How to save energy while you play video games
Gaming consoles might be small but they can be power-hungry players. Newer-generation gaming consoles are a lot more powerful than previous models, especially when used with new-generation games. Regardless of which gaming console you own, there are things you can do to lower its electricity use.
Tips for energy-efficient gaming
A few small changes to your gaming console set-up can help provide big savings.
- Activate power-saving settings. Refer to your device manual to find how to turn on these settings.
- Skip sleep mode, power down instead. A game console will continue to use electricity while it’s in a 'power-ready' state like 'standby' or 'sleep mode'. Instead, turn off the system completely once done playing.
- Opt for a monitor with a high energy-efficiency rating. They're rated on a five-star efficiency scale. The higher the rating, the better the efficiency. A monitor that's LED or OLED typically uses less energy than other types of similarly sized screens.
- Avoid using a game console for streaming. These devices use 10 to 25 times more electricity than a TV or streaming device.
- Newer isn't always better. Next generation consoles use a lot more electricity to deliver the latest features. Previous generation models can deliver more energy-efficient play time and still offer quality in-game experience.
Game consoles and streaming
If you use a game console to watch TV or movies, it's important to know that streaming using a gaming console uses a lot of electricity. A game console consumes 10 to 25 times more electricity than a TV or streaming device like an Apple TV, Roku, or the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Don't forget to power down
Turning off a game console when you're done playing is the simplest way to save energy. Check if your system has an auto-shut off after a period of inactivity to make this even easier.
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