f13.net

Microsoft is here to fuck up your console shelf arrangement. Announcement video. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tUqIHwHDEc)

(https://i.imgur.com/Gx7Iq2E.jpg)

Thoughts: with the "Xbox Game Pass for PC" naming, maybe they should just call this a tower PC.

why

So the more powerful version will be the Xbox Series X X? I want the person's job who has been naming the Xboxes for the last 15 years. Seems like a high paying, low skill requirement job.

They say it can be played on its side but if those holes at the top aren't cosmetic I can't see how it'll be equivalent to running it vertically. I.e. it'll either run hotter horizontally or louder or both.

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/12/12/microsoft-unveils-xbox-series-x/

It'll still look ugly as fuck on its side.

This looks a lot like the Corsair One mITX PC.  I'm not mad at it.  I doubt that it'll run significantly hotter if laid horizontally since it will probably have a fan or two and airflow > convection.

Real talk, in the past 2 generations why did anyone buy a Microsoft console? I can't remember an interesting non-pc exclusive on anything past the 360.

I got a lot of mileage out of my 360, but it became pretty apparent - as someone who always has a high end PC - that it became superfluous.  The Bone is, on the other hand, literally the only major console in the past 25 years that I have NEVER given thought to purchasing.  I cannot think of a single reason or advantage of having one.

This....thing?  I do not see the point.  I will probably buy whatever Playstation puts out next, because they seem to always give me a reason to.  Hard pass on XXBoXX or whatever they are calling this.

That's skipping one generation (the One). I had an Xbox (gave to friend) and 360 (still have). Skipped the One, like Cyrrex.

I'll get the PS5 cause Sony exclusives. The SeX I'll wait and see if Microsoft is actually serious about exclusives this time around.

Stopped at 360. Waiting for a reason to continue.

PS5 supposedly will have BC. Rumors are that it will go all the way back BUT I've heard that one before.

If they enabled XBL crossplay with PC, there'd be no reason for a PC gamer to have an Xbox. Today, if you want to play any co-op or pvp games with friends/family that only have a PS4 or Xbox, you gotta meet them where they are. The only reason I have an Xbox is to play RL/Apex/Battlefield V with my brothers. (Who both still have an original Xbox One).

Rockband. I missed the window to transfer all my library to Playstation.

That's the only time I use it. But it does get frequent use as my wife's entertainment center. All her crap is on there, while all my crap is on the Playstation next to it.

For anything playable with a gamepad that isn't fps, I've come around to preferring it on a console. The hardware is generally 'good enough', since I don't waste money on maintaining an alpha pc anymore.

Less hassle, click controller and be playing in a couple seconds. VS 'Get up, walk over to turn on PC, type in password, wait for network services/Steam to load, load game, play. Not to mention quick pause/suspend/resume.

As far as X v PS, the X has better hardware. PS has a total of 3 exclusives I care about (HZD, Spider-man, Death Stranding). So it's a pretty close call, flip a coin, really.

edited to add: If you're a 90s kid with the Japanese fetish, yeah, it's all about the PS.

FIFY.

Yeah, I haven't seen a reason to own an XBox past the 360. I got the PS4 because of Persona 5 as well as sports games and Gran Turismo, and I'll likely get a PS5 if I have the money because it continues to have exclusives I give a shit about, while XBox does not.

:why_so_serious:

In case you don't know what Rendakor is referring to -- Sony is now censoring some JPN PS4 games that are released outside of JPN while Nintendo is not on the Switch. Which is basically the reverse of how things used to be.

Edit: also it's easier to switch between JPN and US accounts on the Switch :awesome_for_real:

Why are they censoring them? Is it demands from the U.S./EU or something? Too many tentacles and lolis these days?

To respond to Schild, I have both the PS4 and the Xbox One and the Xbox One sees far more use, especially now that Gamepass is a thing. I tend to only turn on my playstation for exclusives which more or less means Persona 5 and Horizon Zero Dawn are the only games that have caused me to use the PS4. If it's a game on both consoles I get it on the Xbox One every time.

I also find the Xbox One easier for media. I use it to watch all Netflix, Youtube, etc. I rent movies on it. It's just better for my personal use for that.

I'll grant you XboX gamepass as it stands right now is a deal (though PS has Playstation Plus also, which is a similar thing).  But out of curiosity, when you say you always play on XboX if it's available on both, why?  You like the controller better or something?  PS4 just seems to offer a better experience to me, and has more exclusives, and I use it to stream all my Netflix/Amazon/Hulu stuff.  So I'm sort of with Schild as I can't figure out a reason to ever buy one, since PS4 does everything it does, and more.

there's no world an xbox is better at media besides maybe disc-based than a shield or a roku ultimate (or a ps4 for that matter)

that strikes me as a crazy use in 2019 (but a great use when streaming required more power and less specialized hardware was available)

I haven't actually looked into any of the streaming devices since I've had a PS4 (It does it all, so may as well just use it).  Is there any advantage over PS4 to using dedicated things like Roku now?

My only complaint about streaming from my (non Pro) PS4 is that the UI is a bit on the slow side compared to, for example, my PC.  But still good enough, and always a better experience than any of the Smart TVs I have had.

well that would be because smart tvs are poop

and, no to the ps4 question teleku? The controllers require more charging, it doesn't do any meaningful image processing and it almost certainly consumes substantially more power but I'm too lazy to look it up

also, shortens the life of the ps4 through use?

I mean, sure?  I'm not saying it's the greatest solution.  I assume the others have a better UI, and for sure the damned controllers don't hold a charge like a simple remote with batteries does.  I can't imagine the lifespan of the PS4 or Power Usage having any real impact I'll ever notice.  Was just curious if I could justify the purchase of yet another device to hook up for $100 to do something my PS4 does.  Tech is always evolving though, so it might!

I've chosen to believe the naming scheme is a brilliant long-con troll job. My money's on the next one rebooting the series and just being called "Xbox", followed shortly by the "Series One: Xbox Edition" (soxbox, to the kids).

At some point in there they integrate their cloud productivity software and call it Xbox 365.

Bought a 2nd Roku Ultimate. They travel much better than a PS4. Also remote instead of controller. PS4 happens in two places, Roku happens in different places.

There is a ton of wacky shit on Roku. I'm very sure most of it isn't available on PS4, even though most of it is basically crap.

I use Rokus for streaming mostly in my house, as well, when not using the PC. We do have a Smart TV in the bedroom and it's a little bit more annoying (autoplays some nonsense channel instead of a silent menu on boot).

I ignore the offerings on my tv for the most part...except the Rifftrax channel. I should get around to exploring the tivo options, it's pretty much walled garden so I've ignored it, but some QoL stuff like hooking up Flix/Prime to catch episodes I miss on broadcast would be nice. I stream most of the stuff with the PS4 because it's simple and I don't need to dick around with it.

Not happy with the NFL app losing my login info every week, though.

I bought mine because it was the same price as a 4k blu-ray player, after I set it up I realized the xbox uses a software based player that is complete shit so yeah no reason.

The last 2 TVs I've bought have had a Roku built-in (an Insignia one and a 4K TCL). I determined I'm just not going to buy anymore TV's without a built-in Roku. The TV turns on with the Home menu with all my channels, there's no need for cabling, and Roku has a channel for every streaming service I use and even more that I don't. I could have gotten a Samsung instead of the TCL but I would have had to use their Smart streaming interface and I'm too used to the Roku. Plus, ONE REMOTE!!!!

the only problem with those tvs is that they're basically bad

Ok, first off. On the media thing. I have an Xbox remote so controllers aren't a problem. Why buy a Roku or something when I have one device that plays disks, lets me stream and lets me play games? If I wasn't doing any console gaming I'd probably get a Roku but it seems redundant to me.

On the gaming side, the PS4 has some really neat exclusives which I quite like but games feel better to me on the Xbox One. Part of it is the controllers, I like the Xbox controller better. I should also mention I like the UI better on the Xbox One. Funnily enough, when this generation first started I was almost the opposite, but over time the Xbox One won me over to the point where the last time I turned on my PS4 was for Horizon Zero Dawn. I haven't turned it back on since I finished that game.

I'll agree with you on the Insignia. It was cheap when I needed a cheap TV. The TCL is one of the better rated "value" TV's out there.

I also have two TLCs with Roku built in, works great. They aren't amazing TVs, but then I'm not trying for a theater setup (would go projection if I was). Certainly adequate for the kids and wife, and good enough for me to play xbox games in 4k.

Girlfriend just got an Insignia Fire TV thing for a good deal. It's...OK? My only gripe is that it has no capability to download the NHL streaming app, which is a very particular complaint.

I'll stick with my high-end Samsungs until I'm given a reason not to. However, it also forces me to use the PS4 to stream hockey; often, that's what is getting the most use on the system.

I haven't owned an XBOX since the 360 because...why?

I'm with Mandella. The song libraries from 3 Rock Band Games basically meant having to stick with Microsoft because I got a X360.