Xbox Rolls Out New Energy-Saving Features for a Greener Gaming Experience

Attention, gamers! Microsoft is gearing up to roll out new energy-saving features for the Xbox Series X / S consoles this week, making your gaming experience not only more enjoyable but also more eco-friendly. The introduction of active hours and carbon-aware updates aim to reduce power consumption and promote the use of renewable energy sources.

The active hours feature, initially tested in January, allows Xbox owners to set specific hours during which their console boots up quickly while shutting down fully during less active times to save energy. When fully shut down, an Xbox draws only 0.5 watts, as opposed to the 10-15 watts consumed during Standby mode. You can either set active hours manually or let your Xbox adjust them automatically based on your usage patterns.

In addition to active hours, Microsoft is introducing “carbon-aware updates” as part of the Shutdown (energy-saving) mode. Instead of waking the console up for updates during the standard 2 AM to 6 AM maintenance window, this feature enables the Xbox to receive updates when your local grid has the highest renewable energy availability. This not only reduces dependency on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions but could also help you save money on your electricity bill.

By switching to Shutdown (energy-saving) mode, the Xbox power usage is lowered by about 20 times compared to regular Sleep mode. The only minor inconvenience is that your console will take 45 seconds to wake up when you’re ready to game. However, with the active hours feature, you can set your console to be “always active” during your preferred gaming hours.

To enable active hours, head to Settings > General > Power on your console. While Microsoft already sets Shutdown (energy-saving) mode as the default for some consoles, you can turn it on or off by navigating to the same menu.

By embracing these new energy-saving features, you can join the movement towards a more sustainable gaming experience. So, let’s power up our consoles and play our part in protecting the environment! Are you ready to level up your gaming habits and contribute to a greener future?

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