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Microsoft Xbox One vs. Xbox 360: Price, Features, Games & More

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Later this year, Microsoft will release its new Xbox One game console, bringing enhanced graphics and new experiences to gamers who can upgrade. Unlike last generation however, Microsoft won’t abandon the Xbox 360, keeping it around as a viable console for many gamers.

The Xbox One will feature better graphics and some new features the Xbox 360 lacks, but the Xbox 360 still has a huge library of games to choose from. Xbox 360 users will have hundreds of games to choose from, many of which are now sold for well under their original $60 price points, and can take advantage of many of the same online services the Xbox One can.

That said, here’s how the two consoles will stack up against each other when the Xbox One hits store shelves later this year.

Xbox One

Games

When unveiled the Xbox One, Microsoft announced that the console will have 15 exclusive titles within its first year, and that many of those would be brand new franchises. During its E3 press conference, the company showed 13 exclusive Xbox One games on stage, including launch games like Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5 and Killer Instinct.

Many other games shown such as Sunset Overdrive, Halo 5 and Quantum Break won’t make the launch of the new console. Those games will come sometime in 2014 or later.

While Xbox One gamers have to rebuild their game library from scratch with a few select titles thanks to the lack of backwards compatibility, the Xbox 360 has hundreds of back-catalog games to choose from. There are some new games coming to the console this year, games like World of Tanks and Dark Souls 2, but there aren’t many more exclusive games coming to the Xbox 360.

On the upside, many of the games coming to the Xbox One including the Xbox exclusive TitanFall as well as multi-platform games like Assassin’s Creed IV, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Watch Dogs and Battlefield 4 will also come to Xbox 360. Those games will look better on the Xbox One, but Xbox 360 gamers will still have the chance to experience them without paying for the newest console.

Price

The Xbox One will come to stores in November for $500. The price includes a single controller and the new mandatory Kinect sensor. Unlike the Xbox 360, there is only one SKU for the Xbox One, so everybody pays the same price for the console.

The Xbox 360 currently starts at $200 for the 4GB model, while the 250GB model sells for $300. The cheaper console can play any Xbox 360 game, but doesn’t have much storage for game installs or Xbox Live Arcade games, which the more expensive model can handle easily them. Microsoft unveiled a new design for the Xbox 360 at E3 , but did not announce a price drop.

Retailers like Amazon are taking pre-orders for the Xbox One.

Retailers like Amazon are taking pre-orders for the Xbox One.

Users looking to spend a bit less for the console can also find used or refurbished models of the Xbox 360 for much less. GameStop currently sells the base 4GB model of the console used for just $130, knocking $70 off the price.

Used Games

While the Xbox One originally had some restrictions on used and loaned games, Microsoft recently backtracked on those policies. The Xbox One and the Xbox 360 will handle new and used games in the same way. Gamers can buy and sell used games as often as they want with no restrictions from Microsoft.

Hardware

Inside, the Xbox One uses an AMD “Jaguar” processor that uses the same architecture as a PC, making cross-platform games much easier. The chip is very similar to the one inside the PlayStation 4, though on paper it is slower. To make the Xbox One more powerful, Microsoft will use its Azure cloud platform to handle some game processes.

On the outside the Xbox One looks a lot like a futuristic VCR with a Blu-ray drive slot instead of VHS tape deck.

The Xbox 360 uses a three-core IBM processor and a dedicated graphics card that made it much different from both PCs and its main competitor the PlayStation 3. The console uses a DVD drive, while its successor uses Blu-ray discs.

Xbox_360_2013

The latest version of the Xbox 360 looks a lot like the Xbox One, though it has more rounded edges than the follow-up console.

Controller

The controller of the new Xbox One looks a lot like the Xbox 360 controller, though it does have a few changes. The controller has a redesigned d-pad with shallower face buttons and new sticks that shouldn’t smooth over as easily. Microsoft also introduced new rumble features that provide force feedback in the triggers of the new controller.

The battery pack of the controller is now built into the controller, eliminating the bulge on the back. The Xbox One controller also has a USB port so gamers can easily switch between wired and wireless for faster response times. The port should also make the controller great for PC and Android tablet gaming.

Xbox_One_controller

Anyone who’s touched a controller in the past few years will be familiar with the current Xbox 360 controller. The controller is the standard that third-party companies use as a base for their mobile and PC gamepads.

Kinect

Every Xbox One will ship with a new Kinect sensor that is far more advanced than the current iteration. The Kinect for Xbox One can detect multiple users in a small room, and can track more points on each person’s body. The device can even detect how users shift their weight from side to side and measure pulse through the veins in the user’s face.

The Xbox One Kinect also makes Skype possible on the console thanks to its 1080p camera.

Microsoft will use the Kinect for Xbox One for voice commands throughout the entire console. It will let gamers easily switch between games, live TV and apps. Users can even turn the console on by just saying “Xbox on” assuming they don’t turn the Kinect sensor completely off.

Xbox_One_Kinect

The Kinect for Xbox 360 is a $150 optional accessory that only a few select games use. Gamers can use the device to interact with the console’s interface and play or pause movies, but it isn’t always a great experience. The current sensor is known for often mishearing users, much in the same way that Siri often mishears commands.

The Kinect for Xbox One promises a better experience with better sensors, though without testing it’s impossible to say how well it works.

Services

Both the Xbox One and Xbox 360 can access services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Xbox Music and Xbox Video among other online media services. The Xbox One, however, will introduce new features.

The Xbox One has an HDMI-in port as well as an IR blaster so it can control cable boxes, bringing live TV support to the console. Microsoft also struck a deal with the NFL to bring some exclusive content to the Xbox One, though it won’t talk specifics about the deal just yet.

At E3, Microsoft also announced it will support Twitch on the Xbox One for watching and streaming live Xbox One gameplay.

18 Comments

18 Comments

  1. Dylan

    06/25/2013 at 2:54 pm

    Ps4 way better than xbox one it doesnt have kinect so your not being spyed on all the time and 100 cheaper and way better hardware is there any competition

    • dylan h

      06/25/2013 at 5:08 pm

      Dude shut the hell up, your talking out of your ass. Unlike what you crazy conspiracy theorists think, it doesn’t live feed the video to anybody. And you have total control over everything about it so just shut up. You guys sound so paranoid and stupid. Its the same damned thing as the first kinect, and any other devices with a camera so stfu

    • dylan h

      06/25/2013 at 5:19 pm

      Oh and think about this dumbass, you think that MS has enough people to sit on there ass wasting time and money to watch EVERYBODY who buys a one? Either you need help or you need to stop believing the retards on the internet who thinks they know everything about a console before its even out. And guess what, you can even completely turn off the kinect, yeah they obviously really want to spy on you playing games in your underwear, and risk a lawsuit. God conspiracy theorists are the most stupidest annoying people in the world, pull your head out of your ass and look at the real world, nobody gives a flying ahit about what you do unless your a murderer or a pedo, you aren’t important enough to be watched you stupid nobody

      • Chris M

        06/25/2013 at 6:22 pm

        Yea no shit!!! Go buy you PS4 and shut your mouth.!!!!!

      • George

        06/26/2013 at 1:15 am

        its not m$ watching, you moron, its an open feed for NSA to access WHENEVER they want. If you honestly think that’s not an issue to be concerned about, then I feel very sorry for you.

        But anyway, apart from the PRISM cam built-in, PS4 is just a better machine specs wise, and cheaper too.

        M$ will be pleased to know their are enough, in your words, ‘dumbasses’ around to still sell plenty.

    • Widgey

      06/26/2013 at 7:29 am

      Yeah because Microsoft and the NSA really want to use Kinect 2 to look at overweight nerdy immature super retards playing their childish games?

    • bella

      06/26/2013 at 8:38 pm

      did you even click this link? https://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/05/28/microsoft-confirms-users-can-fully-shut-off-xbox-one-kinect/

      you can turn off the kinect it would only pay attention to it’s surroundings if it was just in sleep mode so how about you calm down

    • andino1994

      07/14/2013 at 3:07 pm

      you gotta be retarded to really believe that. why would the government waste their time and money on spying on gamers?

  2. Robert

    06/25/2013 at 3:46 pm

    So.. Skype can only be enabled by a 1080p camera?

  3. Paul Dunsford

    06/26/2013 at 12:15 am

    Seriously Dylan whatever if you have a webcam in theory you could be hacked nothing different to kinect and get your facts right the only difference between x1 and ps4 is the bus speed on the processor PS slightly quicker on render rate

  4. Paul Dunsford

    06/26/2013 at 12:22 am

    Rob yeah seems be cause I’ve got Skype on my Acer aspire with built in webcam and that’s a 0.3 mp so wtf microsoft

  5. soxpower

    06/27/2013 at 11:40 pm

    Lets forget about the past statements and just focus on the present. MICROSOFT AND SONY WILL BOTH be disappointed because they haven’t realized that gamers like me don’t really see a reason to move on. The 360 and PS3 still look good as hell to me graphically, game quality is aight, and the both systems don’t feel outdated. Both Companies should have waited a few more years till the systems feel outdated so that we would feel compelled to upgrade. Sure id rather have a Ps4 over a xbox one. BUT TELL ME WHY I NEED A PS4 OVER MY PS3 WHEN IT WORKS JUST FINE AND HAS ALMOST EVERYTHING THE PS4 has. Same thing goes for xbox.

  6. Panji Arafat

    07/02/2013 at 5:38 am

    i still like xbox 360 because we can still play xbox one games like assasins creed 4 without having to buy the new console

    • Kyle Wert

      07/10/2013 at 12:32 pm

      Ikr im not going to pay 500 dollars to buy a new counsle my 360 works perfectly fine im not going to throw all my good games and hard work away for some new consle

  7. me

    07/13/2013 at 9:10 am

    Xbox 360 is out dated and looks like shit. The pc has so many games that the consoles miss out on. Dont judge till you trt. You cany go from a good pc to a console. Stop crying about being broke. Sounda like a bunch of childre. Waiying fro christmass and bdays in here

  8. Ian

    07/23/2013 at 5:24 am

    Why MS And Sony, Why!? And Xbox One Can’t Even Play Xbox 360 Games? WTF!?Money grubbing bastards. The Only Real UpdateS Are The Graphics And Processor, Which Will Make It Run Smoother? I Have No Problems With My 360. Seriously Should’ve WaitedFor More Advanced Tech So We Could Have A Significant Upgrade. This Is Just People Being Greedy And Wanting A Big Pay Day.

  9. Niggertits

    07/28/2013 at 3:39 pm

    Herpes are yummy.

  10. FinnTheHuman88

    08/08/2013 at 6:32 pm

    You know what i think!!!! Sony making PlayStation 5 with a Kinect, Halo, nad Forza Motorsport, that way, there is only one winner…..

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