Eight years have passed since the Xbox 360 debuted and today's Xbox One introduction. That's a massive span between two generations of anything calling itself technology, never mind gaming consoles.
Let's put this into perspective. Call of Duty 2 was a launch title on November 22, 2005. In the time leading up to Call of Duty: Ghosts, there were 10 other additions to the franchise. Think back to the PC you were gaming on when Call of Duty 2 came out. Would it be able to run Call of Duty: Ghosts today? Probably not. Even though the CoD games aren't as taxing as Battlefield, the minimum CPU required for Ghosts is a Core 2 Duo E8200. That didn't even show up until 2008.
Consequently, this generation's consoles are pretty important to pay attention to; they'll probably be with us for the decade's remainder.
Xbox One Design
Meet the Xbox One. Its exterior design is minimalist, in one sense. But the console is by no means small, either. It's a big, black box that takes us back to the days of the original Xbox. In fact, the Xbox One could very well end up sporting the largest chassis in your home theater cabinet. Here are its specs compared to the device's predecessors:
| Width | Depth | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox One | 13.1" | 10.8" | 3.1" |
| Xbox 360 | 12.15" | 10.15" | 3.27" |
| Xbox 360 S | 10.6" | 10.3" | 2.95" |
| Xbox | 12.5" | 10.5" | 4" |


At launch, the Xbox 360 went to a shade of cream, perhaps to define itself as something different. But Microsoft made like AC/DC and was back in black for the Xbox 360 Elite and S. The same glossy, fingerprint-magnet finish graces the Xbox One as well. The Xbox 360 had curved edges, giving it an organic feel that also made it appear slimmer than it really was. The Xbox One, on the other hand, channels Microsoft's original design in some ways, exuding power.
Also like the first generation, the Xbox One cannot stand vertically. Microsoft's Albert Panello, senior director of Xbox product management, said that the Xbox One is meant to be used horizontally due to its slot-loading disc drive. He further expressed that the design decision wasn't related to cooling. Of course, that's a bit confusing, given existing examples of vertically-compatible optical drives, such as the direct competition's.
Microsoft does appear to have put a big emphasis on keeping its Xbox One well-ventilated, though. Given quality issues the company and its customers fought through with the first waves of Xbox 360 consoles, maintaining manageable thermals inside of this design's chassis was clearly a top priority.
Sitting at the top of the Xbox One, beneath the outer grill, is an extra large fan that exhausts air from inside the console. We don't have airflow numbers to share, but it's naturally very quiet.
- Xbox One: The Exterior Design
- Power, Internal Storage, And Game Installations
- The Xbox One CPU: Complements Of AMD's Jaguar µArch
- The Xbox One GPU: GCN-Based
- The Xbox One's Controller: Vastly Improved
- A New Kinect Camera: The Xbox One's Other Controller
- Kinect, Your Privacy, And The Future
- Watching TV Through The Xbox One
- More Software: Snap, IE, Bing, And Smartglass
- Is The Xbox One Convergence Done Right?





Am I reading this on toms hardware guide ?. I thought this place was where you actually did benchmarks to tell which piece of technology is the best. That is why I check this site, for it's accurate tests.
I wouldn't be surprised if MS were actually sponsored in some way to force us to have Kinect with their next gen console?
Really interesting article, which completely decides for me that I DON'T want an Xbone at all, for so many reasons, like paying for something with features I have no use for.
I can decide if I want a camera or not with the PS4 and I don't need to power up a console, and waste electricity, to switch channels or make a Skype call when I can easily do that already, quickly and know it's a bit more private.
When you already pay service providers for internet and Sky television, who needs yet another outgoing payment for MS Gold service and whatever other bills get added on through using the XBOMB, to do the same things you did before without it?
I am not impressed with Kinnect as 80% of the time it does not recognize voice commands, half of the Kinnect games I've played are hit and miss, still does not respond quick enough and seems to be lag (could be because the drivers software is still new and needs fixing, but no where near as good as when they demo it on TV), so I've disconnect mine as it just annoys me and its back in the X-Box one box. I think the PS4 camera will equally be as crap/gimmicky but at least you don't have to buy that with the console.
I will be getting a PS4 on Friday when they are out in the UK with 2 games Kill Zone and Knack (although knack has some shocking reviews). Then they will sit under the TV and I'll wait for the free PSN games straight away and Free X-Box one games From Jan and only then buy the exclusives if they really interest me.
I'll stick with my steam/origin PC for the rest of the games. You can build a decent PC for around £600 that plays most stuff at 1080 with out any issues. With no sub, etc to play online. PC games are cheaper in the long run so within the first year a PC is the best deal out of the lot. However Consoles are easier to use and there will always be demand for them, plus some amazing exclusive games. So far I'd wish I had not got either next gen console as they are over prices and not as good as all the hype (wish I could have waited a year or more), however in the next 2 years we will start seeing decent games for them hopefully.
Finally X-box gets the free fitness service for the first year then you have to pay, so seems there's going to be a lot of paying to be done on Microsoft console.
Then I bet next gen they swap back to Cell processors so you can't play all your old games again. The excuse that it costs to convert all your old 360/PS3 games is crap, 95% of all the games are on Steam/Origin so are already written for PC architecture, but no worries you can probably pick up all your old consoles games on the steam sale for £50 in the Christmas sales. It's just companies being greedy again.
I am not impressed with Kinnect as 80% of the time it does not recognize voice commands, half of the Kinnect games I've played are hit and miss, still does not respond quick enough and seems to be lag (could be because the drivers software is still new and needs fixing, but no where near as good as when they demo it on TV), so I've disconnect mine as it just annoys me and its back in the X-Box one box. I think the PS4 camera will equally be as crap/gimmicky but at least you don't have to buy that with the console.
I will be getting a PS4 on Friday when they are out in the UK with 2 games Kill Zone and Knack (although knack has some shocking reviews). Then they will sit under the TV and I'll wait for the free PSN games straight away and Free X-Box one games From Jan and only then buy the exclusives if they really interest me.
I'll stick with my steam/origin PC for the rest of the games. You can build a decent PC for around £600 that plays most stuff at 1080 with out any issues. With no sub, etc to play online. PC games are cheaper in the long run so within the first year a PC is the best deal out of the lot. However Consoles are easier to use and there will always be demand for them, plus some amazing exclusive games. So far I'd wish I had not got either next gen console as they are over prices and not as good as all the hype (wish I could have waited a year or more), however in the next 2 years we will start seeing decent games for them hopefully.
Finally X-box gets the free fitness service for the first year then you have to pay, so seems there's going to be a lot of paying to be done on Microsoft console.
Then I bet next gen they swap back to Cell processors so you can't play all your old games again. The excuse that it costs to convert all your old 360/PS3 games is crap, 95% of all the games are on Steam/Origin so are already written for PC architecture, but no worries you can probably pick up all your old consoles games on the steam sale for £50 in the Christmas sales. It's just companies being greedy again.
Thank you for taking the time to post your unbiased thoughts and experience so far with your XBone.
I keep thinking about getting a PS4, partly because I already have a 360 so it would be a change of scenery.That said I am already more than satisfied with what I have now to be honest and its not like either next gen console is showing anything as excitingly advanced as I had hoped, or it costs loose change to buy.
I am going to wait and see, especially as there are only a few launch titles and fewer still that interest me yet. Not to mention the more than simple faults which are being reported on both systems. You expect some software glitches yes, but major hardware issues like non functioning Blu Ray drives I find frankly criminal for the purchase price
I have voice and gesture controls already built into my top end Samsung telly, so thats not even new tech either, and I have turned both of them off because of annoying glitches like it reacting to its own on screen dialogue, not seeing gestures in dim light and the simple fact that it is usually quicker and more accurate to use the controllers anyway.
I was once in the military and I learned there NEVER to volunteer. So far volunteering to test drive these rushed consoles is something I will gladly leave to others with more passion and money than me, so I look forward to reading all the constructive posts on the net.
I imagine reading a story of how Police used a photo from FB and court order for M$ to scan all cameras for those features until they got a match sometime soon. You wont even need an account. just a face in front of a camera. They'll next get your skeletal data and match that against all CCTV.
But in the real word and considering the cheap bunch of games I got from steam for the PC. I don't think a £50+ (thats 81USD!!) is worth it anymore.
However, I am glad that these new bits of great looking kit kit will raise the bottom bar for what PCs have to deal with. I'm still using a Nvidia 460OC and doing fine. Longest I've gone without an upgrade.
The PS4 looks better so far. I hope the Indy market for these get stronger.