When the Xbox One launched in late-2013, it wasn’t without infamy. From the bulky design, the pricing ($100 more than the new Sony PS4), to implementing restrictions on sharing your games with friends, the Xbox One has had a rough patch since Day One.This cheeky video from Sony didn’t much help the console’s sales either
So, after more than 5 years, how does the Xbox fare as a console?
Surprisingly well, actually! Microsoft knew it had to get it right with the Xbox One. They didn’t – at launch, anyway – but over the years, they’ve continued developing the Xbox One to become a better home console. We can all agree that the VCR-esque original Xbox One was, to say the least, dated (that power brick tho!). While it had a lot going for it as a media centre that can do everything for you, the PS4 outshone the Xbox One in terms of exclusive games and powerful hardware, and above all, price.
So, they got working. It started with a price cut to match the PS4’s $399 price tag, followed by a design refresh that gave us the sleek, 40% smaller Xbox One S (no more power brick of death yay!), and the Pièce De Résistance – the Xbox One X – the world’s most powerful gaming console. While Sony kept churning out sleeker and more powerful consoles like the PS4 Slim and the PS4 Pro, the Xbox One was finally getting the attention it deserved. The One X was able to run true 4K gaming at 30 fps while Sony’s PS4 Pro had to resort to enhancements like checkerboarding to output 4K gameplay. The budget One S was capable of 4K Blu-ray playback while even the most powerful Playstation couldn’t. The Xbox One had finally joined the race.
Microsoft clearly isn’t satisfied with just being in the race. The all-new Xbox One S All Digital is coming our way, and it might just change the game. Reports back in March suggested a disc-less Xbox One S was launching soon and we finally have the official announcement.
Codenamed “Maverick”, the console was rumoured to be digital-only. Today we know that it’s called the Xbox One S All Digital and that it will come with 1TB of internal storage. The packaging also suggests that it can stream in 4K, making this a lucrative console for those looking for a cheaper entertainment system. Being disc-less, the console was always expected to bear a lighter price tag. It’s priced at $249, which is fair for a console that can support 4K video. Pre-orders are up for the console and is said to be available from May 8 with Minecraft, Sea Of Thieves, and Forza Horizon 3 pre-installed.
There’s a lot left yearning with an Xbox One even today. The lack of good exclusive Xbox games and Sony’s dominance with exclusive titles has always been a deciding factor for gamers. But people are starting to look at consoles as more than just gaming devices. With streaming apps coming to consoles and the radical shift from disc-based media to network attached storages, the need is for devices that can do it all and do it well – like the Xbox One.
Source(s): Microsoft
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