Why I Love Xbox One's Design

The Xbox One is under attack. Critics from all over the globe are saying that its "liquid black" finish and its boxy appearance make it a major design bore. Even the Kinect, they say, is too simple in its design to be worth putting in the average person's entertainment center. All in all, it just doesn't work.

But I totally disagree. Without a doubt, this is the best looking Xbox Microsoft has ever launched. And for some to believe that it's not as good looking as the first Xbox 360 model the company launched is pure nonsense.

I can't help but wonder if the complaints about the Xbox One's design have more to do with Microsoft than the actual look of the product. Microsoft has found a way to make the Xbox One take on a streamlined, simple look, and it won't look or out of place in an entertainment center.

Even better, the Xbox One follows what is essentially the design playbook: keep it simple, keep it streamlined, and make it shine. The Xbox One delivers on all fronts. And it would seem, based on that, that the device would be thought of as a beauty.

[aquote]If Apple designed the Xbox One, would we be hearing the same complaints about what a bore the device's design is?[/aquote]

If Apple designed the Xbox One, would we be hearing the same complaints about what a bore the device's design is? I can't help but think not. Apple is considered the world's best product designer. And yet, every device it sells is simple, just like the Xbox One.

I understand the issues people have with Microsoft, Windows, Office, and the countless other products the company sells. I also see where people might take issue with Microsoft's seemingly interminable grip on the software market and its billions in cash that it hoards in its coffers. But I just don't understand why so many people find it so difficult to give the company some credit where it's due.

In the gaming space, Microsoft has done the impossible: come in late to the market, establish a high-end online-gaming service, and take on Sony. For that alone, the company should be commended. But the very fact that it's now looking at the possibility of beating out Nintendo and possibly trumping Sony in the next generation is something that many – including myself – thought couldn't happen.

Microsoft is, believe it or not, a hardware and entertainment company. And surprisingly, it's pretty darn good at it.

So, let's stop the nonsense and give Microsoft some credit where it's due. The Xbox One is not ugly, it's not boring, and it's certainly not something that people won't buy because of its design. The Xbox One will look nice in any entertainment center and has a design that I'd say the vast majority of average consumers will find quite nice.

Hating on Microsoft for its many flaws is one thing. But taking shots at its product design because it has a Microsoft logo on it doesn't make much sense.

The Xbox One's design is just fine.