Next Generation Consoles: Xbox One

Microsoft wants their new console to rule all of entertainment by integrating features such as live T.V, movies, games, and even web services. They're putting all your entertainment needs into one machine. The newest Xbox console will have a bunch of new functions including recording, streaming, and even voice control. Perhaps Microsoft's new creation will redefine console gaming.

Alright let's go over what most people want to know about the upcoming Xbox One. If you haven't already heard, the new Xbox machine will be released November of this year. In about four months we'll be able to see if console gaming really will be revolutionized. The price of the Xbox One may or may not be a bit surprising. This machine will be the most expensive console Microsoft has ever released. The Xbox One will be released with a hefty price tag of $US499/£429/AUD$599. This may send some people running the other direction, but there's a lot of people out there that have no problem paying $500 to get there hands on it asap.

Now for the nerdy stuff. The Xbox One comes with a heavy duty x64 8-core AMD Jaguar CPU. For a GPU the new console carries an AMD Radeon APU, 1.23TFLOPS. For memory and storage this system has 8GB DDR3 RAM and a 500Gb hard drive. Microsoft is stepping it up with a Blu-ray drive. That's something the PS3 had that the 360 didn't. As for video connectivity, the Xbox One will have HDMI-out port AND HDMI-in. Full specs will be listed below.

This is one of the new features Microsoft is implementing in their new console. This will allow users to use voice commands to control the Xbox. The voice control will be used through the kinect. This new feature will allow a lot of new applications to be available such as Skype.

This new feature will allow players to record their game play straight to the console as they play. Also users will be able to upload and share their game play footage right from their Xbox One. However, as of now this feature will only be available to Xbox Live Gold Members.

Yet another new feature in the upcoming system. The Xbox One will have built in Twitch integration, so with a simple voice command players can start streaming live to their Twitch channel. Also users will be able to use the kinect microphone for voice over and commentary. This feature will also be Gold member exclusive as of right now.

Now let's look at the controller for the new Xbox One. This is always my favorite part of a new video game console. The Xbox One controller for the most part looks like previous controllers, but has a bunch of new upgrades, about 40 actually. For one they updated the directional pad, thumb sticks and contours that aim to deliver greater precision and control. Also vibrating "impulse triggers" are to give precise fingertip feedback and "an unprecedented level of game play immersion". There's a ton of new upgrades that we'll see this November.

A lot of people say that Xbox Live is so much better than the PlayStation Network. Well that Xbox Live network had about 15,000 game servers. The new and improved Live network for the Xbox One is planned to have a whopping 300,000 game servers.

The next console war looks like it'll be a heated one. Both Sony and Microsoft are stepping up and showing more and more upgrades. Amazon EU has said the Xbox One was leading in pre-order sales by just 2.4 cents. It's going to be close; which will you get? Check out what AVbyte has to say about it below!