Microsoft Xbox One
Performance
The Xbox One is an excellent media hub, though some of the design choices make it less exciting as a gaming console. For the same price you would pay for an Xbox One, you could build a comparable gaming PC, and when looking purely at specs, this new console does not stand against the PlayStation 4. The lacking console power could be bolstered by cloud computing, but few games utilize the technology.
Microsoft's biggest oversight in the Xbox One is its lack of hard drive upgrades. The console comes with a 500GB hard drive, which can fill up quickly with game and app installations. Fortunately, you can utilize an external hard drive to store games, apps and data.
On its own, the Xbox One is a far more powerful console than the Nintendo Wii U and all previous consoles, but it's not quite as powerful as the PS4. At launch, games suffered from lower frame rates and resolutions than the PS4, but with the removal of the Kinect, developers have access to more power from the GPU, and future games will look comparable to the PS4.
Features
Microsoft's fantastic Xbox Live service returns for the Xbox One, and one membership will work for both the Xbox 360 and the new console. Following Sony's example, Xbox Live Gold members receive free games each month for both the 360 and the One. If you are not interested in online gaming and want access to your premium services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, you can subscribe to the free Xbox Live Silver account. This service allows you to maintain a friends list and email contacts, but you will not be able to play games online or stream and share gameplay videos.
The Xbox One supports a new and improved version of the Kinect, but the camera peripheral is optional. Originally, Microsoft claimed that the Kinect was integral to the Xbox One experience, but the bundled camera left a hefty price gap between the new Xbox and the PS4. Without a bundled Kinect, you can buy an Xbox One for the same price as the new PlayStation console.
You will need an internet connection when you first boot your system, but after that you can play offline. Also, the new Xbox has the most controller ports of any console on the market. With games that support it, you can use up to eight Xbox One controllers. This console is a major improvement over the 360, and we love that Microsoft continues to improve the system by listening to consumers.
Multimedia & Social
The Xbox One does entertainment better than any other video game console. Although games will not support this feature, the Xbox One has the capability to stream media with 4K resolution. Your family can enjoy several video apps, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, TED and ESPN. If you compare the Xbox One's and PS4's TV and music apps, Microsoft has the most variety and the best options. And as mentioned above, many of these premium services no longer require an Xbox Live Gold subscription. The most exiting aspect of this media hub is its HDMI-in port, letting you plug your cable box directly into the console.
Xbox Live continues to offer party chat and Skype video chat (if you have the Kinect peripheral). However, the Xbox One takes a page from Windows 8 and offers picture-in-picture multitasking. You can play games while you watch television, all on the same screen.
Help & Support
Microsoft offers many of the support options we look for. Unfortunately, you have to navigate through a maze of links to find the help you need. The FAQs offer detailed answers in multiple sections, and Microsoft gives you the opportunity to chat online with Xbox experts or post in the user forum. However, you cannot reach customer service professionals directly by phone.