I don't understand criticism of the Xbox One hardware

Before we proceed- this is not about system specs or architecture. This is about the Xbox One console design. As in the physical console itself. Don't come in here talking about Xbox One's weaker architecture or 900p or whatever.

But yes, I don't think I understand the criticisms leveled at the Xbox One hardware design at all- I think it's a solid, inoffensive, well made piece of kit. But there's so much criticism I have seen for it, and I am not sure I get it:

• It's massive. Er, nope, not really. I mean, yes it is big, but then, so is the PS4, so was the Xbox 360, so was the PS3, so was the PS2. Why is this suddenly an issue now, and only for the Xbox One? Especially since the PS4 is 2/3rds as big as the Xbox One is?
• The two tone look sucks. What, and the PS4 doing the same thing is okay? I just want to remind you that the PS4 also has a two tone look, with the hard drive bay a glossy texture to the rest of the console's matte finish- if it's not an issue there, I am not sure why it's an issue with the Xbox One.
• The power brick is obnoxious. This I will give you- the fact that the PS4 is a more powerful console, and smaller, and without an external power brick is amazing- the Xbox One being as big as it is, weaker, and still having a massive power brick is pretty bad.

So, there's one legitimate criticism of the hardware. Apart from that, there's so much the system's hardware does well- it's high quality and sturdy, and feels better built than the PS4, the controller feels much better constructed, and of higher quality materials, than the DualShock 4 does (the analog sticks and the touchpad do feel very low quality), and the design is inoffensive, and melts into any entertainment center without any issues.

So, speaking as a PS4 owner and fan here, what's the issue? What's up with all the (needless) criticism of the Xbox One design?

It's ugly

The controller is great tho, have one for PC.

I don't think I've ever seen someone try to say the X1 looks like crap (in design), for sure in hardware but not in design. I mean hell the controller feels a lot better than the PS4 controller.

I dont have an issue with the power brick, it sits behind the tv never to be seen or noticed. The console itself looks great and melds easily into my other entertainment devices. In the end it sits between shelves so the whole console is never really looked at, just the front, which looks smart enough.

When I first saw the design I thought to myself it looked like a VCR player from the 90s and, could they have come up with something better? However, it has grown on me and it doesn't look that bad imo.

The only criticism that it get's the fact that Xbox One console can't stand vertical which was also a complaint back then. But however, this was a poor design choice and MS claim it would have cause a cooling problems and didn't want to face another RROD fiasco. But in another way, I have never set my consoles vertical and that still looks wrong to me.

I dont even understand xbox existence.

The size doesn't matter in any capacity, someone bitching about it must live in cardboard box because the PlayStation 4 has almost the same ground footprint. In terms of the way it looks, it looks sleek, it looks like a piece of electronic equipment that would be in a rack mount for audio, video etc, it's clean. I don't know why everyone has this idea that a console has to look like some kids toy, something obscure or like a piece of Japanese architecture...

The power brick? Stuff it behind your TV and forget about it, that's a nitpicking complaint.

It looks like a VCR from the early 90s for one, and I'm still not sure how much I like the controller yet.

Pretty much this. I just never care for the designs in any way, it fits nicely on my T.V stand and it's not like it's going anywhere. Like I said, back then, it was the whole it can't stand vertical but that's hardly an issue and I never set any of my consoles vertical. As long as it can play games, I care nothing for the design.

I don't care about how it looks but you'd think a system as massive as that would pack in more power.

No it doesn't, it looks like an anonymous black rectangle. It looks no more like a VCR than the PS2 did, and the PS2 design gets nothing but praise and nostalgia. Seriously, how is this

Any more of a 'VCR' than this?

It not standing vertical is definitely an issue.

This is not always an optimal solution, the power brick can overheat without proper ventilation, and it is bulky (even for a power brick), enough that people in smaller apartments can have issues with it. The power brick is a complaint, yes- it's not the be all, end all, I said that myself in the OP, but it's a legitimate complaint, don't try to downplay it.

it's not PlayStation therefor it sucks; I mean it, doesn't take a genius to slam dunk the psychology of fanboys

if one thing annoys me, yes it's the cheap construction of the analog mechanisms that make it prone to failure, the fact that you now have to buy a $150 Elite controller that's supposed to have a more durable construction so you have a controller that'll last bugs the hell out of me, especially since they did it right with the Xbox 360 controller and those cost $40, the shitty breaks all the time one is $60

There's nothing wrong with it. It's bigger than the PS4 but somehow manages to be quieter which is a plus. I like them both, can't believe people would sweat the small stuff over what the consoles look like I don't remember looking at either of them while playing a game lol.

One of the reasons why the Xbox One is bigger than the PS4 is due to it's cooling system.

Xbox One has a massive heat sink and huge fan over the APU while the PS4 has a smaller heatsink and uses a blower style with the fan.

I actually prefer the Xbox One cooling system since it runs quieter and I hate blower cooling systems.

The Xbone is better than the PS4 in that it's actually not noisy. PS4 can get so loud.

Looks not bad. It's dead quiet, and the capacitive touch buttons work very well. It's big, but that's honestly the only complaint I have about it. My PS4 in comparison looks odd, like a piece of plastic styled with a slant to try and make it feel current and hip, but it still looks like a piece of plastic. Either way, both are behind closed doors in my cabinet.

I like the look of the Xbone. It's a little bulky, but it's not the end of the world... I have enough room in my TV stand.

It's weaker, but I really don't care. This is my exclusive box, and the PS4/PC are my exclusive/multiplat boxes.

I'm sorry but I hardly ever hear my PS4 fans at all. It's quieter and the same for my Xbox One. Not sure how a PS4 fans can get louder and mines is a launch one at that and had it almost 2 years now with no problems.

It's bulky and ugly for a 2013 console, and it looks like a VCR from the 90s. 360 looked a lot better and was a 2005 console.

I've had mine spin up really loud a number of times, but nothing crazy excessive. Usually for about 15 seconds or so, and about 10 times in the year and a bit that i've had it. It's well ventilated, but it is one compact machine.

I play games on my Xbox One and it's almost like it's not there. PS4 you can hear it revving up all the time while playing. It's not loud enough to be irritating but it's there. It's louder. Opinions don't come into this it's a fact.

Me either.

Both sucks imho

It grew on me. But from a performance perspective, it's definitely disappointing.

Its just something else trivial cows like to bag on. Its not really as big as people like to make it out to be its about the same size as my motorola 3600m cable dvr. I get people like aesthetics but its got functional features too. Part of the reason for the large size is the large fan in the top since the 360 had heat issues. Also the power brick is annoying I guess but its better to have an external brick that can actually be replaced in the event of a power surge than have it internal where it basically damages the entire console in the same circumstance.

The optical drive is also obnoxiously loud.

@lundy86_4: @blueinheaven: I see. I guess I kinda got used to listening to sounds to not bother me lol. But when I turn up the volume, yeah, don't notice a thing.

@davillain-: It's rare for me. I'll have my PC and PS4 running at the same time (all set up on the same TV) and it's hella quiet.

@davillain-: to be honest it's just MGSV when I play it. Other games are fine. Maybe it's some issue with the disc itself and the console has to read and load too much at once? Who knows, but yeah it is really loud at times.

First thing I'm going to do when I get a PS4 is chuck an SSD in it.

Most of the criticism is legit. It looks like a VCR, and it has an external powersupply. Considering the weak hardware and the external powersupply, the console could easily have been half it's size, with a much better looking design.

It's underpowered and ugly.

Probably because Microsoft are treated like second hand citizens to Sony (and, to a tiny extent... nah, better not finish that) when it comes to console gaming.

There really is nothibg wrong with it. The PS4 boys look for anything to justify their purchase.

Yeah I've never had a problem with the overall design of it... it looks decent enough & it feels well made (as good as, if not slightly better than PS4 I think). And the power brick doesn't bother me at all because it's tucked away behind a cupboard anyway, plus it keeps the heat inside the console down because it's separate from it (which I like).

Plus, like said above, it's big because of the cooling system. XB1 is so quiet compared to PS4, which I like.

Agreeeeeeeeed

It looks ugly as sin, it's a fatass fucking system, the USB ports are in annoying locations, there's no way to change the internal hard drive, the two tone look sucks on the black version and they're not changing that like on PS4, not to mention you can't change the faceplate, you can't place it vertically, there's those sinfully ugly grilles at the top, THERE'S A FUCKING POWER BRICK, and unlike the super fat PS3, there's a small amount of ports and card readers.

I don't move around my consoles a lot so it's not a huge issue but man, what a travesty of a design to look at. The controller is great though, I'm happy.

It looks like a VCR.

Ps4 is louder than the xbox the for the same reasons a ferrari is louder than a honda

Its too big. If it was smaller it would be better. Its pretty much as big as the original ps3 just not as tall. also, the glossy part is a fucking dust magnet.

Honestly, both consoles are really slick looking. I don't hate how either of them look.

The USB port positioning is actually the only thing about the Xbox One that annoys me. Let's put them in the most awkward places imaginable. Not the end of the world but yeah I'll give you that. Otherwise I'm fine with it though. It plays Halo which to me is the world's biggest PLUS.

@blueinheaven: Halo and indie games!

My Honda is louder than a Ferrari, that kind of backfired on you, no pun intended.

Also it's louder because the ventilation is worse and the fan is smaller which means it needs to spin up to higher RPM's to cool the system thus creating more noise.

Fanboys are going to fanboy. You can usually tell them by the fact that they all chorus the same tune...it looks like a 90s VCR.

This my friends is what a 90s VCR looks like. Other than them both being rectangular...there really is no similarity.

Let's be honest the PS4 pretty much looks like an eraser. Hardly a design masterpiece.

:)

I dont like the look of either the Xbone or PS4. The former looks like an 90s VCR, and the latter is a giant black art eraser with its stupid slant. But at the end of the day, its the games that matter.

To me, both systems have a beautiful simplistic minimalist design. However my only gripes against the X1 are:

The Power Brick & inability to stand Vertically.

The PS4's DS controllers are nice and wide, but the rubber grip on thumb sticks are just cheap feeling, and that glow lightbar is just idiotic.

Overall, both are beautifully designed.