Skip to main content

Xbox ‘One’ pushes boundaries in hardware, graphics, and user experience

Xbox One
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s official. The name of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 successor is Xbox One.

The Xbox One is a sleek, glossy black machine that appears to be close to the same size as the Xbox 360. It features harder-edged corners in comparison to the Xbox 360’s more rounded shape. The Kinect camera is a separate peripheral with a form factor similar to the new console’s and the same glossy black exterior. The console features voice controls for various functions via Kinect and integrated support for live TV switching.

In terms of the raw hardware, Microsoft confirms a beefed up set of specs to the tune of 5 billion transistors and 8GB of RAM, compared to the 360’s 500 million and 512MB, respectively. The console comes equipped with a Blu-ray drive, multiple USB 3.0 ports, and an 802.11n spec Wi-Fi receiver. The Kinect is significantly improved as well, with a 1080p camera that captures a wider field of view and more accurate sensors, to the point that they’ll be able to detect your heartbeat as you exercise.

The Xbox One has integrated support for TV and cable services, complete with Kinect-powered voice and motion controls. Switching from game to movie to live TV to a guide was shown to be a quick and seamless process during the presentation, with only a brief pause between each changeover. Kinect voice controls are theoretically smart enough to open up your cable guide to the appropriate channel if you say something like “Xbox, what’s on HBO?” Motion controls give users the ability to swipe between channels and back out/go into full screen mode.

Snap Mode is an important new feature; it basically amounts to multitasking on your console. In Snap Mode, you can open up certain apps in a frame on the right side of the screen, things like Internet Explorer or Skype. Xbox SmartGlass supports Snap Mode as well as integrated TV features, allowing you to use external devices like smartphones and tablets as both a keyboard and a remote control.

Xbox One Console
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Skype is amped up as well on Xbox One. Microsoft notes that the VoIP app will support group video calls on Xbox. In Snap Mode, video windows appear at the side of the screen, next to whatever content you’re viewing in the main space.

Little is revealed for now on the new face of Xbox Live. Microsoft confirms that it is “completely cloud connected,” with players now able capture gameplay, DVR-style, and save it to the cloud. It sounds like Achievements received an overhaul to be more “dynamic and changing” – how, exactly, remains to be seen – and a new matchmaking services gives players the ability to find competitors for one game while playing a completely different game.

Finally we have the controller. The basic design of Microsoft’s widely loved gamepad is unchanged for the most part. The iconic Guide button now rests above the Start/Back buttons, but that appears to be the only cosmetic difference. The D-pad gets a much-needed redesign as well, but it still lives in the same location. The coolest new aspect of the Xbox One controller relates to the analog triggers: these are now dynamic impulse triggers, which means that a developer can send feedback (ie rumble) independently to each trigger.

We’ll have more details for you later today, but you can tide yourself over for now with additional details from Microsoft’s official press release. Let us know what you think of the Xbox One right now in the comments below!

Editors' Recommendations

Adam Rosenberg
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
The best multiplayer Xbox One games
e3 2019 gears 5 escape mode modernizes the microsoft franchise screenshot

Nearing the end of the Xbox One's life cycle, one thing is clear: Although there are some excellent single-player Xbox One games, the console is defined by its multiplayer titles. Games like Halo 5 and Sea of Thieves cement Xbox One as the place to play with friends. Including the two previously mentioned games, here are the best multiplayer games currently available on Xbox One.

For this list, we looked for multiplayer games that are best experienced on Xbox One. That includes Xbox One exclusives, of course, but also games that are enhanced for Xbox One X. Most of the best multiplayer Xbox One games are available on Game Pass, too. If you want a few more options, make sure to check out our guide on the best multiplayer games on PC.

Read more
How to sync an Xbox One controller with your console
Xbox X Controller.

Making your Xbox One controllers work with your game console is a little different than just plugging them in, like in the old days. Luckily, console makers have made syncing wireless controllers relatively easy.

Read more
The best Xbox One headsets for 2022
Person wearing Turtle Beach headset.

The Xbox One has an amazing array of multiplayer games, but a multiplayer gamer is only as good as its headset. Having a good gaming headset can be the difference between life and (virtual) death in most multiplayer games. Quality headsets can help you hear footsteps behind you, call out instructions to teammates, and even point out locations of enemies. Not hearing a teammate can destroy a winning streak.

We've compiled a list of the best wired and wireless gaming headsets. Our choices below are based on sound quality, comfort, and cost. The Astro Gaming A50 is a high-quality headset that has everything to offer, including Dolby Digital surround sound. These picks are also a worthy choice for the Xbox Series X|S for the time being as we wait for more next-gen optimized headsets.

Read more