Well packaged. MS is finally picking up some from Apple in how well they design the packaging and how they fit things into smaller spaces, like they did with the Surface.
There was a 500MB or so update to run as soon as it was hooked up, which I did at work before I got this home.
The initial setup was easy. Since I have a gold Live account, I just told it who I was and away it went. The only thing that threw me off was I had been used to the extra layer of security on the 360 so I had my "app password" all set to set this up, but apparently they did the security on the Xbox One so that if you're like me and have two level security enabled on your Live account, this doesn't need the app password but can use the actual Live account password, it just needed me to put in the additional verification code it texted to my phone.
I got it home, and since I'm keeping my other Xboxes, I found a spot for this in my cabinet. I have ATT Uverse, so I ran the Uverse box to the input here, and this to the receiver I use as my HDMI switcher as well as sound.
I had spent time the past week trying to find things in google searches about whether or not it would use the HDMI to command the cable box or if I'd need some IR blaster, but hadn't found anything. Fortunately, it's all HDMI.
You specify your TV type, and it tests to make sure it can control it if the TV supports that via HDMI. Same with a receiver and the cable box it will try different controls until it succeeds and you say "Yep that worked." Then it's set.
The unit is nice and quiet. I have five Xboxes in the house, although I'm giving the oldest one away since I don't need more than three 360's for what we use them for here. The one I'm giving away is the original one from 2006, still running, never had a red ring of death, but sounds like an F-14 taking off from a carrier. The Elite was quieter, the Slim quieter still, and last month I bought a new 360 E so I'd have a 360 still in warranty for a while since we need to keep one for all the games we have. I thought that one was nice and quiet, but the XB One is even more silent. It's so nice to NOT have all that fan noise even at idle.
The Kinect is pretty amazing. I've enjoyed the first generation one since its release with my now 10 year old son, and thought they did an amazing job with that, but this one just blows it away. I like that I have Live accounts for both my son and I, and if I'm in the room when I turn on the xbox, it recognizes me and signs me in automatically (and you can enable/disable this feature BTW). If he's the one it sees, it signs him in. I tested with both of us there, and wanted to see if it would offer which one to sign in, but it simply signed us both in. Impressive.
Voice control it's surprisingly effective for everything, my only irritation is with the guide. That's where I dinged a star off of it. Telling it who my provider was, my zip code, and it gave me a guide. But I'm not a fan of the guide, it takes up way too much room, leaving you with a very narrow window of things to view as far as channel lineups. I am looking to try to see if I can collapse it some, but so far I've had no luck. But I'm expecting there will be several revamps over the next few months with updates and patches since this is all new release.
My Harmony Touch remote works great with it, Logitech made sure they had the Xbox One as a device on launch day.
Since I use multiple devices for my things, I don't just use the "xbox on" or "xbox off" to turn it on and off, but it's been spot on for my testing, it never fails to turn on or off via voice. Navigating the menus with voice is just great, making things quick and easy to get to. Watching TV could use a few more commands though, such as "channel up" and such.
The controller is nice, feels great. I always preferred the Xbox controller to the other consoles I have, and this one is a nice next version of it comfortable, positive feeling on the buttons and triggers, not heavy.
In the settings, there's a Kinect setting where you can click "what does Kinect see" and it changes through different view options. The night vision is amazingly effective in a dark room. I was impressed.
The only game I have so far is Battlefield 4, and it's a thing of beauty.
This does support surround sound for your cable box, but it's disabled by default, and turning it on under the settings it shows as "beta", since apparently they had a couple bugs with a couple specific cable boxes, but it works well for me with Uverse so far.
I like the interface, easy to navigate and while some people think it's more cluttered, I actually think it's the opposite. There's less things there to get at on the top level, which makes it more pleasant to navigate.
The Kinect doesn't move at all like the old version did, and the cable is MUCH thicker. Keep that in mind when you're figuring out where to place it. For now I have it in front of my TV, and I've preordered an "above the TV mount" for it so it'll be up there next to the 360's Kinect and out of the way.
Other than my dissatisfaction with the TV Guide and navigation of the guide with voice, I can't find anything at all that I felt disappointed about with this new system. Blu Ray playing software was a free download from the store, and there's apparently a service for XB Live members to stream videos for free, something along the lines of what I get from Amazon with my Prime membership (which also ties in well here).
I'm so fed up listening to the fan boys of each side argue about the PS4 vs. the XB One. I have a PS3 but I have it for only two games, Little Big Planet and Infamous. Everything else, I've always preferred to play on the Xbox or Wii, or now the Wii U. I'm not worried about which has higher specs, since if someone REALLY is concerned about that, they'd be building their own high end gaming PC anyway that would blow both of these out of the water. PS4 has some things better, but the XB One has some things that are better for me as well. Both have their place, and hopefully both keep forcing the other to innovate. The complaint about the Xbox being $100 more is offset when you get the camera setup for the PS4 and puts it right back at the same price anyway, so I don't care that the PS 4 cost less, because you GET less. I'd expect to pay more when I get more.
All told, this is just an amazing piece of technology. I don't know if I'm going to leave the Uverse running through it or not, since I don't know how important it is that I control that via voice. I don't watch that much TV, and most of what I watch I record and timeshift to watch later anyway, either for me or for my 10 year old.
But in every respect, this is a solid hit. Worth the money to me.
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I'll start by saying that Xbox One is a console that has a lot of potential, and little of it is ready yet. I bought the standard edition on release night. I also bought Call of Duty Ghosts to go with it. I'll break my review down a little bit to talk about the good and bad things that I have noticed so far:Kinect:
My first impression is that it is much larger than the original Kinect. The picture quality seems on par with my Samsung Smart TV camera, although it's nice that I can be much closer to the TV and still be seen. At first it wouldn't work with any games (for gestures). I had to go into the configuration settings several times before it finally pointed out that it couldn't identify my floor (I have very dark carpet). It allowed me to adjust where my floor was (by raising and lowering a virtual floor image) and then it worked. Movement is working ok at this point. Voice control is very hit and miss. I usually have to speak commands at least twice to get it to respond to my voice (and I speak and enunciate very clearly, and I don't have any sort of accent). It does not understand my wife at all no matter what. It's also pretty buggy as far as recognizing the people that are in the room. It will usually sign me in, and it sometimes will recognize my three-year-old daughter, but it never recognizes my wife. I always have to manually sign her in if we are switching profiles. My last gripe is that there is really no way to currently mount the new Kinect on top of the TV set as it's pictured in most advertisements. There is no official peripheral from Microsoft, and the only potential solution that may work is coming from PDP and is not yet released. I had to actually use tape to hold it on top of the TV (didn't want it below the TV because my kids would get at it).
Controller:
The new controller is also a little bit disappointing. It connects and responds just fine. It feels a little smaller in my hands than the 360 controller did. It definitely feels cheaper as well. The plastic that makes up the body of the controller is noticeably thinner and feels much less substantial. I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't take much to completely break it if someone accidentally stepped on it or dropped it on a hard floor (which I've done with my 360 controller with no adverse affects). The sticks themselves are noticeably smaller and have much less surface area than on the 360. I do like that there is more grip on the top of the stick, but I don't like that only half of my thumb fits on it when I'm using it (I have average sized medium hands). The sticks were much more comfortable on my 360 controller. The D-Pad is definitely more responsive, but has a loud annoying click when you press the buttons (which is intentional according to a recent developer video). I'd rather have a quiet controller, but this is my personal preference. Other than that, it works as expected.
Performance:
I'd have to say at this point that I'm really not getting a "next-gen" vibe from this console. Yes, the interface is different, but they could have done this with an update to the existing 360. They used a standard 5400 RPM hard drive inside, so loading times are just as long as they were on the 360. It switches Apps quickly, but then has to sit and load each one for a decent amount of time. It would have cost them about the same amount of money to put a 60 GB SSD in the console and then allow you to buy an external HD of your choice for larger games. This would have made the whole console a lot more responsive and would have felt a lot better. The only games that I've been able to play so far are Call of Duty Ghosts, Kinect Sports, and Killer Instinct. Call of Duty Ghosts looks identical to it's 360 counterpart. There is nothing that looks graphically better about it. I've seen other reviews that confirm that I am not the only one that feels this way about this particular game. In the same vein, Kinect Sports and Killer Instinct also look like they could run at the same quality on an existing Xbox 360. I am very much aware of the hardware that is inside of this console (I built a computer for a friend earlier this year that had similar components), so I have an idea of what it could potentially do. I also remember the first launch titles for the Xbox 360 and how bad they looked. I know that games will begin to look better on Xbox One as developers learn to get the most from the new hardware, however they haven't done much with it yet. And I also realize that I have not had a chance to test any of the other titles for the new console. I'll talk about that next.
Content:
This is the real subject that is upsetting me about the Xbox One. There is hardly any content to really jump into with this console. Yes, there are around 15 launch games, 90% of which will set you back at least $65. If you're a normal hard-working family man like me, there is no way that you can buy more than one or two of them in addition to the console's $500 price tag. They could have easily offset this problem in two ways. One is that they could have released some $10-$15 arcade titles to go with the console on launch day. There are zero arcade/indie type games on the Xbox One. There isn't even a section for them on the dashboard or in the store. Even Sony at least threw a couple of these in the mix with the new PS4. So it's really just crazy expensive games or nothing at this moment. It's a little bit hard to swallow after enjoying the pricing on Steam and on my iOS devices for the last few years. The second fix could have been with releasing a few demos of the new games to help get people excited about the potential better graphics and game diversity. There are ZERO demos on the Xbox One. In addition to the lack of content to play, there are only a small selection of Apps to try out on the console. We're talking about 30% of what is currently on the Xbox 360. This I don't understand at all. I realize that it takes a little bit of effort to build these Apps, but why weren't they here for Launch day? We're seeing that developers can make huge games in time for launch, but that other developers can't build a simple App? Essential Apps like HBO Go are nowhere to be found (although they are advertised as coming at some point). So instead of the Xbox One becoming the center of my entertainment experience, I constantly have to switch back to another device to enjoy content that should be on the Xbox One. What this basically boils down to is that I am mostly left twiddling my thumbs without much to do on my new console (and that's after a $600 investment to get a game and the system).
TV: TV is actually working ok. It was very easy to get the Xbox One to recognize my Samsung Smart TV and my Directv HD DVR receiver. I can easily pull up the guide and switch between content. You cannot currently control anything that has to do with DVR content, which I hope will be enhanced at some point.
Bottom Line:
The Bottom Line is that this console was clearly rushed out before it was ready. There is very little content, and essential content is not there. There are no little inexpensive games to fill the gaps. There are no demos to get a better idea of what this console can really do. The Kinect has yet to prove that its vastly superior to the original Kinect, and the controller feels a bit like a step back compared to the 360 controller.
With all of that said, these are mostly launch-window sorts of gripes. There is obviously more content coming, and hopefully some of it won't set me back $65 per purchase. I am also sure that some of these short-comings will be fixed with future updates. My review is mostly based on the lack of things to do with my new beauty and I'm sure that I'll be much happier with it in 6 months when I can do more with it.
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First day:Unboxing and setup went relatively smoothly. My internet download speed is 3.0 Mbps, so the initial update to the console took about 1 hour, but I expected that. The only setup issue I had was the Kinect's attempt to communicate with my DirectTV box (using the "channel up" command). I suspect the problem is related to the DirecTV box (model = H20-100) and not the Xbox. I could have the receiver set to IR (with no line-of-sight) and not RF, which could be a factor. Also, I plan to try a different (newer) DirecTV box I have in another room to see if it integrates successfully with the Xbox.
Apart from the "channel up" issue everything else went great with setup and I was able to use all other voice commands.
I downloaded several apps (YouTube, Netflix, NFL) with no issues (took 10-15 minutes each with my slow download speeds).
Gaming: The only game I currently have is Dead Rising 3. Upon inserting the disc into the BR player, the XBox immediately signaled that an update was needed. I clicked Continue and the game started installing (and I assume downloading the update via the internet). However, the install progress got stuck on 1% for 20 minutes not good. I cancelled the install, rebooted the console and tried again. This time it got stuck on 0% for 30 minutes aggghhhh!
To get around this, I again cancelled the install, but this time I disconnected the Xbox from the internet and tried again. This time (not connected to the internet) the Xbox did not alert me to the need for an update and the game installed in about 20 minutes or so. I reconnected to the internet and started playing the game (DR3 is great by the way) and did so for about an hour. After quitting the game and returning to the Home screen I noticed that the update to DR3 (which apparently had automatically started and was happening in the background) was 97% complete it took a few more minutes to complete and the update was done.
Possibly the Xbox (and my slow download speeds may contribute) has difficulty installing from disc to HD AND downloading updates from the internet at the same time??? Just a guess at this point.
Hopefully, I can update this review later as I get more into using the console and playing games,
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This is really the future of the console, yes if you are a hardcore gamer there might be some things you consider 'trade offs'. But the multitasking, the speed, and the kinect showcase a world of entertainment in the living room. While everything isn't perfect this is still an eye opening experience and something I've loved so far. There is a bit of a learning curve so be patient and watch the tips and tricks on the dashboard.If this is the future count me in.
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This is a review in progress and will updated in often in the coming weeks.The good:
1. The Kinect works much better than its predecessor.
I've mostly only used the new Kinect for voice commands and facial recognition, and these things are a bigger emphasis than motion at least at this point. Voice commands work most of the time, and facial recognition is actually pretty cool. I like being logged in just by sitting down.
The Kinect doesn't actually have true voice recognition. If two people who each have profiles sit down and one says "Xbox Go Home" it will take you to that person's profile. If the other says the same thing, it will take you to that person's profile. But this isn't because the Kinect recognizes your voice. It actually recognizes your face and can tell where your voice is coming from. Either way, it's a neat trick.
Navigating menus with Kinect works pretty well most of the time, and being able to say "Xbox Go Home" and zip out of the game you're playing without losing a beat or having to pause is a pretty cool feature. You can also "snap" programs to the side of the screen so that you can have your game loading off to the side while you watch TV, or whatever other little multi-tasking thing it is you're doing. This is handy, but like so many of the Kinect voice features it's not necessary.
2. The User Interface is very clean and accessible.
At least, the Xbox One UI feels much simpler and easier to navigate than the bloated Xbox 360 UI. Actually, I think it's cleaner than the PS4 UI which relies far too heavily on social streams. Then again, I'm the type of gamer who really doesn't want to be bombarded by social media while I play games (or games while I play social media, for that matter.) But I still prefer the XMB system on the PS3 and PSP though clean, simple, and it just worked.
Of course, we'll have to see how the Xbox One UI evolves, and once ads start popping up I may change my mind. For now, the UI is broken down into three pieces: The "pins" on the left, the home screen in the center, and the store on the right. It's all neat and tidy, and the home screen shows your most recent activity which is convenient.
3. The Xbox One has an OK lineup of games.
I think the PS4 dropped the ball on launch titles. Microsoft has done a better job, bringing us games like Dead Rising 3 and Killer Instinct. Mind you, these are not terribly memorable or important games, but they're a better lineup than Sony's.
4. Amazing, comfortable controller.
Why fix something that isn't broken? I'm not sure the triggers work as well, and that's a problem, but the controller feels very at home in my hands. There's nothing revolutionary here, but the controller has a nice grip. There are also rumbles in the triggers themselves, and some games (such as the new Forza) take advantage of this new sensory input.
I'm glad not too much was changed from what was already a perfectly fine controller. Sony needed to make major changes from the DualShock 3; Microsoft didn't for its Xbox One controller.
What I don't like about the Xbox One so far:
1. Kinect isn't perfect.
It isn't perfect all of the time and it really needs to be. When it doesn't get the right voice command, it can be frustrating. Frustrating enough to turn your back on this newfangled thing and just use the buttons on the controller. This is the trick with Kinect: It can't be mostly good, it has to be always perfect. Until Microsoft gets it always perfect, it's still just a work in progress and we're all just beta testers.
2. Load times are still a bit slow.
I really wanted the next-generation of consoles to have no load times at all, ever, period. Being able to basically instantly resume games is a nice touch, but initial load times when starting a game are still longer than I'd hoped. This will most likely approve over time on the developer side once they begin to optimize games for the Xbox One.
3. Graphics are okay but not great, at least not yet.
Ryse: Son of Rome looks really good; Dead Rising 3 looks pretty good; Crimson Dragon looks terrible. The graphics on Xbox One are all over the map, and they aren't nearly the sort of generational leap many hoped for. I'm not a graphics nut, and when I want really spectacular graphics I play on my PC. And I also acknowledge that we're very early into this generation so games will continue to look better and better but--there's always a but--I still think Microsoft could have come out with a machine capable of putting out better looking games.
These are good looking games, but not a huge leap from the best looking games on PS3 and Xbox 360. The last huge leap we saw in terms of graphics was when the Sega Dreamcast released, and blew everything currently out there away.
4. The Xbox One has a huge foot print, and to top it off, there is a huge power brick that is necessary to power your Xbox One. How was Sony able to cram the thing into a PS4?
Overall, I would give the Xbox One a 4 out of 5 stars. It's a solid system, especially since Microsoft reversed some of those ridiculous restrictions early on. Still lots of improvements and potential to be made with the Kinect.
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