How Much Electricity Does My Game Console Use?
14th February 2025
Whether you are an Xbox enthusiast or a Playstation pro there are ways to reduce your electricity bills without reducing the fun you’re having!
Do you love a good Xbox session, catching a movie or streaming Netflix? While playing console games is increasingly popular – and heaps of fun, too – it can come at quite a cost to your power bill.
The good news is that you don’t have to pull the plug on gaming completely. If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of time to research, you can stay plugged in for longer and play without the fear of bill shock.
Comparing consoles
There are a few variables which impact how much electricity your game console uses, for example:
- the game you play (i.e. game play complexity and detail of the graphics)
- the specs of the console, for example the efficiency of the hardware components (CPU / GPU) and performance capabilities (processor cores, memory etc.)
Every year, new gaming consoles are released for game lovers to enjoy. The age of your console also determines varying power consumption – with newer models being more power hungry than the classics. This is due to experience advancements being prioritized at the cost of energy-efficiency (i.e. higher processing and graphics performance vs. classic consoles). Consoles are created differently when it comes to power consumption. This means that some consume more power than others.
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Energy saving tips when console gaming
A few small changes to how your games console is set-up can provide major savings on your energy bill.
- Don’t rely on the standby or sleep mode when the console is not being used – opt to completely turn-off instead to prevent power still being drawn. Switching off the gaming console after use could save up to $195 a year.
- Use a monitor with a high energy rating (5-star efficiency score) that is ideally either LED or OLED (Organic LED).
- Change the settings of your console so that it shuts down automatically if it remains idle for more than 30 minutes. This will help prevent it from consuming power when on standby mode. Use your games console for, well, gaming. If you are planning to stream your favourite TV show, then you should use other devices that are more energy efficient instead of using your game console.
The final word
A love of gaming does not automatically have to mean a large electricity bill. Taking the time to turn off standby, picking a more energy efficient console and choosing an LED monitor can all help lower energy bills whilst keeping you in peak form.
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