Back in 2013, Team Xbox had a vision of an all-in-one entertainment centre that would ultimately become known as the Xbox One. The reveal event for this console was infamously TV-dominated, and a variety of mistakes during its unveiling (including that heavy TV focus) led to one of the most disastrous launches in the history of the industry.
Flash forward over a decade later though, and TV has become an arguably important part of the console experience. Many Xbox owners use the likes of Amazon Prime, Netflix and YouTube to get their TV fix on a daily basis, while other entertainment apps such as Spotify and Apple Music have proven extremely popular as well.
We're now at a point where some Xbox owners are spending more time with apps than actually playing any games, and that extends to the likes of the PS4 and PS5 too. Every version of the Xbox One along with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are fantastic systems for enjoying this kind of content - from Disney Plus to Paramount Plus!
So, we thought we'd wrap up this quiet Friday by asking which apps you personally use the most on your Xbox. Do you regularly go down YouTube rabbit holes? Are you hooked by Netflix? Does Spotify accompany most of your gaming sessions? Have you discovered a rare app you particularly like? Tell us in the comments down below.
Comments 48
YouTube first place.
Twitch second place.
Edge third place (even though it sucks).
None. Youtube occasionally if my Xbox is already on, but I’d always boot up YouTube through the tv app, never the Xbox.
@DNortonX same. Only apps I use on Xbox - all those lovely games.
Youtube
Disney+
Paramount+
Prime video
Netflix
Rewards app
Twitch
Only app I use is Spotify every now in then to play music in the background of some basic games like Fall Guys or The Crew Motorfest.
Store app, obviously. Also the Rewards and Bing apps (the latter for earning rewards points).
Crunchyroll, but that's only because it's not available on my TV.
@Chaotic_Neutral Same here. Came here to say that. It's ridiculous that Samsung TVs have Funimation, but not Crunchyroll.
It's a Sony app, and even Xbox has it!
None. I use an Apple TV for all my streaming.
None. Consoles use about 20 times more electricity to run these apps than your tv or a smart stick.
I do run Sky Go on PS5 as it isn't on TV and I would run other apps on console if my TV didn't cover them.
Let's see:
Edge
Very rarely:
Disney+
Prime
@Kaloudz yep. Uses a lot more power.
@Kaloudz sadly yes. Something like an Amazon fire stick uses around 2-4 watts whereas XSX uses 48 watts for streaming but up to 100+ if you have things downloading etc.
I’ll try and add a link to an article from Eurogamer on the subject if I can find it. They did a big look at the energy efficiency and how green consoles were. One of the key takeaways was don’t use consoles to stream tv IF you have other options. Small changes can mean but differences.
I only use the core apps like Store, Events, Game Pass.
@Kaloudz @themightyant looking for this? https://www.eurogamer.net/psa-avoid-your-console-apps-for-video-streaming-if-you-can
@Kaloudz funny how i looked up power usage for consoles vs high end gaming pc. the pc uses 30 time more than console.
Apple music or Spotify.
YouTube is the only app I use on console as my TV app is a bit slow, for Amazon I just use my TV and I don't watch any of the others
@rustyduck for doing what? My PC barely uses more than my PS5 and might have double the power draw when pushed
@ParsnipHero Yes. Hero!
My series x is on the desk in my office so I just use my pc for streaming or browser. I usually have a podcast or music on while I play xbox.
My series S has the xscreen attached pretty much at all times. It has youtube, peacock, and Amazon video installed but I can't remember the last time I used them.
I don't use apps on my Xbox. It is strictly for gaming.
Any streaming is done via my 4K Chromecast.
@rustyduck Only at full power draw. My gaming PC draws half of my Series X when even web browsing and even playing some games.
@themightyant haha, nah. Just a parsnip!
Now that I have a smart TV I don't use any on my Xbox anymore. Before I used YouTube, Netflix, and Sling mostly.
Rewards app and nothing much else!
Incidentally, did anyone notice that the 1,000 point Game Pass reward seems easier than last month? Maybe because February lasts 28 days whereas January lasts about 60? Brotato is pretty good for daily achievements, basically Vampire Survivors with a spud.🥔
just wondering if anyone knows? Which is better for streaming? The inbuilt in the TV or the Xbox? Wondered if one upscales better than the other.
Spotify more than anything else. If the game doesn't require me to listen to any sort of story, I play music. Last night I played PalWorld while listening to the Silent Hill 2 OST. Odd choice but I make my own rules lol.
Xbox Accessories app to remap the buttons on my Elite Series 2 controller. Recent examples include MGS2 HD, Dark Souls 3, and a couple of other games that badly need remaps which don't have an in-game option.
That's pretty much it besides the Store app (rarely) and Rewards app (even rarer).
The Movies and TV app. I own hundreds of movies on Xbox. I use my smart tv for Netflix, Disney, etc.
None. I used Crunchyroll once, since there’s not a native app in LG.
1. YouTube
2. HBO MAX
3. Twitch
4. Edge 💚
5. Netflix
@Kaloudz Shudder before it left, YouTube and that's it
Netflix
Hulu
YouTube
Tubi - great for b sci-fi
I use it for all my streaming, no need to take up another HDMI port for something that can do everything the Xbox can. Unless im playing a game on another console i use the Xbox for everything on my tv.
Never used any app on whatever console. Using the apps on my smart tv with a normal remote is so much easier.
@LX_FENIX Don’t all televisions nowadays carry their own apps? I can download pretty much all streaming services on my Qled.
None, I use the built in apps on my TV.
Crunchyroll and YouTube are my most used apps
Streaming:
Non streaming:
Don’t think I’ve ever used a single streaming app on my Xbox.
@Darude84 Same, I just use the apps on my smart TV instead.
@Kieduss I'm surprised no one else said Microsoft Movies and TV app.
I'm slowly building my own streaming service one movie a week... At least for me I find Netflix has so much low quality content on it. If I want Ultra HD content, it's CAD$20.99/mo. Every Tuesday, there's a new selection of CAD$4.99 movies, many of the ones I'm interested in are UHD, plus there are other sales, which means I can buy one good movie a week (4 a month) for the same price as a Netflix UHD monthly fee and I'm owning way better content, eventually I'll slow down and save $ vs Netflix
I have Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, Max, Starz, SreenPix installed on my Xbox; however, I use my Xbox for nothing but gaming, and my tv apps through my television.
I don't as using the console to run apps is less power efficient than a streaming device or any kind of TV set top box.
It was a horror film thing like Netflix, but specialises in horror films
@Darude84 I'm still rocking an oldschool non smart tv 😂 and even then, no need to bother connecting the tv to the internet or switching inputs or remotes, i just find it the most convenient to do everything on the Xbox
VLC media player.
Amazon Prime
Paramount+
Disney
Apple TV
Youtube
Netflix
Now TV
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