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So is it a games console or the centre of the entertainment universe? Days after receiving our review unit, what's clear is that Xbox One boasts a wealth of intriguing, unique features and that there is merit in its alternative approach. But going into this hardware test, we couldn't help but wonder: is it the proverbial jack of all trades, master of none? Do the media features actually make a difference? Do they even work outside of the US?The design aesthetic of Xbox One is all about function over form, the machine itself calling to mind a utilitarian set-top box rather than a sleek, refined games machine of the future. Kinect stares at you when you first open the box, and it's a monster: weighty, large, complete with a connection cable that is longer, meatier and wider than we expected - industrial, even. This is followed swiftly by the revised Xbox joypad, headset and the 250W power brick - smaller than the launch Xbox 360's, and similar in terms of dimensions and design to the 360S's power supply.
The tray lifts out revealing the Xbox One console itself. Dimensions and heft call to mind the original Xbox, and as the machine is lifted out of the box, we see a mixture of glossy, fingerprint-attracting plastic and matte air vents - lots of them, on three sides of the box. The device itself is uninspired in terms of its looks, almost as though it has been purposefully made to merge into the bank of characterless black slabs that live under the TV. Aside from some chrome-effect plastic flashes, the box is almost anonymous, save for the white Xbox logo.
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