After reading and reviewing Powers of X #2, I also agree that House of X, so far, is the better of the two series. I also agree that, when it comes to the characters, they definitely feel more distant and cold. (Not Nimrod, though. He's a hoot.) That said, we're also past the worldbuilding parts and definitely moving into the main plots. And there's no question that the X-Men haven't been this interesting in a long time.

Stillanerd Reads: Powers of X #2