The survey was conducted by the NRDC, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the environment. This investigation focused on the instant on mode of Xbox Series X / S, but also of Xbox One, which would save a few seconds when starting the console (10-15 on the new generation, 45 on Xbox One). The cost, however, is a greater power consumption, which can be calculated in about 10 dollars more per year, American prices, for each user.
It would also seem a negligible consumption, but if multiplied by the millions of consoles distributed in the USA and in the world, this passive consumption takes on truly remarkable volumes: 4 million kWh and 3 million tons of CO2 by 2025 only in the USA, or the production of a medium-large size plant.
The new console from Microsoft, in fact, even when switched off, consumes 9/10 watts of power per day, unless you select the "Energy saving" mode which reduces consumption to 1W. A value in line with PS5's sleep mode.
Thanks to the SSDs and the power of the new Series X / S the only advantage of the Instant On mode is the speed of ignition, since the automatic download of updates and the quick resume also work in energy saving mode.
Microsoft responded to this survey by saying that a recent update has drastically lowered consumption with the console off and above all that the company leaves its users the possibility to choose which of the two modes to use. Indeed, a Microsoft spokesperson said the company will soon take steps to create methods that highlight the benefits of energy-saving mode.
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