The Council for the Defense of Natural Resources has written a new report on the power consumption of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. It appears that the next two generation consoles use a lot of energy; in particular, the amount of energy consumed by the consoles is significantly higher than their predecessors, and power programs on the systems use more energy than other devices do. As a result, users will not only cause more pollution but also increase their home environment costs. According to the group, the systems actually use more energy than the televisions on which they are played!
“When playing the latest games, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles draw between 160 and 200 plus watts of electricity, which is higher than previous-generation consoles,” the report said. “It’s more power than the large 60-inch TV it can be connected to! The good news is that these consoles reach significantly lower power levels when playing games designed for older consoles and backwards compatible. The Xbox Series S on the entry level has lower power levels during gaming than the other three new consoles. “
One of the biggest calls for next-generation consoles is how fast they can switch between games and apps, thanks to the much slower speeds. However, it seems that this is a big part of the problem when it comes to energy consumption. According to the group, TV programs on consoles consume 30 to 70 watts, which is 10 to 25 times the amount used via dedicated devices such as Roku or Amazon Fire Stick.
Players may not be able to do much about the power consumption that occurs while playing larger games, but there is one thing Xbox Series X owners can do to make an impact. According to the NRDC, the system is transmitted with ‘instant on’ activated in all areas other than Europe. When players switch the system to the “energy saving” option, it uses less than a single watt of energy when not in use.
“Based on the NRDC modeling carried out until 2025, this seemingly unimportant decision by Microsoft could lead to an annual electricity generation of 500 KW (500 MW), costing the new US Xbox owners about $ 1 billion on their electricity. accounts, ”reads the report.
It will be interesting to see if Microsoft and Sony try to address these issues after the release of the report. There is a lot of appeal in the way that the next generation platforms can run faster and deliver better graphics, but it is clear that there was a bit of a compromise for players and the environment.
Did you buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X? Are you worried about the potential energy costs? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to play over everything that plays!