So, Microsoft's Xbox One has finally landed in South Africa (well, officially tomorrow anyway) after being missing from our shores for almost a year since its international release.

U nlike the Xbox One launch , the One S decoupled the Kinect requirement, reduced the size, switched to the now premium pearl white look, and added both 4K and HDR capabilities to both games and Blu-ray. All of this and Microsoft also reduced the launched price when compared to the original.

One Box to Rule Them All?

While the PS4 may have fairly categorically won the hardware war (Kinect aside) the Xbox One, at least on paper, has the gaming side of things wrapped up at launch. Its list of exclusive launch titles is much greater than that of its rival, and more importantly a couple of its AAA titles really...

The Xbox One is here ─ we review the third-generation games console to see if it has matured like a fine wine, or gone a bit stale

Stunning graphics; Excellent interface; Kinect is great; Blu-ray support

Expensive; Small initial games catalogue

A suitable replacement for the Xbox 360, and one possible way to tie all your home entertainment together.

Beautiful graphics; great gameplay experience; Subtly redesigned; extraordinarily comfortable controller; Blu-ray disc playback; HDMI input for...

Menu system is an awkward mix of 360 and Windows 8; Space-hungry; will not stand up on its end in ‘tower style; Not compatible with Xbox 360 headsets,...

Microsoft's aspirations to take over the living room didn't appear out of thin air. The Xbox 360 - which launched as a dedicated game console back in 2005 - has morphed considerably over its eight year lifespan.

Kinect is a powerful UI Tool; Multi-tasking is fast and easy; Games showcase strong performance and increased graphical fidelity

Lack of App Channel content; $100 more than a PS4; Kinect as a game instrument remains unproven; Xbox Live is essential for most apps and functions

The Xbox One is quick, quiet and capable of handling live TV and gorgeous games, all at the sound of your voice. $500 is a lot to ask, but it's much more than just a gaming console.

Wake-on-voice is very impressive, Excellent multitasking experience, Games are beautiful; console runs quietly, Great battery life, The best analog sticks on any gamepad, Rumble triggers

The most expensive console available; Limited selection of exclusive titles worth playing; Missing key promised functionality at launch; Shoulder buttons are cumbersome; Requires AA batteries

When the Xbox One was first announced, there seemed to be an overwhelming negative response. The announcement seemed to focus entirely on the One's ability to be a media player and incorporate live tv functionality, and didn't spend much time talking about games.

Voice feedback, when working, has a truly futuristic feel; Good game selection; Snap applications; Well designed controller; Xbox Live; Kinect

Voice feedback sometimes requires multiple attempts; No DLNA full support; No 3d blu ray playback; Gesture controls

Was exactly as described and worked perfectly with a couple updates as would be expected