A recent report focusing on the latest generation of game consoles suggests that these highly powered machines offer impressive modes of assistance, but that they can consume energy depending on how you use them. The Council for the Defense of Natural Resources says that while Microsoft’s new Xbox series and Sony’s PlayStation 5 consoles make it easy to stream from services like Netflix or Disney +, they can consume 10 to 25 times more power than a dedicated streaming device. .
The report, published last week, focuses on the newly released Microsoft Xbox Series S and Series X, as well as Sony’s PlayStation 5 with and without a disc on board. Practical tests are based on a Series S and both versions of the PS5, and the group’s findings show that this latest generation game console can consume around 160 to 200 plus watts when games are designed specifically for those systems.
The power story changes a bit when these new consoles include games designed for consoles of the previous generation, or backwards compatibility. Thanks to efficiency improvements in their modern hardware, the new consoles can often use the older titles with better performance, while still consuming less energy than the consoles they replaced.
In terms of streaming, we noticed that these new game consoles have far more than enough horsepower at their disposal to serve as capable power devices. However, the NRDC data suggest that all-in-one convenience can come at the expense of higher energy bills. The group estimates that using a new Xbox or PlayStation console to stream Netflix or similar services will require 10 to 25 times more power than using a dedicated box such as a Roku Ultra or a Chromecast with Use Google TV.
The Xbox Series S, which is meant to be cheaper and less powerful than the Series X or PS5, for example, needed about 31 watts to power from Netflix and 41 watts for Amazon Prime during the NRDC testing. The more powerful PS5 used about 68 to 70 watts for the same services, and it is possible that the Series X requires similar power.
That said, the NRDC has praised Microsoft as well as Sony for improving efficiency when these new consoles are not in use. The new machines can consume less than 1 watt if they are in so-called standby or sleep modes, although the group Sony and Microsoft recommend exploring ways to further improve their respective energy-saving options.
In general, it is not so shocking that machines that boast flash hardware consume significant energy, but it is interesting to see how this can add up, especially if you want to save money on your energy bill. The Xbox Series S / X and PS5 are definitely very capable streaming devices – even if certain features are missing, such as 4K output through the PS5’s Disney5 app. But if power consumption is a concern (and you have the budget and the availability of HDMI to make it possible), a dedicated streamer might be a good investment.
Philip Palermo