Microsoft cuts the power to the Xbox One—in a good way
Pretty much any appliance that you leave plugged into the wall drains power even when it is not in use, and the Xbox One is no exception. Where it is running updates and downloading games in the background or constantly listening for you to say “Xbox on,’ the system is always pulling power out of the wall. Microsoft Corp has heard from numerous users who have concerns about the effect its millions of game systems have on the grid, and it has decided to patch in a new “Energy-saving” mode to make the Xbox One a little less power hungry.
But while Microsoft added the new feature based on user feedback, it does not try to hide the fact that it would still prefer that people use its more feature-rich power option.
“While we believe Instant-on provides the best experience for our fans, we also believe in providing consumer choice which is why we offered the ‘Energy-saving’ mode,” Microsoft wrote on Xbox Wire. “This lower power state consumes less energy and can save customers an average of $6 to $15 in energy costs per year in the U.S.”
“Environmental leadership often begins at home”
The new Energy-saving mode does give more environmentally conscious users the chance to reduce the console’s impact on power usage, but the feature is not selected by default, and it is unclear how many users would actually opt to use the new power mode because, as Microsoft admits, “This mode does not provide the added value of background updating.”
“By providing multiple power states in Xbox One and empowering our fans with choice, we sought to balance energy efficiency and functionality,” Microsoft’s post says. “At the same time, we know many Xbox One fans are vigilant about their household’s energy consumption; after all, environmental leadership often begins at home.”
Microsoft notes that in the future, new Xbox One owners will be prompted during the initial setup phase to choose which power feature they would like to use, so at least some users will be aware of the power saving option.
Image credit: “Xbox One Console Set” by Evan-Amos. – Media:Xbox_One_Console_Set.jpg. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
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