Given the current climate of the internet, I feel it necessary to post a
disclaimer now before the inevitable bashing begins. I am not a fanboy of
any brand. Over the course of my life, I have owned nearly every video
game console and platform you can think of, even those predating my birth.
My current console collection consists of (in no particular order):
Neo-Geo, SEGA Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, Wii,
Wii-U, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation, PlayStation 2 (dead), PlayStation 3,
PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and a high-end
gaming PC. I did not just list this to flaunt my collection to you, but to
show that I hold no affinity of one branch/system over another. I have had
to make tough choices on which systems to buy when (due to funding
limitations), but ultimately I end up with each big name’s system.
In the PS4-XB1 bought, the PS4 won over last year. I made this decision
based on the specs on paper. The PS4 had higher quality materials, and
seemed like it might be the better place to start. So I purchased it and
had it on day one. Not without some issues, but I was able to play it by
day 3. If only emoticons were jouranilistically accepted, as it is hard to
emote whimsical sarcasm through pure text. I have had over year with the
system, and it has been everything I thought it would be. I can’t say and
then some, but it may look like there are some things on the Horizon that
will allow me to say this. So flash forward to December 2014. I have not
picked up the Xbox One. I really just want to blurt out all my thoughts
and feelings at once, but trying to find a nice and organized way to hit
you with my impressions of the system. So let’s start with the parts I am
having trouble with, commonly known as the cons.
The Cons
Starting from setup, I had an issue with the wireless connection on the
Xbox. It found my internet, connected fine, and was getting into the
download for the OS update. The update is nothing new, as most everything
needs to update right out of the box these days, but the download stalled
at 36%. Then it told me it lost internet connection. When I checked the
connection with a test, it said I was connected and ready to try
downloading again. Once it attempts to download, it lost the connection
again. So, I broke out the CAT-5 to shimmy together a quick cable and I
was on my way to Xbox greatness. It got through the download ran the
update, and I was ready to go.
So the Xbox system I got had the Assassin’s Creed bundle. It provided me
with download codes for both games, so I immediately started the
downloads. I had to go somewhere for a short time, so I left thinking it
would be ready for me to play when I get back. The problem is this: I set
the Xbox to turn off after an hour of inactivity. My mistake was thinking
that the games would continue to download while it was in “sleep mode”.
Boy was I wrong. When I turned it back on again, it wasn’t even a 25% done
downloading the first game. It took nearly 8 hours to download the two
games, plus some additional content for them. I checked my speeds on all
my other internet-connected devices, and they were all getting great
download/upload speeds. The Xbox One was not. (and yes, I even switched
cables). Also, there is no clear option as there was on the 360 or even
the PlayStation 3/4.
It’s slow. Not just in internet connection, though I suspect it plays a
lot into it. Over the course of the time I have owned it, I have used it a
lot. When I go to access “My Games & Apps” it sometimes takes over a
minute to actually move past the loading screen. And this is just to show
what games and/or apps I have installed on the console. I have the same
issue when opening NFL, Netflix, even watching TV sometimes. It takes
agonizingly long period of time to perform even the simplest of operations.
Speaking of watching TV through the Xbox. I have had a persistent issue
that the Xbox keeps telling me it lost the TV signal. Nothing has changed
from the last time I watched TV, but it says it can’t find the signal. If
I turn off the cable box, it will then present a still of the last frame
that it showed. If I turn the cable box back on, I get the message that it
lost the connection again. The only thing that will fix this is if I
reseat the HDMI cable leading from the cable box to the Xbox One.
Thankfully, this hasn’t been an issue for over a week now, knock on wood.
The lower quality hardware (when compared to the PS4) really does shine
through at times to. There were several scenes in Sunset Overdrive or
Assassin’s Creed Unity that were blurry for the slightest of moments at the
beginning, but quickly correct themselves. I never experienced anything
like this with Assassin’s Creed Unity on the PS4, but it is still something
I can live with. But when I noticed blurriness and distortion in some of
the more action heavy scenes, it started to bother me.
Navigation is a bit confusing at times, too, as I still do not know how to
get to the settings menu without using the Kinect voice command. But, all
that being said, the Xbox One has a lot going for it as well which will be discussed in a future article.
I have to call BS on this first he say’s he connected to his wireless then he goes on to say he tried a different cable. Why would you change a cable on a wireless connection. Also the games and app screen never takes more then a few seconds to popup his claim of over a minute just isnt true. This is clearly a piece wrote to flame on the console as he is clearly a fanboy of Sony. Proof to being a fanboy anytime you spend as much time as he did saying your not a fanboy proves that you are a fanboy. Im sorry I wasted time in my life reading this poorly done misinformed piece of trash.
P.S to get to settings is real hard press the Menu button and go down to settings now there is rocket science for you!!!
This was a submitted article. I want to be clear that nobody on my staff or myself wrote this. We take submissions from time to time and it defaults under my profile.