the PS4, the Xbox One was the best-selling video game console in the U.S. during December and the crucial holiday season. A typical Xbox One review from last fall would use terms like “amazing” … but how much of that was a result of the hysteria leading up to the launch of the new Xbox console?

With buzz around the launch settled, it’s worth sitting back and taking another look at the new Xbox console from MSFT — the replacement for the Xbox 360. Our Xbox One review looks at the next-gen console without the hype and asks if it’s worth buying.

Xbox One Review – MSFT Makes Its Move to Own Your Living Room

xbox-one-review-msftMicrosoft was on the receiving end of criticism from hardcore gamers since it first revealed the name of its new Xbox console. Xbox One signified its intention to be the one box that would dominate the living room.

After that box hit store shelves, most Xbox One review sites — even those run by the most rabid video game fans — agreed that MSFT had pretty much nailed it in terms of continuing the Xbox 360’s legacy.

However, Microsoft also successfully positioned the Xbox One to shove competing boxes like Apple’s (AAPL) Apple TV out of the picture.

For example, unbox the new Xbox console and you won’t see a radical design. It looks like a component that fits in with your receiver and Blu-ray player … except you can toss that Blu-ray player because this time around MSFT included one in its console — goodbye Playstation HD advantage. Ports are all digital for the best viewing and hearing experience too.

You can still access Netflix (NFLX) on the Xbox One, but Microsoft was much more ambitious, integrating your cable TV watching into the experience (you can even use the Kinect for voice control of TV viewing). Want to play a game and watch TV in a picture-in-picture box? You can do that with Xbox One. An NFL partnership lets you watch the big game while displaying your fantasy football league scores on the side.

As Joystiq’s Xbox One review shows, you can even use a universal remote control like the Logitech (LOGI) Harmony with Microsoft’s next-gen console.

Xbox One Review – New Xbox Console Ups the Ante in Visuals, Controls and Online

xbox-one-review-msftMicrosoft has built the Xbox One to be a graphics-crushing powerhouse … and based on the photorealistic graphics demonstrated in games like Forza Motorport, it succeeded.

The Xbox One packs an 8-core x86 AMD (AMD) processor with 8GB of RAM — the kind of advanced hardware that brings it closer to the capabilities of a gaming PC. The Kinect motion and voice sensor has been seriously upgraded, with a 1080p resolution IR camera capable of seeing in the dark.

Even the Xbox One controller has been improved. MSFT says it made over 40 tweaks to an already impressive controller for its new Xbox console. Go to a Best Buy (BBY), pick up the controller and you’ll quickly see how comfortable it feels. Play and you’ll discover it’s more responsive and batteries last longer.

Compare a game like Activision’s (ATVI) Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Xbox One to the Xbox 360 version and you’ll quickly see the benefits of the new Xbox console’s horsepower. Frame rates are smoother, graphics are more detailed and everything looks more realistic thanks to advanced shading and lighting effects. More computer-controlled opponents can be onscreen simultaneously and they’re tougher too, thanks to much smarter AI capabilities.

While early Xbox One reviews and next-gen console comparisons have given the Playstation 4 a slight technical edge over the Xbox One, it’s very early in the game. Games don’t yet take advantage of the Xbox One’s unique ability to offload some of the processing to the cloud. And MSFT just announced that it had actually held 10% of Xbox One GPU power in reserve for the Kinect sensor, but will now be freeing up most of that for developers of non-Kinect games to take advantage of. As soon as patches are released for current games, players should see an immediate boost.

Xbox One Review – Specs

  • xbox-one-review-msft8 Core AMD x86-based CPU at 1.75 GHz
  • 8GB DDR3 RAM + 32MB eSRAM
  • Radeon 800 MHz GPU with 768 shader cores and 1.23 Teraflops peak throughput
  • 1080p game support with 4K support as well (although no games current support this resolution)
  • 500GB internal hard drive (Microsoft will support optional external hard drives)
  • Second screen support with Smart Glass app for Windows, iOS and Android
  • Gigabit ethernet
  • 3 xUSB 3.0
  • HDMI input and output
  • Wi-Fi dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n
  • Includes Kinect motion/voice controller, one wireless controller and headset
  • MSRP $499.99

Note: Our Xbox One review is based on the standard console bundle with 500GB HD and one controller.

Xbox One Review – Conclusion

xbox-one-review-msftWhile the Xbox 360 and PS3 were roughly neck-and-neck in terms of popularity, there was no disputing the fact that Microsoft’s XBox Live was the preferred platform for online gaming. Now that we’re in the next-gen console age, the Xbox One has that advantage to run with.

The MSFT cloud lead isn’t just a factor in multiplayer games; the Xbox One can leverage it for enhanced power — something that’s going to lead to even better games for this new Xbox console as developers learn how to harness the capability.

We’ve tried to make the point in our Xbox One review that MSFT built a box powerful enough to satisfy gamers … so it’s positioned well to be more than competitive on that front. At the same time, the Xbox One has eliminated some key Playstation advantages from the previous console generations (hello Blu-ray support), made its own unique technology (like the Kinect) even better and gone beyond gaming to make this next-gen console the focal point of your TV-watching experience.

Got an Xbox 360? You’re going to want to upgrade to an Xbox One. If you’re in the PS3 camp, you won’t have to look far to find an Xbox One review urging you to switch … and we’re inclined to agree that the Xbox One makes a nice upgrade from Sony’s last video game console.

Is the Xbox One better than the rival Playstation 4? That’s something that gamers will be fighting about for the next decade …

As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. 


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2014/01/xbox-one-review/.

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