Each and every single day, gaming companies work on how to improve the overall gaming experience. Even if it seems like only a couple of years ago kids, teenagers and adults alike were looking for a console that provides a good functionality, times have now changed, so a lot of stuff must be taken into consideration before purchasing the best gaming console.
One of the most important facts that you need to think about before buying any gaming console is how are you going to use it. If you are looking for a basic gaming experience with nothing too complicated or advanced technology, then the Xbox One is probably your best choice. However, if you want a full gaming experience and an interaction between you and your console, choose the Xbox One with Kinect sensor.
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Xbox One with Kinect may seem the same as the first Xbox One since its looks have not changed, but that is only made to deceive you. Microsoft announced that they are going to interact more with their customers and until now, they kept their word offering a series of updates meant to broaden and deepen the gaming experience with the Xbox One Entertainment.
The console
Well, the console itself has somewhat of a bulky design, with glossy panels, black vents and some silver accents from place to place. It measures 13.1″ x 10.8″ x 3.25” and it has several ports such as USB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet or IR Out. When it comes to what the console is actually capable off, it comes pretty close to its biggest competitor, PlayStation 4 some of the most notable differences between the two being the Xbox’s lack of Bluetooth, the difference between the Xbox’s RAM of 8GB DDR3 and the PS4’S 8GB GDDR5 memory and the fact that you cannot replace the hard drive of an Xbox One.
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However, even though the Xbox has no Bluetooth connection, the controller uses a different technology to communicate with the gaming console and you can add up to two USB 3.0 flash drives to supplement storage space. Through the HDMI ports you can control the console from your laptop or connect it to your TV. Although the console is capable of running beautiful games at really high resolution, it is still quiet and fast. You can easily be tricked from its design that it’s just a piece of technology dated at least 20 years ago, but don’t be deceived, there’s a beast lying under that case.
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The differences in graphics between Xbox One and PS4 are not that noticeable, especially if you don’t have an eye for it or you don’t see them running at the same time. Although you might tend to believe all the criticism around the internet, don’t conclude anything until you have tried playing on both consoles. You would be surprised on how many people are actually choosing a console just because of the brand and not because of the gaming experience.
If the only thing that keeps you back from purchasing the Xbox One is the fact that you feel reluctant on paying $500 for a gaming console, remember that it is not just a gaming console, it is a full blown look into the future.
Xbox One and Kinect 2.0
Kinect was first envisioned by Microsoft as a way to expand their customers above the level of hardcore or casual gamers. By using a webcam peripheral, they tried to introduce the idea of control through gestures and speech since 2010, when it was first released.
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Although many gamers do not agree with the idea of Kinect on Xbox One simply because it adds $100 to the price of the console, this was not the idea behind Kinect in the first place. Gamers will always be gamers and will always value graphics, control and response time way more than the ability to have a machine that recognizes your voice. However, when you are a casual gamer and want a gaming console that can also blend into your living room, Xbox One with Kinect 2.0 is definitely what you are searching for.
A series of voice commands are available and Kinect even allows you to record and save other people’s voices so that when they are around, the console can bring up some of their TV or gaming preferences.
You can start up your Xbox as soon as you get home without even lifting a finger, just by opening your mouth and saying “Xbox, on”. Commanding a console has never been easier and the interaction between users and the console is what Kinect is truly about.
When it comes to gaming, Kinect 2.0 might seem a bit slow and bulky. The different hand gestures that you have to use are not that easy recognizable and they don’t really enhance the gaming experience. This is a whole lot of a different story if you are actually playing games that involve gestures or movements and there are even several games available that you cannot play without Kinect, such as Kinect Sports Rivals or Fighter Within.
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Kinect 2.0 is fairly easy to install and it only takes about 10 minutes to do it. At the beginning, you will introduce your face to the system and it truly works wonders on recognizing you through glasses or facial hair so don’t worry about changing your style every once in a while. A sound check will also be conducted for the system to make sure it can hear you over the sound of the TV.
As for Kinect’s microphone, it does not have troubles hearing you over the sound of the TV but the situation changes if you have a lot of people chit chatting around you so make sure you do not have a lot of people around you when you talk to the system. If at any time you find it difficult to use voice commands or the system does not recognize what you are saying, you can easily switch to your controller, without having to tell the system to stop listening or making it aware of the switch.
Xbox one with Kinect 2.0 is meant for people who want to mix up a great gaming experience with social media and upgraded technology by allowing your system to either hear or see you or even react to your presence in the room and this is what makes the $100 difference In price between Xbox One with or without Kinect.
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Even though there is a lot of room left for improvement especially when it comes to the overall gaming experience, Kinect is surely something you need to check out by yourself before making a decision. Odds are that you will either hate it or fall in love with it at the first sight. There is nothing in between.
You can choose to either buy the Xbox One with the Kinect 2.0 or buy Kinect separately if you already own the gaming console.
Gamepad
The controller available for the Xbox One with Kinect 2.0 is fairly similar to Xbox 360’s controller, so if you enjoy that one you will probably fall even harder for the new one.
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Similarities can be found as soon as you lay eyes on the new controller, since the shape and the placement of the buttons are still pretty much the same. However, many improvements have been made to the new gamepad making it look more appealing and adding new triggers. The precision of the buttons and analog sticks has been improved as well. If you were struggling with the thumbsticks on the Xbox 360’s gamepad, be happy to learn that they have been offered a new look on the Xbox One’s controller. An additional rubber rim is meant to keep your thumb locked into place even if you are in the blaze of fantastic but very engaging game.
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One of the downsides of the new gamepad is the fact that you need to buy a different headset if you want to listen to game audio while chatting. Another one is the stiffness of the new shoulder buttons, which is very noticeable especially if you use them repeatedly.
User interaction with the interface
When it comes to the interface of the new Xbox One with Kinect, many influences from the App-like interface of Windows 8 can be spotted. There are loads of information and cool stuff lying around but you will most certainly have difficulties on finding all of them. After a while of continuous searching and digging though, you will not find it difficult anymore.
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This is the moment when Kinect 2.0 starts to shine, as the interface is way more manageable with the help of the camera and microphone. Voice commands are pretty fast and the response time of the console is kept to a minimum.
After a beloved gaming session you can use your console to watch Live TV, share, view or upload different media files from both internal or external hard drives, find out real time detailed stats about your favorite sport teams or even stream TV shows or movies online through some of the most popular services such as Netflix, Crunchy roll or Hulu Plus.
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However, you will find yourself struggling with the accuracy of the words coming out of your mouth, and that won’t happen only once. When the system actually works and recognizes your voice and what you are saying right from the start, it’s marvelous. You are able to start up your system and start gaming or watching TV in no time by simply saying a couple of words but when you don’t say the right words or you don’t say them accurate enough, that’s when the real fun starts. It’s already pretty funny that we are able to speak to electronics, imagine how funny it is for other people to see you all frustrated and angry on a console.
Keep your cool though and don’t let a piece of machinery tell you what you can say and what you cannot. Also try practicing in front of the mirror, maybe that can help as well.
After a year of updates and introducing new feature, Xbox One is finally on the right track to becoming the best all in one device for your living room. Microsoft is continuously working on how to make users stop bothering about how other consoles work or what they do better and focus on what Xbox has still left to offer.
After taking into consideration all of these facts, Xbox One with Kinect 2.0 is an ultimate gaming experience but not actually focused on the gaming part. It is still able to run games amazingly and it still is one of the best gaming consoles out there, but Microsoft is not all about the gaming anymore, but about upgrading the current technology. Be prepared to take a look into the future and for some machine-human interaction in the comfort of your own living room.
