Xfinity X1 Review 2023

The X1 from Xfinity is a cool little DVR. It has a user-friendly interface, excellent voice remote, and more integrated streaming apps than other DVRs. It also has a solid mobile app that lets you access your live channels, on-demand content, cloud DVR recordings, and subscription streaming apps on your mobile devices.

When compared to other providers’ DVRs, the X1 has low-to-average storage and simultaneous recordings—and its price is high. But this everything-in-one box keeps us interested in the X1 despite those shortcomings.

Xfinity X1 pros and cons

• Integrated streaming apps
• Xfinity Stream app for mobile watching
• User-friendly interface

• Mediocre storage
• Internet requirement for DVR access
• HD fee
• Limited 4K support

Jump to:

• X1 vs. the competition
• Features and specs
• Xfinity X1 voice remote
• User interface
• X1 apps
• Our final take
• FAQ

Xfinity X1 vs. the competition

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

So, yeah—about the X1’s storage and pricing: this table compares X1 DVR pricing and features with those of other providers.

The tricky thing about Xfinity’s DVR offering is that your prices and options will vary wildly depending on where you live and what packages you’re looking at. If you want an Xfinity X1, you’re going to need to bundle your TV plan with internet, and then your monthly set-top box fee could be somewhere between $7.50 and $8.50.

This set-top box grants you access to HD storage (the “HD fee”), but the amount of X1 cloud storage you get is dependent on your plan and what add-ons you pick during checkout. You could get anywhere from 20–300 hours of cloud storage and pay up to $30.00 for the privilege of recording your favorite TV shows.

And then there’s the kicker: you technically don’t need to buy the X1 box at all in order to use X1 Cloud Storage. You could opt to skip the box and purchase cloud storage directly, only accessible from xfinity.com/stream and the Xfinity Stream app. All of your recordings would be SD instead of HD, though, so maybe that’s not your thing.

In contrast, DIRECTV gives you 200 hours of HD storage free with its plans. The DISH Hopper 3 has 500 hours for $10.00 a month (with some catches—check out our DISH Hopper 3 Review for more information on its hidden fees). And if you like to watch all the TV, the Cox Contour Record 24 offers 1,000 hours for $30 per month. So, the X1 isn’t the best value.

X1 DVR specs and features

The X1 DVR comes in three different versions of the same model (the XG1). Each has the same primary features, ports, and user interface, but we cover some differences under “X1 missing features” below. The version you get depends on what your region has in stock when you order.

While feature-rich, the X1 doesn’t have much more to offer compared to other providers’ DVRs. But it does support more streaming apps than the DIRECTV Genie and DISH Hopper 3.

X1 missing features

As we mentioned, the X1 models all perform the same key functions, but there are little differences between them. Most of these are minor, but some will matter to certain users.

If you’ve got an old device or TV without HDMI ports, you’ll have trouble connecting it to the X1 without component or composite video ports. Then again, you probably won’t need to do that anyway since most newer TVs have both HDMI and component video ports (and composite video is nearly dead).

No 4K support on the XG1v1 and XG1v3 units is a bigger problem if you own (or plan to buy) a 4K TV. You’ll be fine with the XG1v4 but, again, you aren’t guaranteed a particular model.

X1 ports

* XG1v1 and XG1v3 only.

Xfinity X1 voice remote

Xfinity offers its voice remotes in two models: the XR11 and XR15. They’re a bit different in layout and style, but they do the same things. Here are a few of the key features:

• Voice control
• Backlit keypad
• 5-minute skip for live TV or DVR recording
• 10-minute skip for Xfinity On Demand
• Aim Anywhere function
• Automatic pairing
• Easy-to-use accessibility features (closed captioning, video description, voice guidance)

You can see the snazzy voice remote in action here:

Xfinity X1 TV remote app

If you download the app for iOS or Android devices, you can navigate your X1 menu on your phone and use it to control your TV system. Like the remote itself, the smartphone app can also recognize voice commands.

Xfinity X1 viewing experience

We’ve highlighted the hardware, so let’s move on to the software. Here’s what you need to know about the X1 viewing experience.

User interface

The X1’s guide and menu design obviously borrows from online streaming services. The system displays network logos, which makes finding channels easy, and the program you’re watching keeps playing in a small window while you search.

While the X1’s design is sleek, its function can be a little slow at times. You can minimize lag by keeping your system updated. Also, some people don’t like the font size. We think it’s fine.

Finding a show or movie

With Xfinity TV service, you can search by text or voice, and the X1 system will show results for live airings, reruns, on-demand titles, and DVR recordings. You can narrow your search further by selecting specific filtering categories.

When you finish watching an on-demand TV show, the X1 system will ask if you want to watch the next episode. And the “Last” function doesn’t just tell you the last program you watched—it tells you the last nine, including live, on-demand, or recorded programs. That’s handy if you stumbled upon something cool but can’t recall the title.

Accessing Netflix and other streaming apps

One of the best X1 features is integrated music and video streaming apps. Most of these require a separate paid subscription. To access them, use the voice remote to search for the app, then sign in with your credentials (not your Xfinity login info).

While this feature isn’t much different than what you’d get with a streaming TV device like Roku or Fire TV, it’s convenient that you won’t have to switch between devices to access the app.

Recording TV

The Xfinity X1 DVR lets you pause, rewind, and fast-forward live TV, and you can record up to six shows at once. You can also order additional boxes for additional TVs in your home, and use any of them to schedule, watch, or delete recordings on the master X1 unit.

Unlike traditional DVRs, the X1 DVR stores all your recorded programs on cloud technology, not on a hard disk inside the machine. This means you’re technically streaming your recordings, which requires an internet connection. If you’re worried about buffering, download your shows ahead of time to watch later.

Exceeding your storage limit means the X1 will start recording over your old shows by default. Don’t worry—you can protect specific shows from this rule or check your deleted shows to recover them.

Software updates

To keep your X1 in peak condition, keep it on, online, and updated. If your system is offline when the updates come through (typically in the early morning), they’ll be backlogged for later. If too many updates pile up, your system will run slower.

Viewing experience summary

X1 really shines with its highly customizable user interface. The viewing experience is nearly seamless. You can bounce smoothly from Netflix to the big game to the latest episode of Better Call Saul— whether you’re watching on the X1 or on the go via the Xfinity Stream app.

Xfinity X1 mobile apps

Xfinity offers eight mobile apps, two of which are directly related to the X1.

Xfinity Stream

Available on Android, Amazon, and iOS devices—and currently in beta for select LG and Samsung smart TVs—the Xfinity Stream app lets you watch live TV and Xfinity On Demand on your device. X1 customers can even download, stream, set, and manage X1 Cloud DVR recordings from this app.

Xfinity TV Remote

This one’s available for Android and iOS devices, but not Amazon’s. It allows you to turn your smartphone into a voice-remote control—which is handy when you’re too lazy (or grossed out) to root around in your couch cushions.

X1 apps

The X1 supports 100+ free apps and 90+ subscription apps to really round out your viewing experience. Fittingly, many of these are entertainment apps (film, music, and TV)—but there are also dozens of fitness, food, gaming, home and garden, kids, and travel applications.

Final take

The X1 is an agile DVR, and while the seamless integration is exciting, the lack of storage is a real issue. But even if competitors have more storage and simultaneous recordings, the X1 still gets the job done.

If you want to know more about other TV options, enter your zip code below to find your local providers.

For more reviews on DVRs and TV equipment, visit our equipment review section.

Xfinity X1 FAQ

Methodology

Our TV experts have spent dozens of hours in the trenches of provider checkout pages to bring you the most up-to-date information on Xfinity’s cable TV service. For this piece, we focused on Xfinity’s X1 receiver/DVR, comparing it to other cable and satellite TV providers’ DVRs based on pricing, features, options, and more to bring you the most up-to-date information and analysis. For more information on our evaluation and ranking process, head over to How We Rank.

ENDNOTE

1. Xfinity.com, “X1 TV Box Comparison – DVR vs. Non-DVR.” Accessed April 20, 2021.