Everything you need to know about Xbox One

Trying to choose the right gaming console for you and your family? You'll find everything you need to know about Microsoft's Xbox One console right here.

What is The Xbox One?

Despite its name, The Xbox One is the third machine from Microsoft following the Xbox (2001), and the Xbox 360 (2005).

The term "One" was chosen as Microsoft believed it to define the console as being your "one" entertainment solution, providing film, music, internet, apps and other multimedia features beyond simply gaming.

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The console began rolling out globally from November 22, 2013, and as of its second birthday there were 450 games available for the Xbox One, although this figure includes 104 backwards compatible titles.

Despite initial plans to make it mandatory, the Xbox One does not require an internet connection to work. However a number of the smaller titles available for the console are only downloadable through the Xbox Store.

An important new feature on the Xbox One - which wasn't present on the Xbox 360 - is a Blu-ray drive. The Blu-ray drive allows the console to run bigger games from a single disc as well as playing DVDs and Blu-ray films.

What are the Xbox One's main competitors?

The Xbox One's direct competitor is the Sony PlayStation 4.

Outside of exclusives made, primarily, by first-party developers (studios that work for the manufacturer), both systems tend to get the same library of games at the same time.

The PC is also a competitor but is generally played from a desk rather than a couch or beanbag, which makes for a different kind of experience. The PC also tends to receive many of the games later than the PS4 and Xbox One – often months later.

The Nintendo Wii U is another key player in the console space. However its limited hardware power, focus on Nintendo's own exclusive games over large third party brands (Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, Grand Theft Auto, etc.), and targeting of the family demographic sees it considered by many to be running its own race.

What Type of Games are Available on the Xbox One?

The Xbox One's catalogue of games is primarily targeted at adult males, with a heavy emphasis on racing, sports, action, RPGs and shooters. There is also a focus on online play, with a number of key titles not offering offline multiplayer at all. Many developers argue that they can create a better visual experience and faster frame-rate (which improves the feel of gameplay) by not opting for split-screen multiplayer.

In comparison to its main rival, the PS4, the Xbox One offers less variety of games, less exclusives from Xbox owned or affiliated developers, and less downloadable titles from independent developers.

In its favour, however, is the Kinect device, currently the best motion and voice control device in gaming. Also in the plus column, Microsoft provides dedicated servers to provide more reliable online play. If you’re especially keen the Xbox One Elite Controller (sold separately to the console itself) is widely considered to be the best controller in gaming history.

What Are the Best Xbox One Exclusive Game Series?

Here are some of the biggest brands to appear only on the Xbox One;

What is the ideal gaming setup for an Xbox One?

The Xbox One is a high performance console and should be paired with a large Full HD or 4K flatscreen TV. To make the most of the experience, a 7.1 channel sound system or headset is recommended.

While not strictly required, an internet connection is recommended. You want as low a ping as possible (definitely less than 40ms) and if you plan to buy a lot of large games online or stream your play through services like Twitch, you will definitely benefit from a fast internet speed. You will need a significant download quota, too, as large patches, game purchases and downloadable content can take upwards of 100GB per month.

You may also need to invest in an external hard-drive around one year into the console's lifespan. The internal hard-drive on the core model is limited to just under 400GB of useable space, and every game must be installed to play.

Games frequently require between 20 and 50GB of space, so after 10 games you will need to begin deleting old-favourites to make space, which isn't particularly user-friendly. Any USB 3.0 external hard-drive can function as a storage extender, but be mindful that some hard-drives require their own power supply, which can be tricky to find plug space for once everything is plugged in behind your TV.

The newer model Xbox One comes with a 1TB internal hard-drive - for the reasons listed above, this is a significantly better option if it is available to you.

Xbox One Buyer's Guide

There are a number of different versions of the Xbox One console available (termed SKUs), each iterating on the last to get closer to meeting the market's demands, but also to enhance the device as technology improves.

Originally, you had to have a Kinect device connected to the Xbox One for it to work, but that limitation has since been removed. When shopping for any new console, compare the various retailers for bundle offers. While there are occasionally official, themed spin-offs to the console, retailers will also make their own bundles that include different games to sweeten the deal.

Here are the core differences between the retail Xbox One SKUs.

Is the Xbox One good for kids?

The Xbox One isn't aimed at a young demographic, and while there are some notable games available for younger players such as Minecraft, Viva Piñata, the Lego series, the Rayman series and Screamride, more consistently it delivers on mature content for those aged 15 and above.

For children under 10 we recommend the Wii U, and for those aged 10 to 15 we recommend the PlayStation 4, which has a wider variety of crossover games for kids entering their teenage years.

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