Xbox One And PlayStation 4 Essential Tips To Reduce Electric Bill Caused By High Power Consumption
Natural Resources Defense Council or NRDC showed concern over increased power consumption by Microsoft Xbox One. A special mode called “Instant On” that constantly syncs data online is automatically enabled during the initial setup.
Latest Gaming Consoles Increases Monthly Electric Bills
A blog has been posted at the Natural Resources Defense Council in March 26, 2015 that details the increased power consumption of the latest Microsoft gaming console Xbox One. According to the blog, Xbox One can add up to $250 million annually worth of electric bills among owners. Simple setup noted by the blog can reduce the power consumption of the gaming console by disabling the “Instant On” mode. However, it does not appear during the initial setup of the owner.
“Although Microsoft reduced the power drain from its ‘Instant On’ mode from 18 watts to 12.5 watts, the mode is still default when it comes out of the box and the user is not even given the option to disable it during initial setup,” part of the blog from Natural Resources Defense Council.
Last year, NRDC unveiled the energy consumption of Microsoft Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U and Sony PlayStation 4. PlayStation 4 consumes more than 80 watts when streaming 1080 videos followed by Xbox One at 72 watts. Wii U consumes less than 30 watts while streaming videos of the same resolution.
Configuring Power Saving Modes On Xbox One And PlayStation 4
Xbox One users can change the power saving mode of the gaming console anytime. Two modes are available – Energy Saving and Instant On – for owners to choose from. Here are the steps to configure it on the device:
1. Go to the Home screen.
2. Press the Menu button on the controller.
3. Select Settings.
4. Go to Power and Startup.
5. Under the Turn Mode off choose between Energy Saving and Instant On.
For PlayStation 4 owners, three power modes are available which details on how the system is turned on, turned off or put under standby. Here are the steps to configure it:
1. Touch the Power button and press the PS button on a controller to turn on the gaming console.
2. Press and hold the PS button for at least one second then select Enter Standby Mode on the screen.
3. For turning off the device completely, press and hold the PS button for at least one second then select Turn Off PS4.