Comcast Xfinity X1 DVR Review

Xfinity’s X1 DVR gives you the best of all worlds.

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 can stream Peacock Premium 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 150 HD or 300 SD hours of TV programming.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the details to determine if Xfinity’s X1 is right for you.

How much does Xfinity’s X1 DVR cost?

Unfortunately, Xfinity has a big list of fees. And most of those fees are for the X1 set-top box.

Your first TV box is $5 per month, and the additional TV box for your living room downstairs will be $10 per month. And you’ll likely want crisp HD channels ($10/month) and DVR service ($10/month).

So your X1 experience will be $40 per month on top of the monthly TV package price. Yikes.

Unfortunately, Xfinity’s TV box has the highest number of fees in the TV industry, 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.

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If you want to know more about other fees Xfinity has, check out our full review, which includes regional sports and broadcast fees.

How many hours of DVR storage does Xfinity’s X1 have?

The X1 Cloud DVR can store 150 HD or 300 SD hours, and your recordings will save indefinitely.

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).

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To put 150 hours in perspective, you can record 30 episodes of The Office, 30 episodes of Family Feud, 20 episodes of The Murder Tapes, 10 soccer games, and 28 movies.

You’re not likely to run out of space, so you and the family won’t have to stress about finding more space for that final NBA championship 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.

How does Xfinity’s X1 compare to other DVRs?

The Xfinity X1 is one of the best DVRs in the cable TV industry, primarily because of its features and technology. But the X1 might not be the best when it comes to pricing (it’s not the worst either).

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 $5 per month, the DVR service is $10, and you’ll most likely want HD channels ($10/month).
• 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 and HD fee combined).
• 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.

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How does Xfinity’s X1 work?

Pause, rewind, and fast-forward live TV, or schedule a DVR recording up to two weeks in advance with the X1 (so you don’t miss the first episode of the new season of The Bachelorette).

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.

How does the Xfinity X1’s guide work?

Xfinity’s guide is intuitive, smooth, and easy to search through.

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.

We also like the Episodes button. With this convenient button, you’ll be able to see all episodes that are available for you to stream.

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

Some guide features you movie buffs might enjoy are cast and crew information and movie reviews and ratings.

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.

How does the Xfinity X1’s voice remote work?

Say your command into the voice remote, and voila! You get what you asked for within seconds.

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.

First of all, you can stream NBC Peacock, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube, HBO Max, Pandora, and Spotify.

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.

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Recap: Is Comcast Xfinity’s X1 DVR worth it?

The X1 isn’t applauded for nothing

Xfinity’s X1 is worth it if you fall into the following categories:

• You don’t have a DVR (record those MLB games or cooking shows)
• You have Xfinity’s TV and internet service
• You like the idea of a Cloud DVR so you can watch your recordings on any of your devices anytime
• 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.

FAQs

What is the advantage of the Xfinity X1?

The Xfinity X1’s greatest upside is its technology and features you can’t get with another DVR.

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.

Is the Xfinity X1 free?

The Xfinity X1 isn’t included in the pricing of your Xfinity TV plan.

Your first set-top box is $5 per month, additional TV boxes are $10, and DVR service for the X1 is an extra $10.

Is Netflix free with the Xfinity X1?

Comcast Xfinity doesn’t include a free subscription to Netflix with its plan, but it does include a free subscription to NBC Peacock.