What do YOU think of the new Xbox dashboard UI?

[Jez Corden]

So the new Xbox One dashboard is here, carrying with it a whole load of fluent design, but what do you think of it so far? Of course there's going to be more updates down the line, but if you were to give Microsoft your feedback, what would you say on this first version?

If you haven't seen it yet, here's my hands on video!

 

[nickx91]

It looks great!

 

[minus365]

Is there "Update all" in my Games&Apps\Updates?

 

[accursedvenom]

There is no update all, but there is an option to automatically keep games and apps updated.

 

[Kevin Schaefer]

It is so much faster and easier to get around.

 

[Colin Froese]

Even though it may be faster, the new design clearly needs work. Lots of wasted space and too much "suggested content." Plus if you pin lots of stuff to your home screen, that'll mean ALOT of vertical scrolling. I'd much rather have the last dashboard update over this.

 

[anon(5725119)]

I don't understand why they've hidden friends/messages/notifications under another button click. It's so dumb. When I go to the friends tab, I want to see my friends straight away. This new change is genuinely ridiculous. I can't see how anyone thought this was a good idea.

The ads on the home screen are annoying as well. Suggested Friends, no matter how much Mike Ybarra/Larry Hyrb/Phil Spencer/whoever defends it, is stupid. I haven't heard one single person say, "Hey, I use this! It's great!" Stop shoving it in my face. If you insist on leaving it there, give me the option to turn it off.

There's wasted space EVERYWHERE, especially in the guide (because of everything being hidden behind an extra click, for no apparent reason).

I'm not happy that we're now limited to 18 pins.

I've only had an Xbox long enough to experience one new dashboard, and it was a really good improvement. This one, so far, is a big step back. For now, I still have faith that they'll bring it around.

 

[smokinjoe2122]

It's like they change it every 3 months...Seriously...Pick a design, stick with it, and improve upon it...

 

[Yakko Warner]

So far, the only thing I like about it is that it seems to be a little more responsive (when it's not crashing -- but it is an alpha preview, so bugs are to be expected). The Guide is more cumbersome (more clicks to get where you want, notifications on the settings tab for some reason), Guide icons no longer display on Home (can't tell at a glance if you have messages or notifications, have to open the Guide first now), fewer Pins allowed, content you can add to Home takes up a full screen with only four or five elements, suggestions (a feature I never use and just find annoying) taking up prominent real estate, the bottom 2/3 of your background image is obscured for no good reason...

My biggest fear is that they'll try to rush this version out in time for Scorpio's launch and won't have time to address issues or really listen to feedback.

 

[DJCBS]

I f*cking hate the ads. And the useless social spam. If they don't change that, it'll go on to being an even worse version of the current one. Which would make sense since the UI has gone from bad to worse since the first iteration.

The PS4 UI is so vastly superior and so much more consistent that it's becoming embarrassing for Microsoft to keep changing the design and continuing to miserably fail at delivering a good UI.

 

[tec goblin]

Filtering on community feed is great. The extra ad in the middle row not so much, and suggested friend I don't think it can work. I would prefer instead of that a consistent feature 'people you've played with in your last match' - that's how I can make friends more easily.

The cards while navigating the guide give some much needed context. I like the extra customisation of the main screen.

I don't agree with people complaining about 18 pins. In any grouping having more than 9 items is making you lose time to find the item you're searching for. More is not always better. I actually like how they're more visible in the guide - few but easily accessible is what pins should be about.

 

[Paul Josephson]

Thank god for you that Microsoft allows for the option to not pin anything. No pinning means will be no reason to scroll. Problem solved. You act like they are forcing you to pin things. - Want no pins, you can do that. Want a lot of pinned objects, games/apps/friends, etc.. you can do that too. It is called options. What you seem to want is not to have options and then complain that lack of personalizing options waste space too. Hey, for you it is easy you could pin nothing but maybe the old game/app pin widget and everything would practically all be on one screen.

 

[Paul Josephson]

Please PS4 is cluser F' in many respects. You are probably just are more use to it. Every time I go back the the PS4 it reminds that it is a mess. As for ads, come minor issue at best and not like PS4 UI doesn't have ads too. And stop acting like they making you watch commercials or it like they are popping up in your face. The current UI you get a game reference on the far right. The new UI it is a little different. As I said it is not like they are popping up large Dorito or Taco bell ads when you go to the home page. Most often it is just a new game being released.

Let's face it no interface is perfect. There are things on the XBox that have always worked much easier (even when they changed the UI) then the PS4 and vice versa where some things work better the way PS4 is setup. Unfortunately PS4, even with the many complaints on it's forums over the years, has done very little to rectify their issues. However, Microsoft at least is trying to change and respond to the requests of users.

 

[anon(10272511)]

So the new Xbox One dashboard is here, carrying with it a whole load of fluent design, but what do you think of it so far? Of course there's going to be more updates down the line, but if you were to give Microsoft your feedback, what would you say on this first version?

If you haven't seen it yet, here's my hands on video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3MZioX6r5Y

Garbage. I want my pins to be on top, as they are suppose to be the things I use more than others. Not only that, but the newest design makes ads space bigger than the most used functions on the dashboard.

 

[EssThree]

Can't say I'm a fan. I mean, it's still better than the PS4's UI, but it still has a number of issues that bother me: ads, screen space and number of steps to do tasks.

Yes, Windows 10 arguably has ads with its suggested content, but you can turn all of that off. This has been an issue I've had with these connected consoles since the "new Xbox 360 experience" way back when. I know these consoles essentially have subsidised prices, but if you're paying for gold that should free you from ads.

As for the wasted screen space, it still baffles me why the home screen is so bland and seemingly uncustomisable when there is so much empty space. Why are pins on a secondary screen when there is so much space on the home screen? It seems silly.

Finally, it looks like it takes a lot of button presses and screen transitions to do even the most simple things. I really don't like wasting my time wrestling with UI. Stuff should be easily accessible and quick to execute.

All in all, there's nothing here that makes me want to rush out and get an Xbox One S or preorder a One X. This feels like work from Microsoft's B-team when you look at the awesome work they're doing with Windows 10 and its UWP apps. If anything, it kind of reinforces my view that sticking with PC is the way to go.

 

[Jonathan Pavlik]

Every single change is for the worst. Garbage update. More ads, and more clicks to do anything and everything. Thanks a lot M$ designers. Every time I look at your programming I hate you slightly more. Great way to keep a customer.

 

[grydlok]

I don't like, too many steps to do the same things I been doing.