Putting a console on its side is something that’s been popular since the days of the PS2. And why not? After all, some folks might not have the room needed in the entertainment center to put their system flat, and have to figure out a way to make some room in it.
If you’re hoping to swap out your 360 for the Xbox One in such a way, I’ve got bad news for you. Microsoft revealed late last week that the Xbox One isn’t designed to work in a vertical orientation. According to Albert Panello, senior director of product management and planning, “it wouldn’t be a cooling problem, we just didn’t design the drive for vertical. Because it’s a slot loading drive, we just didn’t design it for both”.
That kind of sucks, but in the end it isn’t a huge deal. If you’re getting an Xbox One and you don’t have the room to make it horizontal, you might just have to take a few minutes to rearrange your entertainment center to make it work. Or, you could just get a PS4, as you can buy a vertical stand for it, if you really want to.