Xfinity’s cable box gives you access to live TV, sports, loads of on-demand entertainment, your favorite streaming apps, a decent DVR storage space, and top-notch technology. You’ll get a Premium subscription to Peacock for free, watch what you want within seconds with a voice remote, and get daily updates on the news and weather. But more importantly, this DVR lets you record 20–300 SD hours of TV programming for $0–$20 per month. Let’s take a deeper dive into the details to determine if Xfinity’s X1 is right for you. Your first TV box is $7.50 per month, and the additional TV box’s for your living room downstairs and your kid’s bedroom will be $7.50 per month each. And depending on how much your household records TV shows and movies will determine if you spend $0 per month for your included 20-hour DVR service, $10 for 150 storage hours, or $20 for 300. So your X1 experience could be $45 per month on top of the monthly TV package price. Yikes. But you won’t find a cable TV box similar to the X1. You might find the X1 is worth the price when you read more about the features you can’t get with another DVR. Compared to other cable TV services, the X1’s storage space sits in the middle of the pack (scroll down a little for more comparisons). You’re not likely to run out of space, so you and the family won’t have to stress about finding more space for the first Las Vegas Raiders playoff game (since your kid so happens to have a dance performance the same night). And to make family matters even better, you can record six shows at once when you’re not at home. Or you can record five shows at once while you’re actively watching TV. It’s difficult to compare pricing across all cable TV providers because all cable companies have different fees. Some give you a better deal when you order a certain number of set-top boxes, some include the first-set top box into your plan, and some let you choose how much storage space you’d like. To get a better idea of pricing, check out our top cable TV providers review. But, for now, we’ll give you a quick rundown:
Xfinity TV’s first cable box is $7.50 per month, additional are $7.50, and the DVR service is $0–20. Spectrum TV’s monthly price for one receiver is $9. The DVR service for two receivers is the same price as the X1, but you’ll get only one-third of the storage space. Verizon Fios TV includes the first set-top box with two of its plans. If you’d like 500 HD hours of storage space, your monthly price will be $20 (that’s the price of Xfinity’s DVR service for 150 HD/ 300 SD hours). Optimum TV charges $11 per month for each cable TV box. To get the same storage space as the X1, the monthly fee will cost $22. Cox TV includes the first set-top box in your plan. And Cox TV certainly has the most generous DVR storage space, but you’ll have to pay $30 each month for the 1,000-hour DVR service.
Xfinity’s DVR has an easy-to-use guide, free on-demand content, a hands-free voice remote, and some extra features and technology that make this X1 stand out. Xfinity’s X1 also makes it easy for you to record new episodes of a TV series. Just use the search option or click on a show in the guide, click Record, and a pop-up will ask if you’d like to record the single episode or all future episodes. You can access the standard guide when you click the Guide button, but you’ll get more options when you click the Guide button twice. From left to right, you can choose to see the following:
All Channels Free to Me (on-demand titles) HD channels Favorites (channels you’ve favorited) Trending (current popular shows) Movies Sports Kids
When you hover over a program in the guide, click info. Here you’ll find Series and Movie Info to find more information about the actors. You can even set up recordings based on your favorite actors or directors! Additionally, you’ll see Rotten Tomatoes and audience ratings on the right-hand side when you hover over the program. No one wants to waste their time watching a movie with a critic rating of 50% or less. Just say “ESPN,” “Watch Paw Patrol,” or “Show me action movies.” You can also ask questions like “When is the next Chiefs game?” or “What’s on tonight at seven o’clock?” Another convenient feature we really like on the remote: when you click the Last button, a pop-up at the bottom of the screen lets you see the last nine channels or recordings you recently watched. So you can just quickly jump to your favorite channel you watch every day or to the This Is Us recording you didn’t finish. And the X1 has some cool everyday built-in features, such as sports stats, weather, and news. So if you’re looking to consolidate your daily activities from the couch, these features are convenient. While you’re cleaning the living room or kitchen, you can throw on Pandora and listen to your favorite jams. If you pause your movie because your spouse has to use the restroom for the third time, the X1 will keep you entertained with rotating images. There will be beautiful pictures of animals and landscapes while recent news headlines pop up on the bottom lefthand corner. And lastly, you’ll get to enjoy everything in high-definition picture. Who doesn’t love to watch a Western and feel like you’re in the movie, as well? You’ll also be able to rent and buy movies from the comfort of your home.
You don’t have a DVR (record those NFL games or cooking shows) You have Xfinity TV and internet service You like the idea of a Cloud DVR so you can watch your recordings on any of your devices anytime on the Xfinity Stream app You want to record six shows at once (perfect for families) You want to set up a DVR recording from your smartphone
If one of these categories made you raise your hand, the X1 would be worth it for you and your family. If not, you can save money by not paying those pesky fees (and use it toward movie snacks). Check out our Xfinity TV Review to find out more about channel lineups, bundles, and compatible devices. The X1 makes it possible to do the following:
When you click on a program, you can see cast and crew information along with movie reviews and ratings.Set up recordings based on your favorite actors or directors.Record a show two weeks in advance.You’ll get access to lots of on-demand content.Click “Last” on the remote, and you’ll be able to choose one of the nine channels or recordings you recently viewed.The X1 has everyday built-in features, such as sports stats, weather, and news.Like other set-top boxes, the X1 comes with a voice remote control and lots of integrated apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Spotify.
Each set-top box is $7.50 per month, but the DVR service could potentially be free if you’re OK with 20 hours of DVR storage. If you need to upgrade, Xfinity charges $10 for 150 hours and $20 for 300. The Xfinity X1 set-top box costs $7.50 per month for each box you order for your home.
