Comcast Xfinity X1 DVR Review 2021

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• On this page:

• Xfinity s X1 DVR Pricing
• Xfinity s X1 DVR Storage Space
• Competition Comparison
• How Does the X1 Work
• Xfinity X1 Recap Is It Worth It
• FAQs

Home » TV Service

Comcast Xfinity X1 DVR Review

The fees for Xfinity's X1 can get pricey, but its technology might be the best in the industry

Xfinity X1 DVR 3.75

• Stores 20–300 SD recording hours
• Smooth technology/ unique features
• If you need 300 storage hours, you'll have to pay $20/mo.

View Plans By Chantel Buchi Aug 17, 2023 6 min read

Xfinity's X1 DVR offers 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'll get to 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.

• Xfinity's X1 DVR pricing
• Xfinity's X1 DVR storage space
• Competition comparison
• How does the X1 work?
• Xfinity X1 recap: Is it worth it?
• FAQs

How much does Xfinity's X1 DVR cost?

Xfinity has the normal set-top box and DVR fees, similar to watch you'd see with other cable and satellite TV providers.

Your first TV box is $9 per month, and the additional TV box's for your living room downstairs and your kid's bedroom will also be $9 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 $38 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.

How much are the fees for Comcast Xfinity's X1 DVR?

Fee	Monthly price*
Xfinity X1 TV box fee	$9.00/mo. each
DVR fee	$0.00–$20.00/mo.

*Data effective 08/16/2023.

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

The X1 Cloud DVR can store 20, 150, 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).

How much storage space does the Xfinity X1 have?

Storage space	Simultaneous recordings	DVR service fee
20 hours	6	$0.00/mo.
150 hours	6	$10.00/mo.
300 hours	6	$20.00/mo.

*Data effective 08/16/2023.

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 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 five shows at once when you're not at home. Or you can record five shows at once while you're actively watching TV.

Does the Xfinity X1 require internet?

The Xfinity X1 requires internet because of its Cloud DVR, which means it can save your recordings online, making it possible for you to watch your recordings with your streaming device on the go. If you already have Xfinity TV, we recommend Xfinity internet for the simplicity of one bill.

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 $9 per month, additional are $9, and the DVR service is $0–20.
• Spectrum TV's monthly price for one receiver is $11. The DVR service for two receivers ranges from $4.99 to $9.99 a month, which lets you record 50 to 100 shows at once.
• Verizon Fios TV includes the first set-top box with all 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 gives you your first TV box for free, charging $12 per month for each additional cable TV box. Optimum's DVR service is very similar to Xfinity's, ranging from $8–$20 a month for 25–150 hours of storage. 
• 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.

DVR	DVR storage space	Simultaneous recordings
Xfinity's X1	20–300 SD hours	6
Spectrum TV's DVR	35 HD/80 SD hours	3–Unlimited
Verizon Fios TV's DVR	50-100 HD/100-500 SD hours	2-6
Optimum TV's DVR	25-150 HD hours	15
Cox TV's DVR	250-1,000 HD hours	2-24

*Data effective 08/17/2023.

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 What We Do in the Shadows).

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.

With Xfinity, you can stream Peacock, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube TV, 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.

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 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).

FAQs

Expand All

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.

Each set-top box is $9.00 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. 

How much does the Xfinity X1 DVR cost?

The Xfinity X1 DVR service costs $0 for 20 hours of DVR storage, $10 per month for 150 SD hours of DVR storage, or $20 per month for 300 SD hours.

The Xfinity X1 set-top box costs $9.00 per month for each box you order for your home.

Is Netflix free with the Xfinity X1?

Comcast Xfinity doesn't include a free subscription to Netflix with its plan.

Written by Chantel Buchi Chantel is all about finding the best tv or streaming service to watch as many football games as possible to keep her Fantasy Football team in check. A former TV and Streaming Tech Reporter for Reviews.org, she has also worked for NFL Network and The Alliance of American Football. Before that, she received a B.A. of Communication at the University of Utah and an M.S. in Sports Journalism at USC. Go Utes and Fight On.

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