Practical function turns out to be a cost trap
With the Xbox Series X, Microsoft currently has the most powerful next-gen console on offer. But a practical function could cost players a lot of money over a long period of time – this is shown by initial projections. With a simple setting, however, players can overcome this disadvantage.
Power guzzler Xbox Series X: Stand-by mode should cost players a billion dollars on balance
Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X offers various practical functions that make the console even better and, above all, faster. In addition to the Xbox-exclusive Quick Resume, which lets you switch between several games in a few seconds, the Xbox Series range also offers two different energy modes.
While the “Fast start-up” setting ensures that the console starts up within a very short time and the players can install games on their Xbox via the app while on the move, the “Energy-saving” mode lives up to its name. It deactivates these functions, but also ensures that the console uses significantly less power.
What a huge difference that makes, they have Energy experts from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found out. According to their projections, the “fast boot” mode of the new Xbox devices will keep American gamers overall additional electricity costs worth around one billion US dollars arise – an unbelievably horrific sum! The bottom line is that the discontinuation would consume just under 4 billion additional kilowatt hours in the USA over the next few years, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of around 3 million tons.
We have summarized all information about Xbox Series S and Series X for you in the video:
Save energy with the Xbox: Experts recommend the real energy saving mode
In order to do not only a favor for your own wallet but also for the environment, the energy experts recommend that players put their console into “energy saving” mode. Xbox users can find the corresponding setting under “Settings” -> “General” -> “Energy mode & start” -> “Energy mode”. The change drastically reduces the power consumption of the console in standby. According to the energy experts, the power consumption of the Xbox Series S drops from around 10 watts to less than one watt.
Do you want to save even more electricity? We’ll show you a few simple tips that can get on power guzzlers:
Above all, the NRDC criticizes the fact that Microsoft advises its users in all regions to use the power-hungry stand-by mode when starting for the first time. In Europe only, when setting up Xbox consoles, gamers will be suggested to use the “Energy Saver” mode to meet energy efficiency requirements.
