I want to do something that I almost never do: talk about #Xbox.

A year ago, I got an Xbox One X thanks to an offer I couldn't refuse, and it opened my eyes to the benefits of a platform I'd kinda written off.

So, I wanted to go over some of the things it does that I love.

Quick background: I grew up an Apple/Mac kid, and the "war" between Mac people and Windows people was extremely ugly back in those days. So, being younger and more emotional, I grew to dislike Microsoft—they were the enemy!

So, right for the start, I had little love for Xbox.

I only got an original Xbox because I desperately wanted Jet Set Radio Future and to continue playing Phantasy Star Online after people moved on from DC PSO.

My friends were huge into Halo, and forced me to play Halo 2. Beyond those (and Links 2004), I barely played my OG Xbox.

There was no way I could deny the Xbox 360 was a great system. It was a workhorse (except for you know) that almost always had the better version of multiplatform games.

My allegiance was still with PS3, but I couldn't have it as my one primary system no matter how hard I tried.

We all then know what happened to the Xbox One in the days leading to launch. Nobody would blame anyone for writing the system off at that point.

I had one for work, and was totally fair to the platform whenever reviewing its games, but it was afterthought on a personal level.

I knew how much work the Xbox team had been putting into turning the platform around, but using my X extensively over the past year has really shown me how far it's come.

And, not only that, but how many little things it offers that I—and many—never give it credit for.

One big thing for me—and I know this will seem small—is easily being able to change my gamertag. Switching from my old handle to my new one was a big deal to me, and it was super easy on Xbox.

Meanwhile, I'm TERRIFIED to try it over on PS, and risk my 13+ years of purchases.

Another thing that many might not care about is that physical and digital games are the exact same thing.

At this point, I mostly buy my games digitally, but there are times when I decided that I care about a game enough to want a physical copy as back-up.

On Xbox One, if I have a digital license for a game, I can just install from disc and be good to go. This is super convenient, and also helps me be able to juggle my installed game library far easier, as I no longer have to use bandwidth to re-download games.

Speaking of re-downloading, while I haven't used it much, the ability to distribute digital games from one local Xbox One to another so you can avoid multiple downloads is one of those many little features MS has built into the console that really goes under-appreciated.

I also really appreciate the way Xbox One handles cloud saves. I never have to think about it, and never need to worry if I've got enough room for saves to upload. It actually took me a long time to even fully realize all my games were using cloud saves with how seamless it is.

I know this is a huge point of argument for some, but I LOVE that Xbox controllers run off of regular batteries. My favorite DualShock 3 is sitting here useless because its battery died, and I haven't had the energy to dig through the process of buying and swapping in a new one.

For my Xbox controllers, I just toss in a fresh pair of Eneloops whenever they're running low.

Also, as a handheld fanatic, I've grown really weary of hardware with built-in batteries. We've seen too many cases of where that can go wrong.

While on the controller topic, while I hopefully will never have need for one, the Xbox Adaptive Controller is a very important accessory to me. I know MS is a company that exists to make money, but endeavors like those show that they can also care about important matters too.

There's no way that the Adaptive Controller was ever made with profit in mind, given how niche of an item it is. What it does in terms of opening up access to gaming to those who might not otherwise be able to play, though, is incredibly meaningful.

Game Pass is fantastic. Even as someone who gets to experience a wide selection of gaming's offerings through work, I've still discovered a ton of titles through the program, or been able to play games I absolutely would have missed otherwise.

By far one of the biggest things I've grown to love is MS's commitment to backward compatibility. Are they the only company to be doing it? Of course not. But their game plan for all that stuff is so aligned with what I personally want.

The Xbox team has made a huge commitment to BC, and I think it's going to continue to pay dividends in the future. My older games play even better, AND I feel more secure about today's games working tomorrow—to the point that it's affecting my choice in platform for some titles.

Finally, I appreciate some of the attempts at wider access MS tends to push. Things like the Xbox Indies initiative back on 360 where devs could self-publish, or Xbox Insider and the Game Preview program on One, where we can get early access to a wide variety of projects.

Lest anyone think I'm just sitting here kissing a ton of Xbox butt, there's still things about the console I don't like, decisions by the team I disagree with, and concerns I either have now or going forward. It's not a perfect console, of course not.

Still, I'm glad that I've been able to give the Xbox One a proper chance as a platform, beyond just the games themselves. The Xbox team really has put a lot of work into this platform, and it's a far cry from my early days of feeling it was disjointed, unfocused mess.

I mean, hell: one of the criticisms I've had with MS even since back in the Xbox 360 days is the chaos that has been their constantly-changing user interfaces, and I've even come to be okay with the Xbox One's current user design.

Oh... and I greatly appreciate that the Xbox team actually acknowledges that alphabetical order is a thing, unlike a certain other console maker.