Xbox One, the successor to Microsoft’s most successful console, to date, is starting to make its place in the gaming industry. Critics are speak highly of its pros and have little to say about its cons. Its sleek design and improved graphics have enticed many buyers of the console. However, there is one major topic that Microsoft gamers are sore about—why can’t the Xbox One play Xbox 360 games? The stage was set for videogame backwards capability when Microsoft released the Xbox 360—a console that was compatible with both Xbox 360 and Xbox original game disks. So why can’t the Xbox One do the same? To compensate for the lack of backwards capability on the Xbox One, Microsoft has extended an offer to buyers of the console—purchase the console, and get one free downloadable game per month (permitting that the customer has an Xbox Live membership).
While many gamers are hesitant to replace the Xbox 360 with this young, new console, many have embraced it, finding that lack of backwards capability is a small price to pay when in comparison to the Xbox One’s more prominent features. The graphics are crisp and clear. The 500 GB hard drive makes for plentiful storage of downloadable content and game saves. The Xbox One also sports an octa-core x86 desktop-class processor with 8 GB of RAM, along with two USB ports, HDMI in and out ports for displaying content on a high-definition television, a digital audio port, an Ethernet port, and an Xbox One Kinect port. Its newly-designed cooling vents prove more efficient in preventing overheating of the console, an improvement based on complaints of the insufficient cooling system possessed by the Xbox 360. However, the cooling vents present a bulkiness to the exterior casing of the console. Vanity is a sacrifice for efficiency in the case of Xbox One, making it a superior gaming experience for many gamers. Gamers have expressed that overheating is an issue that still plagues other competitor consoles. In response to Sony’s incorporation of Blu-ray players into the Playstation 4, Microsoft has also added Blu-ray capabilities to the Xbox One.
Along with the new design of the Xbox One, the controllers have received a make-over as well—one that cost Microsoft over $100 million. Though the general shape of the controller is about the same, Microsoft has incorporated subtle improvements to its design. Although there are no cosmetic differences, the analog joysticks’ rubber grips are more sensitive to the user’s touch, and buttons hardly make a sound when pressed. Whether or not these improvements were worth the $100 million, however, is left to the individual to decide.
The Xbox One has most of the same Internet capabilities of the Xbox 360. Users can stream TV shows and movies with apps such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Users can still access Bing Search and Internet Explorer through Xbox Live, and Xbox 360 users can communicate with Xbox One users via Xbox Live, and vice versa.
Originally submitted by: Neha Dunkirk
Email: henna83@gmail.com
(Writer not approved due to article length)
