Microsoft Promises Update To Address Xbox One's Power Wastage Criticisms

Environmental activists have long decried the practice of users keeping their electronic gadgets switched on in the standby mode. Their bone of contention is that although the power draw is lower in that mode, the cumulative wastage of electricity is significant when these gadgets remain operational 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The problem is exacerbated in the current generation of consoles, which require constant updates and need to remain online even when they aren't being used. It seems that the Xbox One is particularly egregious when it comes to power consumption during the standby state.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, which is counted as one of the most powerful U.S.-based environmental groups, had criticised Microsoft in particular for Xbox One's power draining Instant-on mode through a blog post. The environmental lobby claims that the mode costs U.S. Xbox One users a total of approximately $250 million in electricity costs. The group states that the mode is responsible for a whopping 40 percent of the console's annual power consumption figures in U.S. households.

The Instant-on mode allows the console to boot up quicker, but the main benefit is the ability to automatically find and download updates in the background. With constant system updates and the average videogame patch running into several gigabytes, this feature is indispensible and an unnecessary evil given the circumstances. Although Microsoft addressed earlier criticisms against the Xbox One by reducing the power consumption of the Instant-on mode from the original 18 watts to 12.5 watts, the NRDC has reservations with the way it has been implemented.

The environmental group doesn't appreciate how the mode is switched on by default. It argues that Xbox One users who intend to disable the functionality have to dig deep within the setup menus to find an option to do so. The NRDC believes that Microsoft should adopt a more "environmentally responsible" route of keeping the power-wasting feature switched off at default and instead offer the option to switch it on during initial console setup.

Gamespot reports that Microsoft has now responded to the NRDC's concerns about the environmental impact of its videogame console. The Xbox One maker disagrees that the Instant-on mode is wasteful and it has made that clear through an official post on the Xbox Wire. Responding to NRDC's suggestion to allow gamers to opt into the feature, Microsoft argues that feature was implemented after Xbox users had repeatedly demanded it ever since the last generation Xbox 360 console.

Microsoft counters that the feature is essential because it solves the major annoyance of interruptions caused by system and videogame updates. The mode allows gamers to have a better entertainment experience by running these tasks when the system isn't in use. In addition to saving "countless hours" of "needlessly waiting" for downloads, the Instant-on mode is also critical for enabling the console's famous "Xbox on" voice command that powers the system on from the standby mode.

"When factoring the monthly system updates, new features in apps and games and automatic mobile purchase downloads, the Instant-on setting easily saves users countless hours of needlessly waiting," Microsoft wrote justifying the feature. "At Microsoft, sustainability is core to our business practices… we continue to work to reduce the environmental impact of our products and services and we are committed to carbon neutrality as a company."

NRDC's pressure seems to have worked, because Microsoft has agreed to allow gamers a more intuitive and easier means to choose between the Instant-on and the optional Energy-saving mode. The latter is estimated to save an average Xbox One user about $10 in electricity costs per month. However, the mode neither affords the convenience of background updates, nor can it allow the console to be powered on by voice command.

Microsoft hasn't announced the exact date when it will roll an update to implement the improved option to choose between the Instant-on and Energy-saving power modes. The official post, however, states that it will arrive in the "coming months." Meanwhile, the company assures that it has managed to reduce the power footprint of the much-maligned Instant-on mode by a third of its original value. For those interested in knowing more about the difference between the two modes, follow this link for better insight.

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