The Perfect Thing (Premium)

Even the most beloved of personal technology products betray their users in at least some small way over time. Perfection is never really possible, of course. But after almost two months of daily use, the Xbox One S has passed the test. It is the perfect thing.

This is very rare.

As a reviewer—that is, a professional critic—I can find fault in almost anything. In fact, it’s almost too easy. We could play a word association game, and you could throw me the name of any tech product—the Dell XPS 13, for example—and I could immediately respond with its shortcomings: Terrible Wi-Fi performance and compatibility, and that stupid “up the nose” webcam placement.

That doesn’t mean I don’t like or even “love” some products, in as much as you can love a thing. There were several Nokia Lumia products that just felt “right” in the hand, thanks to their incredible industrial design and durable materials. The Intel NUC I’m now using is adorable, affordable, and surprisingly powerful. The Microsoft Sculpt keyboard I’m now typing on offers an excellent ergonomic experience that has helped prevent carpal tunnel syndrome from cutting my workdays short. The original Zune still amazes with its unique “double-shot” exterior and smart, still-modern software design. And so on. But each of these things falls (or fell) short in some way.

Microsoft Surface is a great and obvious example of how tech products can achieve near-perfection but then fall apart in real world use. The Surface Book’s reliability issues are legendary, and mar what many believe to be a truly incredible design. But it’s not just that: Surface Book’s goofy hinge is over-designed and overly-complex, and owners routinely need to detach the clipboard screen from the device when the keyboard and trackpad stop working. Here, Microsoft’s desire to be different outweighed practical issues and the result was a laptop, not a lighter Ultrabook, with a dodge removable screen few people really need. It’s unfortunate, because Surface Book otherwise is great looking, provides a wonderful typing experience, and has a nice, large screen.

Surface Book has betrayed me in ways both big and small over the past several months, but I put up with the dodgy reliability because, overall, it’s still one of the best portable PCs I’ve ever used. (Well, that and because hardware makers naturally want their review products returned to it; any 14-inch ThinkPad X-series would be a superior travel companion, as would a few HPs.) It’s excellent in many ways. But it’s not perfect. Not even close.

Indeed, the difference between “excellent” and “perfect” is, many ways,time. It’s why I don’t publish product reviews after just a few days of use. And while I don’t follow-up on reviews as much as I’d like—it’s often impossible, to be fair—those products that do work their way into my routine, replacing or augmenting others things I use, are special.

But what about those products that just keep excelling over time, and never reveal some weakness or design mistake? Well, now. That almost never happens.

Xbox One S is such a product. Looking over my original review from early August, I see that I described it as “a winner, a svelter and more attractive take on Microsoft’s flagship video game console.” And that Microsoft addressed my complaints about the original Xbox One, including its bulk, noise, and too-high pricing.

I’m not sure I expressed this well in that review, but one of the things that makes Xbox One S special is that Microsoft worked within the confines of designing something that needed to be “cheaper”—less costly to build, via component consolidation and pricing, and by using less costly materials—and yet still arrived at something that is “nicer” than its predecessor. Yes, the Xbox One S is better looking, in my opinion, but it goes beyond that. The plastic casing is matte now, and white, and it doesn’t highlight fingerprints, scuff marks, or scratches like its predecessor. It doesn’t catch the light in the room and reflect it back at you. It is just … better.

It is also beautiful. On many occasions, we’ve been watching TV at night and I have found myself regarding the Xbox One S, just … looking at it. The design is a classic for the ages, I think, similar to that of the iPhone 4, that otherwise most-flawed of Apple’s handsets. It’s just a stunner.

I did complain in my review that the new Xbox Wireless Controller that ships with Xbox One S feels cheaper than its predecessor. This is true, but over time I’ve come to understand that it doesn’t detract from the experience. I own and have recommended the expensive Xbox Elite Wireless Controller, but I’ve been using my custom-designed green Xbox Wireless Controller for the past month, and it has held up well and works just great.

Xbox One S comes with a variety of storage options, each at affordable price points. (And seriously, how often do I not complain about pricing?) The VW-sized power brick from the previous version is gone. The device, if not truly silent, is much quieter than its predecessor, and is in fact admirably quiet for a device with this much horsepower and versatility. Its 4K and HDR capabilities are transformative, a fact that became immediately obvious when we finally broke down and purchased a compatible UHD TV.

I’ve become so accustomed to the failures of technology that I’m confused and surprised when it doesn’t happen. Yes, it’s only been two months. But it usually takes a lot less time than that for a personal technology product to reveal its dark side. The Xbox One S has not done so. And again, I use it every single day.

The Xbox One S is the perfect thing.

I’m curious about your perfect things, and, no, the point of this is not so I can point out whatever weaknesses I perceive to exist in your choices. The nice thing about this exercise is that “perfect” is subjective, personal. You may feel so strongly about your Surface Book, for example, that the problems I’ve described don’t even register. Or maybe you never use that terrible webcam on the Dell XPS 13 you love so much. Whatever. That’s for you to decide.

I will add that I can think of only one other perfect thing that I own and can recommend: The Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphone set. These headphones are in-ear and pack small and light, unlike those humongous over-the-ear units others use, the battery life is amazing, and they work even if the battery is dead. They, too, are the perfect thing.

So what have you got?